COBIS Connect - July 2017

Dear Colleague,

I trust you're enjoying a well-deserved summer holiday wherever you are. The sun is certainly shining here in London as we reflect and prepare for the 2017/2018 academic year. As COBIS grows we continue to offer you, our members even more. This includes a number of new PD courses as listed on the right-hand column of this edition of Connect. The 2016/17 academic year saw us launch The Patron's Accreditation and Compliance, a quality assurance and school improvement system. This, coupled with the challenge of high-quality teacher/leader supply and retention now forms an important strategic focus for COBIS. In this issue of Connect, you'll read about our call for proposals for those interested in undertaking a COBIS-commissioned research project on teacher supply in the British international schools sector. This will give us a clearer picture of the challenges faced and the response of our association. With this in mind, please remember to publish your school vacancy ads and to review the COBIS recruitment bulletin, which lists all vacancies in COBIS schools. This is sent to thousands of active job seekers and browsers who are based in the UK and overseas (you can subscribe via the pop-up here). Don't forget, in addition to schools, it's FREE for COBIS supporting members to publish vacancy ads on the COBIS website too. Publishing on the website ensures that vacancies are included in the recruitment bulletin.

As you'll notice, our student events and competitions calendar for next year is beginning to take shape. A new competition, in association with Future Foundations, which focuses on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals is sure to attract students with an interest in social change and the prize of a trip to China for the COBIS GSL Catalyst couldn't be more rewarding! Speaking of the UN, the COBIS Model United Nations Conference is back and will return to the International British School of Bucharest in Romania this year. Those who attended the inaugural COBIS MUN in 2016 will know that IBSB hosted an enjoyable and memorable event.

There's also some impressive news from our COBIS Supporting Members this month as they continue to serve the needs of British international schools globally. This coming year will see COBIS give more recognition to the work that they do by the introduction of a 'Supporting Member of the Year' award to be decided by our schools and awarded at the COBIS Annual Conference in May. Who will be the first ever recipient of this special honour?

So, enjoy the rest of your summer holidays and congratulations on all that you, your students and teams have achieved this academic year. Onwards and upwards!

Kind regards,

Colin Bell
CEO

COBIS NEWS

COBIS INVITES EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR TEACHER SUPPLY RESEARCH

One of the aims in the current COBIS Development Plan relates to Teacher Supply: To research, advocate, encourage and inform routes to meet the urgent need for teachers and leaders in British international schools in a fast growing educational economy.

As part of this commitment, COBIS is looking to commission qualitative and quantitative research into teacher supply in the British international schools sector, and is inviting expressions of interest.

FURTHER DETAILS

COBIS MEMBERSHIP NUMBERS COMING SOON

Look out for your new 6 digit COBIS Membership number, which will feature on your invoices and allow you access to our new Digital Workbook.

This will enable you to check on your Quality Assurance review date and to upload evidence required for the COBIS Compliance or Patron's Accreditation programmes - more information here.

These new numbers will be communicated to you shortly via email and should be quoted on all future correspondence with COBIS.

If you have any questions about your membership or the Quality Assurance process, please contact either Natalie on members@cobis.org.uk or Sharon on quality@cobis.org.uk

MORE INFORMATION

COBIS CEO ATTENDS UNIVERSITY OF BATH CHANCELLOR'S DINNER

COBIS CEO Colin Bell was honoured to be invited by HRH The Earl of Wessex, Chancellor of the University of Bath, to represent COBIS at the Chancellor's Dinner at the university on 3 July. Colin was hosted by Professor Jeff Thompson and Professor Mary Hayden, who are both valued members of the COBIS community.

The Chancellor's Dinner was held in the magnificent Assembly Rooms and celebrated 50 years of the University of Bath, one of our valued Supporting Members. The event was also the perfect opportunity to congratulate Professor Mary Hayden on being awarded the prestigious title of Professor, announced by the University of Bath on 1 July 2017. COBIS would like to congratulate Mary on this wonderful achievement - we are enormously proud to be associated with Mary and her world-renowned work.

MORE INFORMATION

INDIA ALL SET FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION EXPANSION

The international schools market in India is on the cusp of significant expansion according to ISC Research. The forecast is based upon data and intelligence that ISC Research has published in a new Market Report for India.

Key facts from the report indicate that, within the last five years, the number of international schools in India has grown by over 45%, while student enrolment has increased by over 70%. There are currently 469 international schools located throughout the country attended by 268,500 students aged between 3 and 18.

READ MORE

10 Questions gives you the chance to get to know members of the COBIS network a little bit better by asking them ten questions about their achievements, wishes and hidden talents! This month, we talked to Martina Beejadhur. Martina is the Founder of Alexandra House School in Mauritius, a private English Primary school providing a British education to approximately 100 children in Mauritius.

1. Which living person do you most admire?
Barack Obama.

2. Which talent would you most like to have?
A beautiful singing voice.

3. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Keeping Alexandra House School alive and thriving.

4. Where would you most like to live?
South of France.

5. What is your favourite book?
A Course in Miracles by the Foundation for Inner Peace.

6. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
I don't feel I measure up to any historical figure so I wouldn't dare to identify myself with one.

7. When you were a child what did you want to be when you grew up?
A teacher!

8. What do you like to do in your spare time?
Meditate, read, be silent.

9. What is on your bucket list?
Nothing… Whatever life sends my way is ok.

10. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
I love to dance.

Each month we will be showcasing one of our alumni from any of our 292 schools around the world. COBIS students are doing amazing things and we want to showcase the talent of past students from our schools, in order to celebrate what they have achieved and to inspire the next generation of students.

This month Hannah spoke to Ian Yong Lim who graduated from Jerudong International School, a COBIS Accredited Member School in Brunei in 2011. Jerudong International School is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2017 with the launch of an alumni network, and Ian has been instrumental in bringing this network to life. The school's alumni events and 20th anniversary celebrations took place earlier this year.

Click below to read more about Ian's time at Jerudong International School

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: IAN YONG LIM

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT and EVENTS NEWS

COBIS TRAINING FOR DESIGNATED SAFEGUARDING LEADS

In 2017/18, COBIS is offering one-day, face-to-face advanced training for Designated Safeguarding Leads in Madrid, Abu Dhabi, London and Hong Kong. It is vital for the Safeguarding Lead and other senior staff in your school to access up-to-date, advanced training on a regular basis.

Madrid – 26 October 2017 (BOOKING FORM)
Abu Dhabi – 6 November 2017 (BOOKING FORM)
London – 15 May 2018
Hong Kong – 29 May 2018

FURTHER DETAILS

ONLINE TRAINING - CHILD PROTECTION IN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS AND SAFER RECRUITMENT IN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

COBIS would like to thank colleagues from COBIS Schools who contributed to the revision and update of the EduCare Child Protection and Safer Recruitment courses.

These online courses have now been tailored specifically for an international market, and are available to COBIS Schools at a discounted rate. For more information, please visit the COBIS website or email Laura Brain at EduCare.

MORE INFORMATION

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT NEWS

OPPORTUNITIES TO SHINE IN 2017/18

Planning for the 2017/2018 COBIS Student Engagement programme is well underway with events confirmed in Spain, China, UK, UAE and Romania to date.

If you would like to be involved in these events, please do visit www.cobis.org.uk/students to get up-to-date information on all activities.

MORE INFORMATION

WORK TOWARDS THE UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS WITH COBIS AND FUTURE FOUNDATIONS

COBIS and Future Foundations have partnered to create a competition for 11-15 year olds in COBIS schools.

Students will have the chance to work in groups to create a social action project, based on one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals as outlined by the UN, to bring about change in their community. Following feedback from the team at Future Foundations, students will carry out their projects from October 2017 - March 2018 before reflecting on their project and the impact it had.

Teachers can sign up now, with the brief and project template being sent out in early September 2017.

The winning team will be invited to attend the COBIS GSL Catalyst Programme in China, December 2018.

All participants will receive a named certificate at the end of the programme and all submissions received on time will receive feedback on their projects.

FIND OUT MORE

MEET STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD AND UNDERSTAND DIPLOMACY AT COBIS MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE 2018

The 2018 edition of the COBIS Model United Nations Conference will take place in Bucharest in March 2018. Once again the conference will be hosted by the International British School of Bucharest who hosted a spectacular inaugural event in 2016.

The COBIS MUN conference offers participating students the chance to address and tackle issues of global relevance, through intellectually engaging with other likeminded people from around the world. Students will also develop key skills including debating, critical and creative thinking, and the art of compromise, which are increasingly necessary in the world today.

REGISTER NOW

NEWS FROM COBIS SCHOOLS

YOUNG PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD JOIN TOGETHER IN SONG TO HELP HIV ORPHANED CHILDREN IN TANZANIA

Every year since 2012 Voices Around The World has produced a song that schools and youth organisations all over the world teach their students/choirs. All funding generated from downloads of the finished song go to help develop schools in Tanzania

A number of COBIS Member schools participated in the recording, sending their vocals to the Voices Around The World team who mix and edit them all to come up with the final master recording and video.The Njombe region of Tanzania has a high prevalence of HIV, and many children are orphaned as a result of the disease. The money raised through downloads of the song will go to help develop the schools in this region, offering children a better education and a better chance at life. So far, the project has enabled the provision of new classrooms, school gardens, textbooks and sports facilities.

You can download the song from the Voices Around the World website and contribute to this great work!

DOWNLOAD THE SONG

WHAT'S IT LIKE TEACHING IN A COBIS SCHOOL IN MONGOLIA? YEAR 4 TEACHER PETER NORTON SPILLS THE BEANS FOR TES

Far above sea level, a sense of Mongolian tradition has given one Year 4 teacher at the British School of Ulaanbaatar, a COBIS Accredited Member School, a taste of the high life – even if his students' energy levels occasionally require cooling.

In an article for Tes, Peter Norton shares a glimpse of a typical day teaching at the British School of Ulaanbaatar: "Ulaanbaatar is in north central Mongolia, lying at an elevation of 1,350 metres above sea level. We follow the British national curriculum, so elements of teaching are similar to back home. But then again, when 95 per cent of your class are EAL students and you have the stunning backdrop of mountains and blue sky, things are never the same."

READ MORE

ALICE SMITH SCHOOL CELEBRATES FOUNDER'S DAY

The Alice Smith School celebrated a fantastic Founder's Day. Held annually in July on Mrs Alice Fairfield-Smith's birthday, Founder's Day is a very special occasion for the community to learn about the unique story of how the school began, and reflect on the legacy and success as one of the oldest and most respected international schools in the Asian region.

A memorable Founder's Day assembly and tree planting ceremony was held. As a special project, the Year 4 students shared their magnificent Top Trumps design that they produced this year as a Founder's Day gift. Students were also involved in creating a magnificent pebble art installation in the school gym and planted a special tree, known as the Mickey Mouse tree to commemorate the occasion.

READ MORE

NEWS FROM COBIS SUPPORTING MEMBERS

VOCAB EXPRESS LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS 2017

Celebrate the European Day of Languages 2017 by taking part in our week-long vocab learning competition.

The League of Champions is a competition run by Vocab Express, a unique learning platform that helps students to build their vocabulary. The competition is a fantastic way to engage students in language learning by challenging them to compete against other schools from around the world. All of the action can be tracked on a live leaderboard, and there are certificates and prizes on offer for the highest scoring schools and students across fourteen languages.

This year we are offering 50 free places in the competition to COBIS members. To snap up one of these free places, visit Vocab Express's website.

CLAIM YOUR FREE PLACE

FROG EDUCATION WINS GROUNDBREAKING BID TO SUPPORT DANISH EDUCATION

COBIS Supporting Member Frog Education, a UK based education technology company, has won a government contract alongside a Danish IT business company to develop a bespoke school communication and collaboration platform for 2 million people across the whole of Denmark.

The platform is being touted as the 'Facebook for Education' and will support easy communication and collaboration between home and school, in a way not yet in existence, through its own built-in features and integration with existing school and municipality platforms and systems.

Frog is no stranger to nationwide government deals, having successfully won a 10,000 school Malaysian Government contract, whilst also being a market leader in the UK and with a presence in 23 countries globally. COBIS would like to congratulate all at Frog Education for this outstanding achievement and wish them all the best as they move forward with the project!

MORE INFORMATION

July 2017

COBIS CPD AND EVENTS 2017/18

Autumn Term

COBIS Programme for Aspiring Heads

Muscat and Madrid

From September 2017