Collaboration through shared learning

April 6, 2018

The Collaborative Learning strand of Creative Schools, delivered by people make it work, strengthened practice and enhanced collaboration across east London’s cultural education sector through a programme of structured learning, dialogue and experimentation.

The programme developed a model of assessing and responding to shared learning needs  and practice sharing across east London’s cultural education organisations, co-designing the curriculum with cultural organisations to focus on the following themes –

  • What schools want: explored the changing needs and priorities of schools including sessions looking at emerging policy for schools, Artsmark support, understanding school budgets, and different partnership models
  • Principals of collaboration in action: highlighted real-life collaboration case studies from a diverse range of culture and education practitioners
  • The one about the money: blended best practice approaches with insights into the cross-sector funding landscape from funding experts, academics, and schools

Cultural organisations taking part in the programme reported an increased knowledge and understanding of delivering high quality cultural education particularly in terms of empowering youth voice, approaches to collaboration, and ways to develop ongoing relationships with schools.

“It’s so great to be part of such a pioneering, supportive and exciting community!”  – participant

  • 16 Collaborative Learning opportunities including working lunches, half day sessions and events were hosted across a range of east London organisations.
  • 105 organisations participated, with a third of organisations taking part in 4 or more sessions.
  • 46 organisations contributed as hosts or facilitators.

Insights from Collaborative Learning sessions can be found at the below links: