Every school is unique. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ formula for a successful school link. Nevertheless, a school link should be achievable for every school and consider the working conditions of both your own school and your partner school.
CUSTOM MADE
It is very important to have a realistic picture of the initial conditions of your school and your partner school. To this end, you should both prepare a school profile with the existing actions and initiatives in your school. Always link the activities you develop for your school link to these profiles. Work together to achieve a sustainable partnership, regardless of the financial and material capacity of your school.
COMMITMENT AND CREATIVITY
A school link requires a certain commitment from the existing teaching staff. This group decides how far the partnership can go. Developing a quality school link requires creativity and enthusiasm, yes, but you don’t need extra staff. It is better to start out small and begin with a select group of interested teachers. Once there is room for broader involvement, you can mobilise others. This way, your activities can easily be associated with existing initiatives or cross-curricular projects.
FINANCIAL RESOURCES
Limit costs with simple actions such as exchanging letters and e-mails, or setting up a joint blog. Make an honest estimate of the costs when planning your activities. Look for alternative shipping methods to reduce costs, like asking the help of someone traveling to the region of your partner school. If possible, you can organise fundraising events to finance the costs of more expensive activities, or ask your local government for a financial boost.