Connecting Classrooms

The Connecting Classrooms programme in Kenya has been running since 2007 with an objective of transforming the national education system, build capacity of school leaders and teachers to develop and build core and foundational skills in young people, create more inclusive and open societies; and, increase young people’s opportunities. 

The programme’s work with school systems aims to improve learning outcomes through:

1. building a body of evidence on effective training approaches that improves the teaching and learning experiences
2. facilitating system improvement on a continuum from access to quality to innovation 
3. providing services that support practitioners to deliver quality education.

Through this work, we will raise aspirations and support young people to live and work in an increasingly globalised world thus contributing to the stability and prosperity of our societies

Our success so far

Since 2015, the Connecting Classrooms programme in Kenya has worked closely with the Ministry of Education, the Kenya Institute for Curriculum Development (KICD), the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), providing technical assistance for embedding core skills in the curriculum across all subjects and progressing the core skills across the levels of learning, including assessment.

During this time, the programme has offered training to over 4000 school leaders and teachers in 35 counties in Kenya aimed at supporting teachers to integrate core knowledge and skills into their lessons to fill critical gaps in pupil competencies. 

The Connecting Classrooms teacher training programme has been structured to incorporate face to face, facilitated virtual sessions, self-directed online learning and school-based practicum to ensure a holistic approach.

The expected learning outcomes for the school leadership preparation programme are:

1. School leaders will establish collaborative leadership structure and systems in their schools
2. School leaders will lead learning based on principles, observation and feedback
3. School leaders will establish support structures for continuous professional learning in their schools
4. School leaders will focus on elements that facilitate student learning outcomes
5. School leaders will devise ways of monitoring and assessing how well the core skills are presently being taught and supported in their schools.

The expected learning outcomes for the teacher training programme are:

1. Teachers will develop an awareness of the need for school systems to develop young people with the core skills
2. Under the guidance of school leaders, teachers will plan to use a number of highly effective teaching approaches to enable them to implement the teaching of the core skills
3. Through the support of school leaders, teachers will evaluate and evidence the acquisition of these skills and competencies
4. Teachers will develop some strategies to improve the provision of core skills.

On behalf of the British Council and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), we wanted to let you know about some changes to the Connecting Classrooms through Global Learning programme in light of the impact of Covid-19.

Due to the overriding importance of the wellbeing, health and safety of our programme participants, and in line with the Kenya government and health advice, we have postponed all face-to-face components of the programme until further notice. This includes partnership visits for teachers and face-to-face professional development courses. 

However, our online professional development courses are open to teachers and school leaders. Our courses are free, informative, interactive and you will get a certificate that’s recognised in Kenya upon completion.

Access the courses through this link https://britishcounciluk.eu-west.catalog.canvaslms.com/