The ILA in Detail

OBJECTIVES

1. To understand the purpose of the ILA2. To have a clear understanding of how to complete the ILA3. To have considered the 19 statements in the ILA4. To have initially considered personal levels for each of the 19

statements

The ILA in Detail

Self-reflection is now recognised to be a key leadership attribute and the purpose of the ILA is to support you as you develop as a highly effective leader who encourages, inspires and supports others to embrace the importance of the international dimension in schools.

An overview of the ILA - 1

• The ILA is a very different kind of “award”. It is not, for example, associated with a badge or certificate or any other form of external recognition.

• The reward of the ILA is intrinsic and comes from the satisfaction you receive from being able to recognise how you are progressing. The ILA framework and the reflective questions are designed to help you to understand your progress and what you might focus on doing next.

• The ILA is, therefore, a developmental tool that supports your growth as a leader within the international dimension of education in schools.

An overview of the ILA - 2

• Each time you complete the ITA you should print off a copy of the report that is generated (and which is based on your responses to the questions). You should keep a hard copy of this report. You will not be able to go back at a later stage and edit your responses once you have left the website. You can, however, also save the report page location to your computer if you wish to go back to it and print it off again at a later stage.

An overview of the ILA - 3

• As you develop as an international leader you can complete the ILA as many times as you wish. Each time you do so you can monitor your progress from when you completed the ITA the previous time.

• It is best practice for you to complete the ILA whilst sitting down beside a leader colleague who is from your own school or a leader from another school. In this way your responses will be based upon your reflections and perceptions as well as those of a trusted colleague.

An overview of the ILA - 4

• Each question provides the same four possible responses. These are:

o 1 - Insufficient evidence of actiono 2 - Some but incomplete evidence of actiono 3 - Sufficient evidence of actiono 4 - Strong and varied evidence of action

An overview of the ILA - 5

• You are also encouraged to include comments after each question. This will help you to articulate why you have given the response at level 1, 2, 3 or 4 that you have chosen. Your comments are included in the report that is generated.

• There are 19 questions in total in the ILA. These are groups under three categories:

1. Shaping the School’s Global Vision (6 questions)

2. Leading the School’s International Dimension and Promoting Global Citizenship (8 questions)

3. Securing Community Cohesion and International Partnerships (5 questions)

An overview of the ILA - 6

STEP 1 - Home page - http://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/

Enter your username or email address and password

STEP 2 - Click on “TRAINING & RESOURCES”

Click on “TRAINING & RESOURCES”

STEP 3 – Click on “Professional development and training”

Professional development and training

STEP 3 – Click on “Professional development and training”

Professional development and training

STEP 4 – Click on “International leadership award”

International leadership award

STEP 5 – Introductory page

STEP 6 – Click on the version you wish to use.

Version to use

STEP 7 – Brings up Page 1 of 22 of the ILA .This is an explanation of

“Section 1. Shaping the School’s Global Vision” of the ILA

STEP 8 – Once you have read the content on page 1 click “Next” at the bottom left hand side of the page

Click “Next”

STEP 9 – Brings up Page 2 of 22 of the ILA – the first page to input responses

STEP 10 – Give responses

Click on one of these. You must do this before you go on to the next page

Enter any comments here

And that is it!

• Go through each page of the ILA giving your responses to each statement.

• There are 19 statements.• At the end of the process you can print out your own

report.

An example of a statement (Statement 1) and the 4 possible responses you can give.

1. I ensure that the vision and strategic plan are drawn up in collaboration with stakeholders and partners, understood by all

1 - Insufficient evidence of action 2 - Some but incomplete evidence of action 3 - Sufficient evidence of action 4 - Strong and varied evidence of action

Statements for Section 1: “Shaping the School’s Global Vision”

1. I ensure that the vision and strategic plan are drawn up in collaboration with stakeholders and partners, understood by all

2. I work within the school, its community and with international partners to implement the plan

3. I monitor, review and evaluate progress against agreed targets

4. I demonstrate a personal commitment to the values of internationalism and global citizenship

5. I encourage the use of new technologies to change and exchange practice

6. I celebrate the diversity, values and experience of the school, its community and its international partners

Statements for Section 2: “Leading the School’s International Dimension and

Promoting Global Citizenship”

7. I am building a collaborative learning culture and international learning communities

8. I provide leadership opportunities for young people in my school to drive collaborative projects, linking with young leaders internationally

9. I audit the curricular and extra-curricular opportunities offered, maximising potential by developing links and projects which can be sustained and have school and community-wide impact

10. I monitor pupils’ progress and the impact of cross-curricular work in the global dimension on standards

Statements for Section 2: “Leading the School’s International Dimension and

Promoting Global Citizenship”

11. I provide professional development and training opportunities to support the skills of staff in delivering the international dimension

12. I take part in training and development opportunities in leading international work

13. I try to overcome language barriers through the imaginative focus on, for example, sport, music, dance, the visual arts, photographic and video projects and the application of new technology to learning processes

14. I celebrate the achievements of individuals and teams

Statements for Section 3: “Securing Community Cohesion and International

Partnerships”15. I am building a school culture and curriculum which is informed by its own communities and those of its international partners

16. I try to ensure learning for pupils which is enriched by the school’s international partners with the stimulus of direct personal communication, shared electronic resources, and international pupil to pupil, teacher to teacher interaction

17. I am looking at ways to harness the creative potential of new technology to develop virtual networks and innovative forms of partnership working

18. I offer support to our international partners in achieving their goals

19. I lead across the system by involving our local school partners in activities with our international link schools

Refer to the 19 statements in your PRM and see how you would assess yourself for each one using the following levels:

1 - Insufficient evidence of action2 - Some but incomplete evidence of action3 - Sufficient evidence of action4 - Strong and varied evidence of action

Activity 1. Reflecting on the statements

Plenary

What action will you now take concerning the ILA?