Essential skills are not limited by language or culture, rather they are fundamental across the globe. Schools and organisations globally join our partnership network to strive towards a shared goal with a common language and framework.
The real highlights of our global network approach are the opportunities to bring together our international community of people building essential skills. Over the last few months, we’ve welcomed educators and partners from India, Hong Kong and Czechia, to show them how Skills Builder has supported UK schools.
Our most recent visit was from Schola Empirica – an independent, Prague-based NGO and Educational Institution accredited by the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.
Schola Empirica is leading a project to build Entrepreneurial skills across 120 Czech schools, in its aim to support policy innovations within Czech education. As long-standing partners since 2018, we were delighted to welcome ten Czech teachers to join us at three of our leading primary schools in London to experience essential skills in action in the UK.
Romana Šloufová, Social Innovation Methodologist said: "Teachers took away a lot of practical tips and a lot of motivation for their own practice from the visits in classrooms, school tours and conversations with children and English colleagues."
The six Principles were brought to life at Wolf Fields Primary School, Dairy Meadow Primary School and William Tyndale Primary School – all of which have gained Impact Levels for their practice in essential skills. The schools showcased how their teachers deliver essential skills based curriculum and how learners engage with their project weeks.
Kamila Půlpytlová, Primary School Jeseniova in Prague, said: "I find the internship very enriching and inspiring. It was amazing to see in real life how Skills Builder methodology can be incorporated into teaching in various creative ways. It was great to connect the schools with life outside the classrooms. I find activities like challenge days and working with local businesses the most enriching for the children. It makes me wonder how this could be transferred to our school environment."
James Prideaux, Global Networks Manager at the Skills Builder Partnership, said "It has been fantastic to share such great examples of the Skills Builder approach with our Czech teachers. Huge thanks to the Skills Leaders, Senior Leaders and Teachers at Wolf Fields, Dairy Meadow and William Tyndale for allowing us into their schools to see the development of essential skills in action!"
iTeach Schools, India
iTeach Schools are a network of free, transformational schools for the most under-resourced children in Pune. We were delighted to welcome Senior Leaders and Lead Teachers from six of the iTeach schools in London. We presented our updates on what the Partnership has achieved since 2020, covering the Universal Framework and the Six Principles. One iTeach school has also now been accepted onto the 2023-24 Global Accelerator, which will see them hopefully join many other schools in India who have achieved a Skills Builder Award.
“I cannot reiterate how grateful I am for Skills Builder to be delivering an intense but worthwhile training in the Universal Framework with our School Leaders. Our team's sense of possibility has definitely been pushed a lot.”
Sweta Sarkar, Co-Founder & Senior Manager, Schools
Ednovators, Hong Kong
Ednovators is a Hong-Kong based charity founded by a group of education innovators. They link educators and cross-sector stakeholders to transform education in Hong Kong.
We had over 100 teachers from Hong Kong visit us in London earlier this year, where we ran workshops to introduce teachers to the Skills Builder approach.
Workshops included showcasing the Universal Framework and the Six Principles to building essential skills, as well as the Skills Builder Hub and Global Accelerator.
Learn more about global partners in essential skills and our programmes.
