Global Schools Trustmark

A trusted benchmark for global citizenship education

Evidence-led recognition for schools that build global citizenship into everyday practice across leadership, learning, culture, and improvement.

Designed for clarity, credibility, and continuity. Built and stewarded by the Global Citizenship Foundation.

Why it matters
What it is
What is assessed
How it works
Credibility
FAQ

Apply Review the process Read the Standard

Evidence-led recognition Up to 12-month assessment cycle Valid for 18 months

A simple promise

If developing global citizenship competencies is a priority, it should be visible in how the school engages its stakeholders. The Trustmark helps schools make practice clear, coherent, and sustainable.

Clarity First

For leadership

A benchmark you can use for decisions, routines, and improvement that holds through staff and leadership change.

For credibility

Evidence assessed against auditable requirements, with renewal so recognition stays meaningful over time.

If you are short on time

Start with the Standard summary. Then review how the dossier and verification work.

Start with the Standard See the assessment process

Quick routes

Pick the page that answers your question.

Design intent

The evidence work begins after applying. Schools can reuse existing documents where relevant and add records only when they strengthen clarity.

Why it matters

Move from activity to embedded practice

Many schools do meaningful work, but it can become fragmented across projects, staff, and calendar moments. The Trustmark helps align intentions with evidence of sustained practice.

The common challenge

Great initiatives, not yet consistent across the school
Evidence scattered across folders, people, and systems
Progress slows when leaders or staff change

What changes with the Trustmark

A shared set of expectations becomes a stable reference point. Teams know what matters, what counts as evidence, and how improvement is reviewed.

The outcome for learners

Learners experience global citizenship as part of how learning is designed, discussed, and acted on, not as an occasional theme.

A simple guiding insight

When a school can describe what it does in plain language and show consistent evidence, trust increases for families, boards, and partners.

What it is

A Standard, a dossier, and a renewal cycle

The Trustmark is not a programme. It is recognition awarded when a school shows evidence that clear requirements are met across whole-school practice.

The Standard

Defines what is assessed and how evidence is interpreted. Full criteria and guidance are shared through the official document pack.

Read the public summary

The dossier

A structured way to map evidence to requirements. It reduces ambiguity by showing what each item supports and why it matters.

Evidence examples

Policies, curriculum maps, unit plans, staff learning records, student learning samples, partnership records, and review notes.

Renewal

Recognition is time-bound to protect credibility. Renewal focuses on continuity, evidence, and improvement.

See how credibility is protected

What recognised schools receive

Clear deliverables, designed for consistent use.

Recognition assets

Certificate, badge set, and communications assets for the valid period.

Mark-use guidance

Rules that protect meaning and reduce misuse or ambiguity.

Verification listing

A public route to confirm status without sharing your dossier.

Renewal pathway

A predictable way to sustain practice and keep recognition current.

A simple boundary

This site provides a decision-ready summary. Full criteria and interpretation guidance are shared through the official document pack to protect fairness and consistency over time.

Read the Standard summary Request access

What is assessed

Six whole-school areas

The Trustmark assesses stability of practice across school life. Schools evidence what is in place, how it is sustained, and how it is reviewed.

Leadership and school culture

Vision, routines, roles, and expectations that hold over time.
Staff capability

Professional learning that strengthens confidence and consistency.
Teaching and learning

Learning design and assessment connected to learner outcomes.
Student voice and action

Participation and action connected to learning and reflection.
Partnerships

Families and partners that strengthen learning and responsibility.
Review and improvement

Evidence-informed review that drives decisions and improvement.

See how the Standard is structured

What counts as evidence

Evidence should be school-friendly and useful. A school should be able to point to what it already uses to run well.

Typical sources

Policies and routines
Planning and curriculum documents
Staff learning records
Examples of student learning
Review notes and improvement actions

Low paperwork principle

The dossier guides mapping and avoids duplication. Reference existing documents where relevant and add records only when it improves clarity.

What recognition looks like in practice

Examples focus on routines and evidence (not slogans), helping stakeholders understand what is stable and reviewable.

Leadership clarity

Roles and routines are visible, meetings include review points, and decisions are recorded so teams can continue through change.

Learning design

Curriculum and unit plans show where outcomes are built, how learning is assessed, and how student voice informs next steps.

Review and improvement

Evidence is used to identify what is working, what needs strengthening, and what actions will be reviewed next term.

How it works

A staged pathway with predictable steps

Schools start with an application, then build evidence using the dossier approach, then receive a decision and recognition assets.

1
Apply

Share context, leadership ownership, and readiness. You receive clear onboarding if accepted.
2
Build the dossier

Map evidence to requirements. The format supports clarity, not volume.
3
Decision and recognition

Evidence is assessed against the Standard. Recognised schools receive mark-use rules and communications assets.

Key timings

Assessment cycle

Up to 12 months

Validity period

18 months from the decision date

Time and effort expectations

Most work looks like light-touch evidence mapping and termly review, using existing routines and documents wherever possible.

Read the process details

Before you apply

If you want to gauge fit quickly, use these pages.

A helpful orientation

The Trustmark rewards stable practice. It does not reward short-term activity bursts.

Apply Review details

Credibility

How credibility is protected

Credibility depends on stable requirements, evidence-based assessment, renewal, and verification.

Clear boundaries

Public pages explain structure and expectations. Full criteria and interpretation guidance are protected to support fairness and consistency over time.

Read the Standard summary

Time-bound recognition

Recognition is valid for a defined period and renewed. This supports confidence that practice is current and reviewed.

Recognition and mark use

Verification and governance

Verification provides a clear external signal. Governance supports consistent review and protects the meaning of the mark.

Verify a school See governance safeguards

A simple public promise

The Trustmark is designed to reward embedded practice, not presentation. Evidence, renewal, and verification exist to keep recognition meaningful.

Frameworks

Learner outcomes and staff growth that connect to evidence

The Global Learner Profile and Teacher Development Goals connect outcomes and professional learning to whole-school practice.

Global Learner Profile

Framework

Global Learner Profile logo

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Clarifies learner outcomes and attributes used to plan, teach, and review global citizenship education.

View Global Learner Profile

Teacher Development Goals

Framework

Teacher Development Goals logo

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Supports consistent staff learning that strengthens practice across the school and protects continuity over time.

View Teacher Development Goals

A practical note on progression

Schools are not expected to implement everything at once. The cycle design supports staged progress that is realistic for busy teams.

FAQ

Thoughtful answers, in plain language

These answers are written for school leaders and boards. If you want something specific, use the contact section below.

Fit and readiness

Do we need to be “excellent” already to apply?

No. The process supports staged progress. What matters is leadership ownership, clarity of intent, and willingness to evidence what is in place.

How does this avoid being just another initiative?

The Trustmark is assessed through how a school runs: leadership routines, learning design, staff learning, student voice, partnerships, and review.

What if leadership changes during the cycle?

The Standard emphasises stable routines and clear ownership so practice can continue through change. The dossier helps decisions remain visible and transferable.

Evidence and assessment

What does “evidence-led” mean in practice?

Claims are supported by usable evidence. The dossier maps each item to a requirement so it is clear what it supports and why it matters.

Will we need to create lots of new documents?

The approach is designed to avoid that. Reference existing documents where relevant; add records only when they clarify routines, decisions, or review.

How do you avoid tick-box evidence?

Requirements focus on stability over time and connection to school routines. Evidence is expected to show ownership and review, not just activity.

View full FAQ Apply

Contact

Get a fit check without a long call

Tell us your school type, age range, and what you want the Trustmark to help with. We will point you to the right pages and next step.

What to include

Your role and school type
What you want to improve or make visible
Whether you are exploring now or planning for a future year

Next steps

Choose a route. Both keep things simple and predictable.

Apply Review the process Read the Standard Verify a school

Prefer email?

Use the application form and include your questions in the notes field. We respond with the most relevant materials.

Ready to explore certification fit?

Start with a short application. If accepted, your school receives the document pack and access to the platform to organise evidence without paperwork bloat.

How it works Apply

Global Schools TrustMark

Supporting and Celebrating Schools Preparing Global Citizens of Today and Tomorrow.

Evidence-led recognition awarded through structured evidence against auditable requirements. Developed and stewarded by the Global Citizenship Foundation.

Need a quick orientation?

Start with the Standard to see requirements, then How it works to understand the staged process and certification cycle.

Global Schools TrustMark

Credibility and stewardship

© Global Citizenship Foundation. All rights reserved. Global Schools TrustMark is a trademark or service mark of the Global Citizenship Foundation. Use of the mark is limited to schools with valid recognition.