The New Deal for Communities Learning Partnership

The Learning Partnership seeks innovative and exciting ways to raise attainment and aspiration in the Fitton Hill and Hathershaw areas of Oldham. It was established in January 2003 with funding from New Deal for Communities (NDC). The work of the Partnership has, to date, focused on schools and on learning opportunities for adults. In the future we hope to extend our work to include pre-school and family learning as well.

N.D.C. has invested heavily in supporting a wide range of projects, including major ICT development within all the schools in the area, providing Learning Mentors as well as the Integrated Learning System SuccessMaker for all the primary schools, a scheme to help with recruitment and retention, a fund to support a variety of school-based enrichment initiatives . . . to name but a few.

In addition, there has been building conversion to create a Lifelong Learning Centre at the Technology College. This centre is open 12 hours per day for adult use, with courses provided by the Lifelong Learning Service. It is also a LearnDirect centre and works in partnership with Oldham College. The Learning Partnership has also commissioned a large-scale feasibility study to shape the future development of lifelong learning in the area.

There has been substantial investment in new resources and in additional staffing – including six Learning Mentors, four Classroom Support Assistants and two Community Support Assistants, as well as six ICT technicians. There is also an on-going commitment to professional development within the Partnership, with virtually all projects involving training programmes and sharing of good practice. Partnership working also extends beyond the individual schools and includes all relevant education services within the borough and beyond.

Examples of partnerships beyond the L.E.A. include Teachers International Professional Development (T.I.P.D.) and the University of the First Age (U.F.A.). Seven teachers from the Learning Partnership took part in a government-funded study visit to Norway to look at new approaches to social inclusion and thinking skills. The focus of the visit grew out of the Partnership’s involvement with U.F.A., which is an educational charity working through schools, parents and communities to extend the learning opportunities of young people. The U.F.A. has had a positive impact on schools in the area and is now being extended to other schools in the borough. www.ufa.org.uk

The impact of this huge investment of resources and energy is beginning to be felt – and it will gain momentum over time. Some elements of the Learning Partnership have been in place since it began, others are still in their infancy, and yet others are on the starting blocks waiting to be activated. This is an exciting time to be a learner of any age in the NDC area.

For more information please contact Belle Kasprzyk
Tel: 0161 770 4229

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