Supporting schools, building capacity – at Trafford Children's and Young People's Services
Trafford's capacity for supporting schools in curriculum development has been significantly expanded by the Developing Citizenship Project.
Outcomes from the Developing Citizenship Project
1. Strengthened Relationships
The partnership between the Cheshire Development Education Centre (CDEC) and the local authority has significantly extended the capacity for supporting schools. There is mutual recognition of the value of partnership working. Non-project schools have benefited from a ripple effect from the enthusiasm, success and extending expertise of project schools. The relationship with Manchester Healthy Schools has also been strengthened.
2. Tremendous Resources
CDEC and extended national circle are feeding in to Trafford schools. However, I feel that the links with the 'Big Three' (Oxfam GB, Save the Children UK and UNICEF UK) have not come to Trafford to the extent that I had envisaged. The work of voluntary organisations is a key dimension of the Citizenship agenda and I don’t feel that this opportunity has been fully engaged with.
The Self-evaluation Tool (Benchmarks) is a useful support to the ACT Citizenship Self-evaluation Audit, which will inform the new OFSTED process (which looks for schools to have a plan tied in to self-evaluation).
Source of support for good practice and coordinator development – the role of Citizenship Coordinator in school is a difficult one and the project has empowered teachers to develop their skills, for example, delivering INSET, reflecting on curriculum, policy and contextual development.
Active Citizenship – the project has provided models of curriculum development, for example working with the Geography department to ensure that off-timetable days are embedded in a planned curriculum reflecting progression, planning and evaluation of concepts and skills. Explicit entitlement for a whole year group means that these aspects can be incorporated into the Citizenship Scheme of Work.
Links to the Positive Outcomes Framework – this is the key tool informing health, education and social service delivery and the project reflects good practice which contributes in many ways. In turn this provides evidence of the significant contribution which citizenship can make and supports the enrichment dimension of citizenship projects which may not be part of 'explicit entitlement'. An example would be the PRIDE project at Broadoak where the project supported the empowerment of the voice of a group of Gypsy young people (Making a Positive Contribution).
Schools valuing Citizenship – taking on the project; seeing through their commitments; finding the resource to embed curriculum development which have come out of the project; recognising the value of the professional development of coordinators and celebrating the achievements of a whole school approach.
Comments
Post new comment