'Supporting schools to transform teaching and learning through ICT for Bristol's young people'.

Purpose

To develop Bristol's Local Authority ICT policy and position Bristol City Learning Centres at the heart of the improvement agenda for teaching and learning. 

Background

City Learning Centres (CLCs) were developed as one of the six key strands which comprised the original Excellence-in-Cities programme in 2000. CLCs were set up to provide learning opportunities based on information and communication technology (ICT) for pupils and teachers in schools and for the wider community.  They were designed to help address the educational problems of major cities where standards have been low.

In January 2002, the first City Learning Centres were established by the DfES on the sites of Brislington and Monks Park Schools.  The buildings were awarded the Prime Minister's Award for Architectural Excellence in 2002.  The third City Learning Centre, CLC 3, opened in March 2003 in the grounds of Whitefield Fishponds School, (now Bristol Metropolitan College). In 2006 the Brislington CLC was re-located to inside the Brislington Enterprise College. CLC3 was closed in 2009 and now exists as an outreach service for schools, specialising in the areas of Music and Media Production..

With the ending of the separate Excellence-in-Cities programme in 2006, the future of CLCs was insecure.  However, the line management of all City Learning Centres was brought under the direct control of the Local Authority in April 2006.  The DCSF is committed to local partnerships (LAs and schools) taking responsibility for integrating the CLC provision into their local school improvement context.  Bristol LAs has signed a Stakeholder's Agreement, in order to ensure the continuation of funding and so that all parties are aware of expectations covering land and asset ownership

Impact

Bristol CLCs have established, and maintained, strong working relationships with primary and secondary schools across the City. The CLCs have successfully piloted many advanced ICT enhanced projects, some of which have gained national interest, for example Computers for Pupils, Eat-a-Metre and Hand Held Learning. They have worked to improve the delivery of GCSE (through such programmes as the ALAN (Adult Literacy and Numeracy) qualifications) and A level courses to secondary schools. The CLCs have also delivered a range of pioneering CPD training courses across all key stages.  The CLCs have continued to provide a complete ICT service, which has delivered innovative ICT in the curriculum and ICT expertise that have served successfully its City-wide partners and stakeholders.

Use the Contact us link to get in touch and see how we can work with you to delivering effect learning using ICT.