Portsmouth is becoming a learning community.

A commitment to Portsmouth Learning Community is a commitment to sharing responsibility for the development of all Learners in the city.

 

School to School Learning

Assessment for Learning

Student Voice

Each of these has the potential to transform learning and teaching across the city. These three strands together create a powerful lever for positive change. Everyone in Portsmouth has the opportunity to participate in this exciting initiative, to help realise an aspiration of City-wide excellence for all. 

Working in partnership and learning from each other is at the heart of Portsmouth Learning Community. Collaboration with colleagues in other schools is one way in which this happens. There are many different projects in which staff and students from different settings are working together to share good practice including:

• Portsmouth Arts Learning Community (primary)
• Cross city curriculum development groups (secondary)
• Open seminar programme and CPD opportunities
• Development programme for primary and secondary heads

Working collaboratively with other schools and a range of agencies to deliver the 'Every Child Matters' five outcomes is now our joint responsibility and will be a major focus in the new inspection framework.

Assessment for Learning (AfL) happens when teachers and learners work together to share ideas about how good their

work is. They discuss how it could be better and how to go about improving it. Research into assessment for learning shows it to be the single most powerful tool in improving the learning of young people. Many teachers and students

across Portsmouth are involved in developing expertise in this area. Current work  includes:

• Teachers in 28 primary schools involved in AfL project
• Research and report on AfL practice
• Developing Assessment for Learning in Portsmouth
• City Primary Schools 2003-4
• AfL link teacher in every school
• AfL development plans in all secondary and special schools

It is important that students can voice their ideas and participate in decision making and action within their schools and in the wider community. Students and

teachers all over the city are working to develop a listening culture within schools so that young people know that their views count and that they can make a difference. Student Voice work is the key to a 21st Century education service in which young people take a more active role in improving teaching and learning and developing schools as vibrant learning communities. Activity in this

area includes:

• School councils being helped to operate more effectively
• City-wide school council (COPS) established
• Students supported in becoming action researchers
• Students as associate governors on some school governing bodies
• What is a Listening School? leaflet produced and distributed to all teachers, based on the work of
• young people
• Happy at School a report on developing ethos indicators published
• Student Voice link teacher in every school

The emphasis on giving young people a say in decisions affecting their lives reflects a key focus of the Every Child Matters agenda which is driving the future of education.

Portsmouth Learning Community is at the cutting edge of innovative educational practice in the UK and will raise standards across the city. It is making Portsmouth a more exciting and dynamic place to work. School staff are

becoming more confident, innovative and creative and this is having a positive impact on students across the city. To enable teachers, students, parents, governors and members of the local community to be better informed about developments within the city a huge investment has been made to improve the range and quality of ICT services. Portsmouth Learning Net has been launched to facilitate easy communication and sharing of good practice.

Anyone can visit the website to find out about what is going on and to contribute to further developments.

Portsmouth Learning Community is overseen by the PLC Steering Group (formerly known as PRAISE). This group has strategic responsibility for the direction of Portsmouth Learning Community and has Headteacher and Deputy

representatives from early years, primary, special and secondary schools as well as from the LEA and Sussex University.

An Operations Group has been established to co-ordinate and develop this innovative work on the ground. This group includes colleagues from all phases of education students, teachers, support staff, senior managers and the LEA working together to make Portsmouth an even better place to live and learn.