Next Practice in Communities for Learning - The Halesowen Partnership

Community Learning Partners  

The Halesowen Partnership in Dudley is creating a network of NVQ-accredited Community Learning Partners (CLPs). These CLPs work across the local area to support family learning opportunities. The trial sees teachers utilised as directors of learning that takes place beyond the school curriculum and off the school site.

The field trial involves a new approach to engaging hard-to-reach families in their children's learning, through setting up learning opportunities based on each family's particular interests. Each family's learning is supported by a CLP. The project aims to reach about 50 families over the coming school year, and involves a significant number of adults, children and young people. Although based primarily in three primary schools, older and younger siblings and other relatives may want to become involved. Students from the local secondary school may well be able to provide technical/expert support, eg in ICT, science, technology or the Arts.

One of the main priorities of the township is to engage difficult-to-reach families in learning, drawing upon the latent skills and talents of the communities. The Partnership brings these elements together within school establishments and wider to impact upon teaching, learning and well-being. There is a huge potential for personalisation of learning and broadening horizons through the project. Through action research the group wish to capture the learning achieved through interest-led family project work, and explore the best methods for linking this to teaching and learning within the classroom. The role of teacher as mentor within this process will be explored.

The CLPs are drawn from the local community and a key feature of the programme is that they will be able to gain accredited qualifications through their work with families.

See a map showing the locations of all the Next Practice in Communities for Learning field trial sites.

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