Welcome to Newham's City Learning Centre

City Learning Centres (CLCs) were developed as one of the six key strands which comprised the original Excellence in Cities (EiC) programme in 2000. They are designed to help address the educational problems of major cities where standards have been too low.

CLCs have been set up in urban areas where there is a mixture of social disadvantage and underperformance in schools. In most cases CLCs are based in a building attached to a host school serving a network of schools in the local area. CLCs are not owned by an individual school and thus are expected to be a shared resource and work collaboratively with partner schools.

A shared resource that works collaboratively with partners

Since the first CLC was opened in 2000, centres have worked closely with their partners to identify local need and circumstances and, more importantly, have created facilities that are exciting and innovative.

CLCs are part of the resource to improve educational standards and embedding the use of ICT in schools. They establish close links with their partner schools (secondary, primary and special schools), encouraging them to regard the CLC as a shared resource.

Many pupils attend their local CLC, both in and out of school hours. Some of this work supports particular subject assignments or projects in all key stages and also cross-curricular work; including PSHE and citizenship.

The special technology within CLCs can support lesson programmes beyond the resource of individual schools. This allows teachers to trial ICT approaches in their lessons using software and technology in classrooms prior to any planned decisions over individual school purchases, thus saving schools’ time and money and encouraging teacher confidence in the continued use of new technology.

To this end, CLCs are allowed to have some flexibility and freedoms to respond to the needs of partner schools using the latest technology without being restricted by LA procedures.

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Aims and Objectives

To enhance learning and teaching across the whole curriculum for pupils and teachers, particularly in secondary schools but also in primary and special schools, and to provide ICT access to the wider community. To achieve this, a CLC’s objectives include improving access to, and use of, the latest technology and acting as test beds for innovation and new ways of working in an environment unlike a school environment.

The objectives of these Centres are, amongst other things, to:

• improve access to, and use of, the latest innovative technology for pupils, teachers and the community.

• increase attainment levels through use of that technology.

• improve the quality of learning and teaching.

• act as test beds for innovation and new ways of working.

• encourage partner schools to incorporate the CLC objectives within their School Improvement Plan.

These objectives are achieved by:

• accessing new and innovative technologies and resources to enhance teaching and learning for all.

• maintaining and supporting the operational capability of the CLC.

• maintaining a close relationship with the LA ICT Strategy team.

• providing access to state of the art ICT equipment in a non-school like environment that will be attractive, interesting and motivating for young people.

• providing additional courses and opportunities for pupils, teachers and other education providers and members of the community, using ICT based learning materials.

• delivering services and outreach support to a network of local schools.

• sharing best practice amongst schools and more broadly.

• supporting other children’s services.

• developing new curriculum resources across a range of subjects.

CLCs ensure their work does not stand in isolation, but supports the main curriculum objectives and where possible teachers’ professional development. CLCs reflect local needs and circumstances providing facilities which are exciting and innovative.

Sharing Good Practice and CLC Networks

CLCs share good practice, innovation and research and make it available to others regionally and nationally so that all schools and the wider CLC network can learn and benefit from this exciting programme.

CLC Usage

When a CLC is working to its full capacity, it is possible for staff to visit partner schools to loan equipment and expertise on the use of that equipment for predefined periods.

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Training programmes for teachers

CLCs often provide substantial training programmes for teachers either in small groups or by individual support, either through outreach work into partner schools or Centre-based sessions. Many Centres have access to curriculum developers or Advanced Skills Teachers/consultants, employed through the LA, National Strategies or partner schools, who provide support and training via the CLC.

Some CLCs have developed specialisms which has helped focus resource commitment and the direction of a CLC’s work. It also can help develop a method of analysing services to deliver in the local context.

Innovation in learning and teaching

Innovation in learning and teaching has been delivered through a variety of projects which are becoming embedded into schools’ curricular programmes. Their “cutting edge technology” has allowed many Centres to experiment with a range of devices and software from karaoke machines to support Key Stage 1 and literacy lessons through to robotics, control, data logging, interactive Q&A sessions using mobile-phone-like texting, and virtual reality. This level of innovation is providing the opportunity to develop and test new approaches which invariably have a positive impact on attitudes to learning and behaviour as pupils are “hooked-in”.

Additionally an acknowledged challenge for many primary schools is the effective delivery of KS2 Control Technology. CLCs may have both the equipment and staff to provide a high quality experience training teachers along with their pupils.

Many CLCs have invested in digital media technologies which offer a range of hardware and software including those matching and surpassing industry standards. This has allowed schools to explore new approaches to pupil assignments often involving a greater range of key life skills and substantially increasing their level of challenge, interest and enjoyment, all within the security and support of the CLC and its staff.

Very high quality Computer Aided Design and Manufacture (CAD/CAM) facilities are beyond the experience and budget of most schools yet a number of CLCs have invested and shared their resources which, again, often match industry standards. Design software linked to computer controlled laser cutters, milling machines, lathes, sewing machines and the latest digital printers are offering opportunities to schools to substantially raise the experience and GCSE / A level grades of Design Technology students.

There is increasing activity with the Community that is able to access formal and informal
courses for the retired or people returning to work, many of which successfully complete
accreditation on courses covering skills for life, IT and the European Computer Driving
Licence (ECDL). Income from community use is reinvested in the CLC which can
contribute to the CLC activities.

Many CLCs work closely with the Gifted and Talented (G&T) Co-ordinators and cohorts offering valuable e-learning opportunities through masterclasses and Summer/Easter schools with access to specialised equipment.

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Information

There are 105 City Learning Centres across England.

Click on the links below to see further information about their location.