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Comenius programme Bratislava castle, Slovakia

Hundreds of UK schools and colleges have benefited from Comenius funding and from worthwhile learning-based partnerships.

What is the Comenius programme?

Schools partner up within the EU and apply for funding for a project - this includes a planning visit and money to support a curriculum project. The whole school is involved - ideally learners and staff work together in different curriculum areas aiming for a cross-curricular approach.

The application is made by the whole partnership (via the lead partner) and applications are approved/disapproved during the summer term and money allocated for the following September.

How much money is awarded?

Schools can be awarded up to €22,000 for a large project over two years, but there are also medium and small size projects. Schools are not awarded more money for far-off destinations such as Guadeloupe or Martinique but would need to reduce the number of visits.

Why do schools do Comenius?

Schools report innumerable benefits, including:

increased motivation and morale for both students and staff
improved staff retention and recruitment
direct contact with other cultures and languages
development of project management and leadership skills
exchange of ideas and good practice
team building
enhanced cross-curricular approach
development of new teaching strategies and materials
development of skills such as communication and creativity for pupils
long-term friendships with people from other countries

What are the requirements and who is eligible?

Partnerships must include least three schools or colleges (all types are eligible from nursery to FE colleges).
Partnerships must involve three countries (from EU) - except Bilateral Partnerships, see below.
Partnerships must be planned over two years.
Contact the Comenius team for support or specific questions

What about focusing on languages?

One other option for older children is the Comenius Bilateral Partnerships - these must include a focus on language learning. Their aim is to increase young people's motivation, capacity and confidence to communicate in other European languages and promote the use of all the official languages of the EU. There is a particular focus on the less widely used and less taught languages, which provides the opportunity for pupils to be introduced to a new language they might never have learned before.

10 or more children work with 10 or more from an institution in another EU country in a bilateral collaboration (two schools involved).
Partnerships run for two years, during which participants work together on a project showcasing the two languages involved.
There must a reciprocal exchange lasting a minimum of ten days (pupils must be over 12).
A lump sum grant based on the number of teachers and learners travelling transnationally throughout the two year duration of the partnership. More>>>

What is involved?

1. Partner institutions agree a project to work together on over an agreed period involving one or a number of subject areas, for example 'How the schools manage waste'.

2. The schools select a coordinating institution to be responsible for the application and project management.

3. Funding applications must be filled in, travel arrangements made -the administrative side of collaboration can be a challenge. Lump sum is grant awarded based on the number of teachers and learners travelling transnationally trhoughout the two year duration.

4. Managing communication - the schools need to find the best way to plan, assess and agree how to take the project forward. eTwinning offers an ideal project space for communication, with a facility for online conferences.

5. Timelines are set up to include dates for exchanging information and responding, special events, visits and outcomes.

6. Budget has to be managed, and the Comenius support teams will help with this.

7. Mechanisms for assessment and evaluation are important.

8. For more tips and useful insights see the FAQs on the British Council website.

Why do Comenius projects work so well?

Read any of the Comenius case studies on this site to understand why teachers invest their time and effort in collaborative projects. They earn recognition, gain from their interactions with teachers from the EU and enjoy the participation and enthusiasm of learners.

There's a huge boost in motivation and involvement throughout the class
There's increased effort and perseverence goes into presentation; the projects will be reviewed by a peer group
Produces closer working within teams in the class - an agreed common aim
Improves literacy - children check their work and concentrate harder
Helps to engage learners in what would otherwise be abstract and distant issues, making these complex issues more immediate, real and accessible

Any other tips?

Joint curriculum projects are best developed through close working relationships with other teachers at your partner institution. It's ideal if you can meet each other teachers face to face
Remember it is not necessary to match children by age of class; you can match by subject
If you have a subject, but no partner, most databases allow you to search for a partner by subject

Who can I contact?

The Comenius Handbook provides an excellent overview of Comenius and is a great place to start developing your knowledge and understanding of opportunities available to your school. This, along with a host of information including guidance, funding and up to date news and events, can be found on the Comenius website.

The Comenius programme is administered across all 4 regional offices, London, Belfast, Edinburgh and Wales.

Contact the team by e-mail comenius@britishcouncil.org

Contact the team by phone 0161 957 7755

Write to the team:

Comenius Enquiries
3rd Floor
British Council
10 Spring Gardens
London
SW1A 2BN

If you give your full school name and local authority then your enquiry will be directed to the correct person.