Round Square Africa Info.pdf - St George's Diocesan School

Round Square Exchanges
Adapted from: http://www.roundsquare.org/index.php?id=449
[Downloaded: 2012/02/04]
The exchange program is limited to students attending Global or Regional Member schools.
This starts with an initial enquiry, either from another school or from one of your own students. The
quickest way to gain preliminary information is to engage with the proposed exchange school via the
membership list on the Round Square website.
The advantage of a Round Square exchange is that you will quickly get to know the Staff Reps at
reciprocal schools and this allows for direct and personal communication making it more likely that
an appropriate pairing can be made. It is assumed that the schools involved endorse the pupils as
suitable ambassadors for their school, for Round Square and for their country.
It is not unknown for boarding schools to take one way exchanges on the understanding that the
return exchange will occur at a later date.
The length of an exchange can vary considerably, from one month to one full term.
1. The student fills in an exchange form. The official Round Square Exchange Form can be
downloaded from the website.
2. Once the forms are completed and schools/regions selected, the process of communication
between the two schools starts. Initial enquiries (which are also often initiated at conferences)
about the feasibility of the exchange will require the faxing or emailing of forms.
3. At this stage it is probably best practice to work only through the Staff Rep though some schools
do work differently. Each school may also have its own requirements.
4. Once the exchange is confirmed, parents handle travel, insurance and visas (although as Rep you
will need to check that this is all in order). The Staff Rep is responsible for internal paperwork and
communication with the host school.
5. There may be a need for an acceptance of a Cultural Exchange letter, or written confirmation that
the student is involved in educational and cultural activity only.
6. For an exchange under three months, a tourist visa may be best – depending on the country.
7. Whilst the exchange is underway there should be open communication between parents and Staff
Reps. Email is easiest. Students often communicate via Facebook.
8. Whilst on exchange, students must expect to be subject to the rules of the host school. This will
apply to such matters as work ethic, behaviour, drinking and smoking etc. It is expected that
whilst on exchange, students will engage in some form of community service.
9. National exchanges operate on similar lines but are usually of a shorter duration.
15 | U pdated: 2012/07