The DfES International School Award is an accreditation scheme for curriculum-based international work in schools. The ISA scheme offers a framework within which to form and develop international partnerships and achieve curriculum goals. It recognises and rewards the integration of global issues and awareness into the curriculum at a number of levels.

The ISA encourages and supports schools to develop the following:-

• An international ethos embedded throughout the school;
• A majority of pupils within the school impacted by and involved in international work;
• Collaborative curriculum-based work with a number of partner schools;
• Curriculum-based work across a range of subjects;
• Year round international activity;
• Involvement of the wider community;
• Evaluation from a variety of sources allowing you to improve your activities and your international programme;
• Provides ideas for developing collaborative curriculum-based international work with partner schools.

The International School Award scheme is supported and funded by the DfES. It provides recognition for teachers and their schools working to instill a global dimension into the learning experience of all children and young people.

Following an extensive external assessment, the school has been awarded the prestigious ICT Mark by Becta, the British Education Communications and Technology Agency, the government funded body responsibile for promoting the use of ICT in Britain's schools and colleges.

The award recognises the school's success in developing the strategic use of ICT in both administration and across the curriculum. Parents will have proof that their children are attending a school at the forefront of modern technology.

Neil McLean, Executive Director for Educational Practice at Becta said, "Park View Community School thoroughly deserves the accodlae of an ICT mark. They clearly demonstrate how important it is to take a holistic approach to using ICT in schools. Their investment in new technology has contributed to substantial improvements in learning."

The ICT Register was launched in November 2004. It is a unique online database (www.ict-register.net) of cutting edge ICT practice in primary, secondary and special schools in England. The Register provides a means by which these schools can offer their knowledge and expertise to other schools seeking to build confidence. Schools listed on the Register author and update their own entries, so the database always reflects the latest developments.

The Government's award of specialist status makes us one of a select number of Language Colleges in England. This has significantly contributed to our opportunities for raising achievement. At the same time as widening the choice of languages open to our students, it has broadened the international scope of our curriculum.

It has thus been a key element in ensuring that students who leave Park View are prepared for the changes of a new millennium, equipped to take their place as citizens of 'the global village'.

Here are just a sample of opportunities available to all students:

• The use of multimedia software, video conferencing and Internet use within the classroom;
• Access to computer facilities during dinnertimes and at after school clubs;
• The study of French and German in Years 7, 8 and 9, with teaching greatly enhanced by multi-media software;
• Study visits to France or Germany in Years 7, 8 and 9, allowing students to experience the language and culture of a foreign country;
• access to native French, German and Japanese speakers in lessons through our Language Assistant programme;
• A European Week in Years 7 and 9 in which all lessons have a European flavour;
• Access to language clubs which run during lunchtime or after school;
• A new dimension to Food Studies - French cuisine visits in Years 9 and 10;
• A bi-lingual European History project in Year 9 which can include a visit to Berlin;
• A cultural exchange with students from Norway in Year 10;
• A Design and Technology GCSE study visit to Disnleyland Paris for Year 10;
• A study visit to Israel or Barcelona in Year 12.

As well as enhancing our own students' appreciation of the world, our status also allows us to offer:

• Our feeder primary schools access to MFL expertise and equipment;
• Parents and the community access to after school sessions in Modern Languages and ICT;
• Local businesses the opportunity to hire the latest in modern technology for staff training purposes.

There is no doubt that becoming a Language College has put the school and its students very much at the centre of the community at both a local and global level. We have partner schools in Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Norway and South Africa.

The Leading Edge Partnership programme has been established to identify, extend and spread innovation and excellence in the secondary sector so that standards of teaching and learning continue to improve in schools across the country.

Park View was the first Secondary School in County Durham to receive the accolade of Leading Edge status in September 2002. Within this programme, Park View Community School is at the forefront of the drive to reform secondary education. We will help lead the way to transform the face of education in our local area. We are at the cutting edge of innovation and collaboration and were selected from amongst the country's best schools to act as a lever to transform secondary education, to engineer the growth of collaborative learning communities and federations, and to promote innovation, research and development to push the boundaries of current teaching practice.

We offer support and partnership to Stanley School of Technology to share and spread effective practice. The Government provide the school with additional funding to support this challenging and exciting work, which benefits both teachers and students. If you would like to know more about this initiative, contact Mr Veitch at the School.

The Leading Edge Partnership programme will build on the successes of the Beacon Schools programme.

These are awarded annually to reward the delivery of the national PE, School Sport and Club Links strategy. They are open to schools which are part of a school sport partnership. Schools are automatically assessed for one of the marks through the national school sport survey, which all partnership schools take part in.

Overall, 16% of secondary schools taking part in the annual school sport survey in 2005/06 met the standard and were awarded Sportsmark 2006.

Overall, 50% of secondary schools taking part in the annual school sport survey in 2005/06 met the standard and were awarded Activemark 2006.

Arts Council England Artsmark is awarded to schools in recognition of outstanding commitment to the arts. It is a benchmark for arts education provision.

In November 2003, we were delighted to be awarded the Trade and Industry 'Language for Export Award' for the North East.

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