Local 4 Global

Working co-operatively

WEDG and Music for Change agreed to work together in a school to achieve through their organisations' different means their common objective of embedding the global dimension in the curriculum and life of a school.

WEDG has been working all year with Smarden Primary School, Kent in their aim to become a Global School. One of the agreed outcomes at the beginning of the year was to add a global dimension to their themed week in June. This would show how a themed week, coming immediately after SATS and based around enjoyment of the arts, could also engage the children in learning about complex global issues such as interdependence.

WEDG provided guidance for the teachers in their preparations and planning through CPD sessions and directed them towards appropriate resources after they decided on the theme of food and farming in specified African countries.

Meetings were held between WEDG and Music for Change to discuss different roles, approaches and how the project would be evaluated. Different evaluation techniques were shared and a strategy agreed to avoid duplication and unnecessary demands on teachers.

Two artists from Music for Change (H and Usifu), delivered a two day residency of workshops with all classes during the themed week. The artists had a preliminary CPD session with the staff the week before in order to agree how the theme of food and farming would be integrated into the workshop sessions with the children. The two day residency ended with a performance for the whole school community. 

Children took part in the evaluation process through on online survey. See a KS2 example at
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Bfk6C9YUx_2brMRmL6XS07Dg_3d_3d

‘I went in yesterday, and there was a real buzz about the school, and the introductions that the Head and H and Usifu gave put the performances in context, so that hopefully some of the messages also got through to the parents. They achieved a lot in 2 days and I think H and Usifu also noticed the difference of working in a school where you had previously been in and worked with the teachers. All the teachers seemed really excited about the work.'
Donna Murphy, Music for Change

The co-operative working between WEDG and Music for Change provided an opportunity to share practical expertise and experiences within the wider common framework of supporting schools in embedding the global dimension. This has enhanced the professionalism of both organisations

Charlotte Tagart, WEDG, June 2008

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