Inner city primary schools champion new approach to inspiring learning

Thirteen inner city primary schools have become national flagships for an inspiring new approach to delivering the national curriculum, launched on Wednesday 5 October.

The Open Futures programme involves young children in learning that is relevant and meaningful to their lives, enabling them to develop practical skills and enquiring minds that will benefit them throughout their education and as members of the wider community.

The thirteen schools – based in Birmingham, Hull, Manchester and Newham – were selected from over 75 hopefuls nationwide, to pioneer the Open Futures programme in these areas. The schools are located in urban areas affected by high unemployment and have amongst the highest percentages of children receiving free school meals in England – well above the national average.

Lucy O'Rorke, Director of the Open Futures Trust says:

“It is vitally important to foster life skills and thinking skills from an early age and there is particular need for support in inner city areas, where families and children experience many forms of disadvantage. Too many children can be switched off from learning and become disillusioned at school – or cannot connect with their education because they don't see how it relates to their own lives.”

Following the riots and unrest that spread across the country in August, Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg drew attention to the need to inspire and motivate young people, saying that the odds in the education system are "stacked against too many of our children … so often the people who have gone off the rails are the ones who were struggling years earlier."

Open Futures gives schools a way to help children explore their creative abilities, develop enquiring minds and life skills, and make effective choices and decisions. It focuses on four learning strands that can be integrated throughout the national curriculum – askit, growit, cookit and filmit.

Lynne Clarke, Headteacher of Chiltern Primary School in Hull, says:

“By encouraging thinking skills and taking a hands-on approach to learning, we know that children from all backgrounds – and especially in deprived areas – become more active and engaged. Attendance improves when pupils are excited by what happens at school, and Open Futures gives us a way of building links in the community and getting a positive message to parents so they come and take part in the programme.”

Gudrun Heatley, Headteacher of Cravenwood Community Primary School in Manchester, says:

“Over 95 percent of our pupils speak English as an additional language, so the practical activities that Open Futures provides make sense to them and can enrich their school experience.”

Cath Rindl, Headteacher of Benson Community Primary School in Birmingham, says:

“Through Open Futures we are nurturing future citizens who will make a real contribution in the community. It's about helping children to lead their own learning, and become more independent and self-sufficient in life.”

Headteachers and staff from the flagship schools joined leading educationalists from across the UK at the Open Futures launch event in London. The thirteen schools are:

• Benson Community Primary School, Foundry Primary School and Matthew Boulton Community Primary School in Birmingham
• Chiltern Primary School, Neasden Primary School and Thoresby Primary School in Hull
• Cheetham Community School, Cravenwood Community Primary School, Temple Primary School and Camberwell Park Specialist Support School in Manchester
• Gallions Primary School, Manor Primary School and New City Primary School in Newham

Each school aims to become an Open Futures Centre of Excellence within two years, and over the next few months they will start to pioneer the Open Futures approach and share their experiences and successes with other schools in their local areas.

Open Futures is embarking upon a new role of conference promotion taking a lead to support Headteachers and Senior management through the debates and topical issues surrounding the Primary Curriculum.

We are pleased to be promoting a series of conferences across the country to address increasing concerns from Headteachers and Governors that the Curriculum should provide pupils with life enduring and life enhancing skills alongside and to encourage academic achievement.

The Open Futures conference series start with two major conferences on 'Developing the Primary Curriculum' during November in London and Hull. The events will offer Headteachers and school Governors the chance to explore current issues in primary education, and look at ways of providing effective, enjoyable and relevant learning experiences to develop pupils' independent thinking and life skills.

Each event will run from 9.30am to 4pm on the following dates:

• Thursday 17 November at West Ham United Football Club, Upton Park, E13 9AZ
• Tuesday 22 November at Hull Kingston Rovers Rugby Football Club, Craven Park Stadium, HU9 5HE

To book your place, please contact 01242 698 070 or email openfutures@ontapcommunications.com

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