Five Nations Network Strategy Group

Five Nations Network
Strategy Group Terms of Reference
The Five Nations Network programme is owned and funded by the Gordon Cook Foundation.

Background
The Strategy Group was established after several years of the programme. The Group focuses on the policy and practice of citizenship and values education within England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and promotes inter-country dialogue and partnership working across the Five Nations Network.  

Meetings
The full Strategy Group meets in person twice a year. Additional Group meetings which may be online, ensure the annual conference programme is well planned.

Activities of the Strategy Group

1. Plan and organise the annual Five Nations conference, which is designed to support the teaching of citizenship and values education. This includes: the identification of conference themes; content of workshops, keynotes and other activities for participants; and identifying and inviting participants from across the five nations (see also G).                                                   
   
2. Act as an expert group within the Five Nations Network, shaping the development of programme activities and future bids for funding.
   
3. Ensure an appropriate measure of strategic accountability through self evaluation.
   
4. Strengthen the Five Nations concept by providing a cohering influence.
   
5. Promote informal networking between conferences and shared development work between the nations and support projects across the network.  
   
6. Advise and contribute to the current content and design of the five nations network website.
   
7. Advocate for and enhance the status of education for citizenship and values education across the five jurisdictions.
   
8. Identify opportunities for advocacy and policy influencing on issues relevant to promoting effective citizenship and values education and to engage with those organisations having significant influence on these issues. 
   
9. Strengthen partnerships between the key stakeholders involved in citizenship and values education in UK, Ireland and European contexts.
   
10. Raise issues of concern in relation to the quality of provision of citizenship and values education and to identify and help promote good practice.
    
11. Contribute to the development of citizenship and values education  by responding to relevant policy consultations.
    
12. Engage in strategic discussions about the Programme and its future direction, as well as about the development of citizenship and values education in each jurisdiction to support high quality teaching.
    

 Procedures and Protocols

1. Membership of the Strategy Group. The Group normally includes two representatives from each jurisdiction within the five nations who have expertise and experience in Citizenship and values education. These members are known as country leads. Each jurisdiction organises which one or two representatives will attend online meetings, with both attending in person meetings wherever possible. Membership is reviewed and amended as needed every three years with each jurisdiction being responsible for the identification of Strategy Group members. Occasionally additional members attend the Strategy Group including where there is a handover of roles between members. The Gordon Cook Foundation and ACT also attend meetings as members of the Strategy Group.
   
2. Scope and remit. The group operates within the context of the mission of the Gordon Cook Foundation.  The Foundation is dedicated to the advancement and promotion of those aspects of education and training which are likely to promote “character development” and “citizenship”.  Within that context, the Strategy Group is fully empowered to make decisions about the annual conference, its own administration, and the content of the website, provided these decisions do not result in either a budget overspend or an unreasonable expectation being placed on the management of the Programme.
   
3. Wider links. Links and connections are made by members of the Strategy Group with wider networks for citizenship and values education across Europe with the aim of furthering high quality teaching, for example with the Council of Europe.
   
4. Focus. Strategy Group discussions may include: programme evaluations; substantive developments within the programme; future bids for funding; collaborative external bids for funding; activity in relation to C above; work to plan the programme activities and conference.
   
5. Management.  The Five Nations Programme management is undertaken by ACT who have a contract with Gordon Cook Foundation that includes providing specific management services with regard to: organisation and running of the education conference; supervision and servicing of the Strategy Group; administration of any small development projects between jurisdictions; maintenance of the website and communications. ACT also provides annual reporting and ongoing liaison with the Gordon Cook Foundation about the programme and delivery.
   
6. Meeting dates. Strategy Group meeting dates will be determined at the beginning of each academic year. Meetings will be chaired in turn by a country lead from each jurisdiction. Agenda items will be agreed by ACT and the chair after communication with all members.
   
7. Annual conference. Conference participants are by invitation, initially by country leads. The composition of participants is agreed by the Strategy Group and includes a majority (normally two thirds) of places being allocated to classroom based teachers involved in Citizenship and values education. The programme manager manages a conference sign up process and communications about the programme, logistical arrangements as well as communications with participants and speakers.
   
8. Conflicts of Interest. If, at a meeting of the group, there is to be discussed any matter in which a member has a direct interest or involvement, that member must declare his or her interest or involvement. The group must then determine whether or not that member may be present during any discussion or participate in any decision with respect to that matter. 
   

Key terms:
Five Nations - the jurisdictions of England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

Five Nations Network - a unique forum sharing practice in education for citizenship and values in England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Since 2000, the Network has enabled dialogue between teachers, policy makers, curriculum planners, members of the inspectorate, representatives of NGOs and young people from across the UK and Ireland.

Five Nations Network Programme - the programme includes the key activities that are organised with the advice of the Strategy Group and that is owned and funded by the Gordon Cook Foundation.

Strategy Group - a group comprising representatives from each jurisdiction (who are also known as country leads), the Gordon Cook Foundation and ACT, who work together to coordinate the five nations network and programme activities.


Last reviewed June 2025