COBIS School Improvement Programme (CSIP)

As school leaders, you are constantly balancing strategic direction, operational demands, and the wellbeing of your community. This course has been designed to support you in:

• Reflecting on your school’s current practice and how closely it aligns with international standards
• Identifying areas of strength and areas for further development
• Exploring how policies, systems, and leadership approaches work in practice
• Supporting ongoing school improvement in a way that is realistic and context-specific
• Engaging in professional dialogue with other school leaders

There is no expectation of perfection. Schools join this course at different stages of their development journey, and the emphasis throughout is on reflection, learning, and next steps, rather than compliance.

The course will be hosted on an online platform. Before each session, participants will complete a short pre-session activity or reading task. The taught session will then explore the topic in greater depth, with a focus on what effective practice looks like in an international school context. All sessions will be 2 hours long.

After each session, a key question will be posted in the group forum for schools to consider. Participants will be encouraged to collaborate, share ideas and reflect on practice within their own school setting.

A reflective journal will also be provided. This will be optional, and participants may choose to use it as a guide for their reflections after each session.

The final assessment will comprise a voice-over PowerPoint focusing on reflections on three key areas of the course content. Participants will also complete an action plan addressing all areas of the course. The action plan should support reflection, identify gaps and outline priorities for further school improvement.

The course will be assessed on a pass/fail basis. To pass, participants must demonstrate engagement with the course content, thoughtful reflection on current practice, identification of areas for development, and practical next steps for improvement.

Schools that successfully complete the programme will be given a COBIS certificate.

• Are you energised by sharing your expertise with others?
• Are you collaborative, inclusive and ambitious? Do you enjoy learning from and connecting with colleagues worldwide?
• Do you want to expand your global network by engaging with the growing family of prestigious schools worldwide?
• Does your school provide a high-quality international education using a curriculum such as Cambridge, MYP, PYP, iGCSE, A-Level or IB?
• Do you want to strengthen and enhance safer recruitment, safeguarding, and governance practices?
• Do you value wellbeing, pastoral care and professional and personal development and enrichment for all students and staff?
• Do you want to demonstrate your commitment to ongoing school improvement?

This programme is intended to support non-member schools on their school improvement journey.

To help ensure the programme is customised to the level and needs of the participating schools, all schools will be asked to complete a pre-course information form to provide further details on:

• Safeguarding and Safer Recruitment: safeguarding and safer recruitment policies, commitment to recording all staff recruitment checks in a central record, training procedures for all staff.
• Governance and Ownership: the school’s ownership model and governance structure, including the strategic oversight and safeguarding training of governors.
• Curriculum, Learning and Teaching: student demographics, curricula, assessment, staff qualifications, effective learning and teaching and monitoring, professional development, and provision for EAL and additional educational needs.
• Health and Safety: the origin of school facilities, compliance with local regulations, and any current concerns.
• Ethos: schools are asked to describe their vision, values, and how these are understood and supported by staff and parents.