COBIS Teachers and Leaders Study Exchange Programme
COBIS is pleased to have successfully facilitated the association’s first International teachers’ study exchange programme. The project was in partnership with COBIS Accredited Member School, the International School Olomouc (ISO) and other schools around the Czech Republic and five Infant and Primary Schools based in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.
The focus of this study exchange programme was on the Early Years/Foundation stage. Aims of the project included providing the opportunity to team teach, share theory, practice and experience and to develop sustainable international links between 5 schools in the UK and the Czech Republic.
Over the course of 2 terms, 45 Teachers and Leaders from the Czech Republic spent a fortnight each exploring the:
- provision of learning support
- whole school approach to personal, social and emotional development
- delivery of foundation skills through the curriculum
The study exchange programme was very much a ‘hands on’ project with host and visiting school teachers learning from one another and actively participating in:
- team teaching
- lesson observation
- policy and curriculum exchange
- cultural exchange
- pedagogy exchange
Facilitated by COBIS, the 3 cohorts of 45 teachers and leaders from different schools all over the Czech Republic and several from ISO were hosted in the UK during the 2014 autumn term and the recent spring term 2015.
The project was funded by the Czech Ministry through the European Social Fund and delivered through the COBIS Consultancy Service and a project team from COBIS Accredited Member, The International School Olomouc.
Colin Bell, COBIS CEO commented;
‘As the organisation responsible for matching up Early Years Teachers and Leaders from the Czech Republic with quality schools here in London, we are delighted that this project has been such a success. UK and Czech based teachers, leaders, children and families have benefitted from the exchange of International educational expertise, knowledge and cultural diversity. Thank you and congratulations to all our partners who engaged and participated!’
Petr Pospisil, Head of International School Olomouc who organised the funding and approached COBIS to help deliver the project said;
‘The project has provided excellent opportunity for all participating teachers to reflect and develop their own practice.’
He went on to say that ‘school assemblies, various approaches towards promoting good behavior as well as the strategies and programmes to support social and emotional development have been perceived in a very positive way.’
The Czech teachers and leaders reported that they particularly enjoyed the variety of lesson observations which they recorded and shared with colleagues in their own schools. Petr commented that since their return to the Czech Republic;
‘Some teachers have tried to implement the use of online apps to monitor children’s progress. Others reported that they will be definitely improving social and emotional development programmes thorough the implementation of particular practices observed in the UK. This is all evidence that the project is already having a positive impact on practice in Czech preschool.’
The project has also had a positive impact on the Czech teachers with their professional and personal development. Petr commented that;
‘For some it was for the first time they had an opportunity to observe practice in a different cultural context. Finally, the head teachers who took part in the visits are now be putting together an action plan at which end there will be some concrete outcomes for the schools. We have seen some good plans focusing on aspects of curriculum development such as school wide implementation of the SEAL programme or plans focusing improvement of performance management procedures at schools.’
Marketa Musilova, a Czech school Leader from The International School Olomouc commented that;
‘It was a very enriching and beneficial experience for me. I was amazed by the enthusiasm, dedication and hard work of the head teachers, their deputies and teachers for their daily work life. Many aspects of British educational system such as outdoor classrooms and learning, free flow between indoor and outdoor space, ability to differentiate learning for individual children and effective systems for tracking pupils progress as well as for performance management were very inspirational for me and something I have learnt a lot from. The opportunity to observe and ask about the effective educational practice gave me a lot practical tips on how to improve my practice here in the Czech Republic and for my further professional development.”
Building on this initial project, in June, a follow up professional support visit has just taken place between the Leadership team from the Carlisle & Hampton Hill Federation in London and The International School Olomouc. The focus of this follow up support visit was to support with strategic planning which is designed to implement changes and to assess the ongoing impact within the EYFS settings of host schools in the Czech Republic.
A special thank you to the 5 schools based in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames which hosted teachers and leaders from the Czech Republic. These schools were:
If you would like to find out more about your school working with COBIS on projects similar please do get in touch with our consultancy team consultancy@cobis.cobis.org.uk
Pictured below: COBIS CEO, Colin Bell (far left), Executive Headteacher of Carlisle and Hampton HIll Federation School, Bill Jerman (far right) and the Czech teachers.
