Pupils can explore a number of aspects of health and healthy lifestyle with pupils in partner schools:                                                                                                                  
• Transport to and from school
• Typical and favourite foods and drinks
• Typical and favourite free-time activities
• Amount of exercise taken, PE in school, sport and fitness

They will be able to explore and examine their own health and lifestyle by comparison with children in schools in other countries.

Stay safe

The global dimension in education enables young people to stay safe from bullying and discrimination. Finding out about life and lifestyle of people overseas helps to counter prejudice and stereotype. Young people are encouraged to celebrate difference rather than see it as an obstacle or a negative issue.

Enjoy and achieve

A global dimension to the curriculum gives teachers another opportunity to motivate pupils and therefore another opportunity to succeed and achieve.

Finding out about the lives and lifestyles of children in other countries helps with our pupils’ personal and social development – they find out more about themselves via comparison with their overseas counterparts.

The global dimension addresses Equal Opportunities. It is accessible to all pupils regardless of their ability or special educational need and is just as accessible to those in deprived areas.

Make a positive contribution

The global dimension gives positive activities to develop personal and social skills.

It enables pupils to engage in decision making, especially in the Comenius project, where funding is provided for pupils to travel to project planning meetings and participate in the dissemination and planning of the project.

It develops positive relationships and encourages pupils not to bully and discriminate.

It also develops self-confidence and enterprising behaviour.

Achieve economic well-being

Finding out information about their counterparts overseas can help young people to get ready for the time when they leave full-time education and enter the world of work. It will alert them to pertinent issues and allow life experiences that other areas of the curriculum may not.

Treating others with dignity and respect is at the core of the global dimension’s rationale.

More specifically, pupils can find out from their counterparts overseas:              

• the world of work and destinations of young people leaving school
• how employment and education are valued
• salaries and currency generally
• public transport in each community, its efficiency and cost
• issues surrounding poverty

For more information please contact international.development@kent.gov.uk