The UK-Ukraine School Partnerships programme is designed for learners aged 7 to 14 in primary and secondary schools in the UK and Ukraine.
We will pair your UK school with a school in Ukraine and your partnership journey will begin with a two-day workshop in Poland. Here, UK and Ukrainian partner teachers will come together to meet in person and start to plan projects. We will provide training so that you can build a sustainable and impactful international partnership, and create projects using trauma-informed approaches.
On return to the UK, you and your partner school will collaborate on a joint educational project on the theme of reading for pleasure. Projects should last a minimum of four to six months. You’ll have access to flexible resources on reading for pleasure and Ukrainian language and culture, provided by the British Council and the National Literacy Trust. You are welcome to use your own materials and you are free to work with your partner teacher to adapt the resources to suit your own contexts.
We will support your partnership through a series of three webinars over four to six months, hosted by an expert partnership facilitator. You’ll have the opportunity to plan activities, ask questions and share effective practice with other teachers on the programme.
The project will be carried out in English. You don’t need any knowledge of Ukrainian but you can expect to learn a few words of that language along the way.
Commitment
To take part in the project, you must be able to commit to the following conditions.
- Allocate a designated lead teacher who can attend a fully-funded partner matching and planning workshop in Poland on the specified dates.
- Implement a partnership project with at least one class for four to six months, starting on the project dates below.
- Attend three webinars during the four to six months implementing the partnership
- Complete an online evaluation survey towards the end of the partnership
- Secure head teacher sign off to take part.
Dates and deadlines
You can choose to apply for the programme in one of three cohorts.
Cohort 1
- Applications open now. Deadline: 28 February 2025
- Attend a workshop in Poland in the week of 10 March 2025 (exact dates to be confirmed)
- Project activities begin in April 2025 and can continue into the new academic year
Cohort 2
- Applications open now. Deadline: July 2025
- Attend a workshop in Poland in September 2025
- Project activities begin in September 2025
Cohort 3
- Applications open now. Deadline: November 2025
- Attend a workshop in Poland in December 2025
- Project activities begin in January 2026