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Outcomes and successes Success was evident where partners understood how children and young people learn, experienced how the curriculum is taught and felt able to make their own contribution. Many project leaders were confident that adult participants benefited from a process of shared learning and were keen to support their children’s learning. Many partners were clearer about how to support their child’s learning and help raise achievement. Projects were very successful when inclusion permeated the work. Examples of this involved:
- access to facilities for minority groups
- gifted and talented pupils
- families of children with special needs, or
- using ICT to support learning.
The quality of the planning to achieve the golden rule(s) has improved since last year. Good planning proved essential with the key people including the consultants involved. ‘Partners in Learning’ worked well when linked to the curriculum and all the partners were clear about the reasons for the work and how to make a contribution. As in Phase 1, some leaders felt the evidence for evaluation was anecdotal and could lack credence. Linking into other initiatives with learning partnerships might help to develop more qualitative ways to reflect the creativity and enjoyment experienced and its impact on learning. Many project leaders found that levels of enthusiasm, commitment, self-esteem and confidence improved for individuals and groups. Enjoyment of learning was evident and some spoke of using new skills in their work and every day life. Effective partnerships depended on good communication and trust so that shared experiences did not threaten or exclude people. Using the golden rule when planning the project and returning to it at review points helped create a balance between direction and restriction. Some projects helped to tackle sensitive issues and highlight cultural and gender differences. Discussions covered some sensitive issues about values, and how to deal with differences. Many partnerships led to a clearer understanding between home and school, better dialogue and deeper understanding of valuing diversity. Many parents developed confidence to speak out and became less worried about saying the ‘wrong thing’. A range of good working partnerships was achieved. Some projects helped to build understanding between and across cultures, while others built links across the school, with home, and between services for health and education. Some projects exposed considerable disparity in the quality of access and provision for certain groups within public and community based facilities. Some improvements for access to fitness and life style opportunities for minority groups were achieved. There was greater evidence in Phase 2 of the benefits of using skills and expertise of those involved in other partnership projects or initiatives and inclusion was given a higher priority than Phase 1.
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