Include.net: innovative ways to promote inclusion in its broadest sense, within a pan-European context Erasmus Project

Project Title

Include.net: innovative ways to promote inclusion in its broadest sense, within a pan-European context

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Inclusion – equity; Quality Improvement Institutions and/or methods (incl. school development); New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

Include.net: innovative ways to promote inclusiion in its broadest sense, within a pan-European context
We are a group of 6 experienced educationists (primary/kindergartens), who are united in our belief that schools should be places of inclusion (in its widest sense), to include diversity within gender, those groups at risk of social inclusion,-experiencing social deprivation, the diversity of communication (due to second language acquisition or Special Educational Needs and Disabilities – SEND). We are based in schools in the UK, Cyprus, Finland, Turkey, Romania and Greece.
Having completed a strengths analysis of school priorities , we recognise that we have the knoweldge, expertise and experience to support each other and through collaboration, extend our skills and knoweldge around innovative /effective pedagogies to achieve our project aims. We believe that schools are not authentically ‘inclusive’ if they do not have a set of values embedded in all aspects of school life. Looking to the EU values set and our own school values, we will ensure that this aspect will be intrinsic to all actions over the two years (Focus in Year 1: Respect for Human Rights, focus in Year 2: The Rights of minorities). We will also act as teacher researchers investigating the extend to which communities are involved (year 1) and if pupil engagement is a measurement of inclusion (Year 2) These are our lines of enquiry.
The project is unable to proceed without funding; we require teacher/school leader mobility. A visit will enable the host to share expertise on an aspect of inclusion, providing training, demonstations and opportunities for visitors to interview pupils and staff invloved, investigating impact. At the end of the two years, all partners will present togehter to a wide audience (streamed) to disseminate expertise and how partners have implemented new approaches to inclusion.
All objectives are linked to the creation of an network of schools across Europe, which offer inclusive provision to all and where the school culture welcomes diversity and difference.

Objectives:
1. To create a network (hence project title- Include.net) of educational practitioners who have expertise around the promotion of inclusion.
2. To share expertise with partners when hosting a visit; offering training, observation and interview opportunities, resources and coaching to the visiting partners. Concrete result: programme of training over 2 years completed by partners and implemented/developed in partners own schools to meet the needs of their pupils supporting ECEC and ESL
3. To support each other to implement new innovative approaches as a result of objective 2 -through the use of Twinspace/eTwinning leading to school developement. Concrete result: Twinspace is used as key form of partner to partner communication, sharing of evidence/evaluations and impact of new approaches
4. To create and implement a programme of events and activities which will ensure that values are at the heart of each partner school, creating a climate for inclusion. Concrete resulut: Twinspace will be used to upload products from values activities. Minutes taken at project meeting during visits on school climate and values.
5. To collate the 6 training sessions based on project priorities and create a streamed conference, disseminating to the widest possible audience Concrete result: delegates cascade learning in their own settings (follow up contact), conference evaluations, impact of Include.net built into conference programme.

Planned activities will follow a cycle:
A.Visit (sharing of expertise and best practice and a project meeting: evaluations from prior visit to include impact towards school developement from implementation of new approaches in place in own school, findings from lines of enquiry)
B. Implementation of new learning/approaches in own school. Share with school community
A.Visit (sharing of expertise and best practice and a project meeting: evaluations from prior visit to include impact towards school developement from implementation of new approaches in place in own school, findings from lines of enquiry). There wil be an event (practical workshop) during the visit which will include parents of the host school and supported by all partners.
B. Implementation of new learning/approaches in own school. Share with school community (three visits per year)

Ongoing through the use of Twinspace:
Online suport for partners implementing new approaches
Sharing of pupils’ work on values
Evidence such as photographs, pupils’ work ,evaluations

End of project dissemination/training event (multiplier)- extending the network of ‘Include.net’
By the end of the project all partners will have changed pedagogy and have the broadest understanding of inclusion relevant to their own school and the schools of others across Europe. Partners will then disseminate to local clusters of schools, therefore spreading the findings and impact of ‘Include.net’

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 68871,9 Eur

Project Coordinator

Poplars Farm Primary School & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Lamia Karer Ortaokulu
• Aradippou Primary School 3
• 1o PIRAMATIKO DIMOTIKO SHOLIO ALEXANDROUPOLIS
• Kindergarten Mukulax co
• GRADINITA CU PROGRAM PRELUNGIT RAZA DE SOARE