Well, first of all, welcome back!

After a rather long absence, UK schools will once again be able to take part in Erasmus+.

Much of the early attention has understandably been on university students but schools have plenty to gain too.

The great news is that teachers and school leaders will again be able to attend professional development courses abroad, spend time observing colleagues in European schools and explore approaches to education that may be rather different from their own.

For those of us who work in international education, it is a genuinely welcome development. Schools learn a great deal from looking beyond their own systems. They also have a great deal to contribute.

“There is a great deal to learn in both directions. UK teachers coming to Sweden may be struck by some of the assumptions around trust, professional autonomy and the use of time. Every school is different, of course. The value is in noticing those differences and deciding what they make you reconsider back at home.”

- Nick Praulins, Co-founder, The Nordic Learning Company

What can schools actually do?

For many schools, the most relevant part of the programme will be Key Action 1, which supports learning mobility for pupils and staff.

Under the current Erasmus+ model, this can include:

  • Professional development courses: structured learning programmes abroad, usually lasting between two and ten days.

  • Job shadowing: time in another European school, observing lessons, meeting colleagues and getting a proper sense of how the school works.

  • Teaching or training assignments: opportunities for eligible staff to teach or train in another country.

  • Pupil mobility: individual or group exchanges planned around meaningful learning.

Funding can contribute towards travel, accommodation, subsistence and, where relevant, course fees. The exact amounts and conditions for the 2027 call will need checking once the final guidance is published.

The funding goes to the school, or another eligible organisation. Individual teachers do not apply independently.

Two routes into the programme

A school can apply for a short-term mobility project. This will probably be the sensible starting point for a school trying Erasmus+ for the first time, or for one that wants to begin with a small number of staff or pupils.

Schools that want to make international mobility a regular part of their work can also apply for Erasmus accreditation. That involves setting out a longer-term plan for how European partnerships and mobility will support the school’s development.

A good application needs a clear reason for the work. What is the school trying to improve? Who should be involved? What will they learn? How will it be shared when they return?

Before you start, decide what matters

International professional learning works best when it connects to something a school is already trying to do.

It might be inclusion, curriculum design, staff wellbeing, digital learning, assessment, languages or leadership development. Start there, rather than with a destination or a course title.

Then consider the people. Which colleagues would benefit from seeing another system at close range? Who has the interest and confidence to bring the learning back into the wider staff team?

A thoughtful job-shadowing visit with a school doing work you genuinely want to understand can be immensely valuable. So can a well-designed course with colleagues from different countries.

If you are working through the first practical questions, our guide to Erasmus+ for UK schools in 2027 sets out what to consider before the funding call opens.

Looking beyond the familiar

A few days in another country will not solve every school-development challenge.

It can, however, give teachers and leaders some time outside their usual context. You see another school’s routines, its assumptions and the small choices that shape everyday life. Some things will feel familiar. Others may make you pause.

That is often enough to start a more useful conversation at home.

Schools planning staff mobility can explore our Erasmus+ courses for teachers and school leaders in Stockholm, or browse our wider professional learning for schools.

The British Council is expected to support UK organisations as the National Agency. The 2027 call will set out the precise rules, grant rates and deadlines.

If you need course information or supporting documents for an application, get in touch. We can send the programme, learning outcomes and practical details you need.

This article and its associated image were made with the assistance of AI tools.