Kent Schools Linking Project 2019-20

The project involves year-long curriculum rich class links between schools across the district. We would like to invite you to join the project, aimed at pupils in Years 4 and 5, for the 2019-20 academic year.

Our programme for Schools Linking has been endorsed by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) and the Department for Education (DfE). It is nationally recognised as offering a positive, age appropriate curriculum which promotes social integration as stated in the Integrated Communities Strategy green paper and contributes to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils, British values and the Prevent Duty. The project creates real reasons for communicating and is a fantastic way for children to meet and interact with others. Importantly, Linking also promotes achievement through literacy rich resources.

The children meet three times in the year. The classes exchange work throughout the year and through this structured programme explore four key questions:

• Who am I? - exploring identity
• Who are we? - celebrating diversity
• Where do we live? - promoting community
• How do we all live together? - championing equality

How does a school join the Kent Schools Linking Project and what does it involve?

• Complete and return the expression of interest form (DOCX, 294.6 KB).
• Upon receipt of your form, we contact you to discuss your school priorities and a suitable link.
• The linking teacher(s) attend two full day CPD sessions, one in September 2019 and another in the Spring. It is crucial that both link teachers attend so they can plan together.
• The first meeting of the children is a joint visit by both classes to a neutral venue in the district such as a local Secondary school or an environmental centre, followed by each class visiting the other school later in the school year. We will support each link according to their individual needs.
• Linking CPD sessions, resources, support and advice from the Kent Schools Linking Programme Advisor are free to participating schools.
• The cost to the school of participating in the Kent Schools Linking Project is:
  • the cost of the neutral venue visit where children meet for the first time
  • all transport costs to neutral venue and class visit sessions (arranged and paid for by school).

To find out more about the Schools Linking Project, see the Linking Network website

If you wish to be part of the programme, please complete the expression of interest form (DOCX, 294.6 KB) and return it to us by Friday 28 June. If you require more information, please contact Gillie Heath.

Contact Details

Gillie Heath
Email: Gillie.Heath@theeducationpeople.org
Telephone: 03000 41 70 93