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Step-by-step to the ISA

Foundation ISA – apply at any time

1. Register your school at www.globalgateway.org This gives you access to lots of helpful advice, support and ideas for developing the international dimension in your curriculum.
2. Appoint an international co-ordinator within your school – for guidance and a sample job description, visit www.globalgateway.org/isa
3. Write an international policy -visit www.globalgateway.org/isa for guidance.
4. You’re now almost ready to apply for Foundation ISA. Download a “Statement of Intent” from www.globalgateway.org/isa, which is a simple statement of your commitment to introduce some curriculum-based international activities.
5. Ask your headteacher and your Chair of Governors to sign it and keep it safe at your school to document your commitment to your international journey. We’ll return your Foundation ISA certificate by post.

Intermediate ISA – apply at any time

1. Register your school at www.globalgateway.org
2. Appoint an international co-ordinator within your school, if you don’t already have one. For guidance and a sample job description,
visit www.globalgateway.org/isa
3. Write an international policy – visit www.globalgateway.org/isa for guidance
4. Complete the application form (available on www.globalgateway.org/isa). You’ll need to show evidence of a minimum of three curriculum-based international activities, supported by a link with a partner school. We’ll return your Intermediate ISA certificate by post.

Full DCSF International School Award

1. Register your school at www.globalgateway.org
2. Appoint an international co-ordinator within the school, if you don’t already have one. For guidance and a sample job description,
visit www.globalgateway.org/isa
3. Write an international policy – visit www.globalgateway.org/isa for guidance.
4. Complete an international audit – this helps to identify international work already going on across the school. Guidance is available at www.globalgateway.org/isa
5. Write an action plan for the 2009-10 school year, setting out a minimum of seven curriculum-based international activities, supported by one or more strong partnerships with schools overseas. Submit this at any time between now and November 2009
6. The team at the British Council will give you feedback on your action plan before the start of term in January 2010.
7. Compile your portfolio of evidence. Collect evidence over the school year of your activities – this could include photos, pupils’ work, evaluation forms from staff, pupils and parents etc – and put it together in a single folder.
8. Submit your portfolio of evidence in July 2010. Successful schools will be invited to a national award ceremony and presented with an official ISA certificate and a trophy of achievement from the DCSF. You will also be able to use the ISA logo and will gain national recognition as an ambassador for international work. The ISA is valid for three years.

Funding and support

The ISA is great for supporting international work in your school. Here’s a simple guide to some types of the opportunities on offer.    
Partner-finding is the key to any successful, sustainable international work. Register on the DCSF Global Gateway ( www.globalgateway.org), which features a worldwide database of schools looking for partners like you. If your town has a ‘twin’ overseas, this could also open up school links. Schemes like the EU’s Comenius programme run ‘contact seminars’ – offering face-to-face partnerships with schools from other countries.    
Online collaboration schemes such as eTwinning ( www.etwinning.net) join schools across Europe. Register your partnership online and collaborate on simple but effective ICT projects. DCSF eLanguages (www.elanguages.org) enables schools to collaborate globally, letting you develop your project work safely and securely in a shared workspace.    
Funded collaborative projects bring the world alive with visits to partner schools. For details visit www.britishcouncil.org/learning-ie-school-partnerships    
Continuing professional development opportunities are plenty: schools can discover global professional practices and reflect on their own. Activities include themed study visits, work-shadowing an overseas colleague and swapping jobs with a USA teacher. See www.britishcouncil.org/learning-professional-development    
Language Assistants benefit your school  both linguistically and culturally. Employ a Foreign Language Assistant ( www.britishcouncil.org/languageassistants) or host a Comenius Assistant from elsewhere in Europe ( www.britishcouncil.org/comenius-assistant)    
All these opportunities can contribute to your ISA work – so why not take advantage? Download details of all schemes and deadlines from www.britishcouncil.org/programme_grid_latest.pdf