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Are you interested in influencing change in education in Cambridge? Would you like to get involved in a project?

 

  • Challenging inequitable resource allocation to schools 

  • Creativity (across all subject areas, not just arts) 

  • Arts as a focus for entrepreneurial careers 

  • Constraints of the exam system and accountability based on performance targets 

  • Mentoring for senior teachers (from outside the school environment) 

  • Access to enterprise and skills development 

  • How to harness community resources

  • Improving the links between business and schools
  • How can good practice be shared across schools to ensure consistency in meeting the needs of disadvantaged pupils?

  • Need to focus on the needs of individual pupils, especially those who are disadvantaged 

  • Head teachers, senior teachers and school governors are best placed to bring about change in schools – how can we help them? 

  • Need to give equal priority to each pupil’s academic development and personal/career development 

  • ''Think like a system, act like an entrepeneur''

 

A number of Fellows indicated they would be interested in working on a project in Cambridge, ideally action-centred rather than a purely “research” project. In practical terms the two main areas where we think we might have most impact are by focussing on education in schools and to mitigate inequalities in terms of educational, social and cultural capital, and also by looking at the interface between schools and employment.  

 In addition, of course, there is the issue of ensuring that our elected representatives understand the support needed to help schools prepare their students for a working life that will require upskilling, retraining and responding to change and also help students develop the motivation, confidence and self-reliance that are essential for success. 

We now have news of an important new project which could link very well with these ideas: the Cambridgeshire Culture Card, which aims to: 

 

  1. Increase children and young people’s access and participation in art, culture and libraries; particularly for those from low-income backgrounds or who face inequalities of access 

  1. Recognise and acknowledge children and young people’s engagement in art, creativity and culture; and its contribution to their learning, skills, achievements and career development 

  1. Provide robust, relevant and visible evidence of the impact of cultural engagement on a range of outcomes for children and young people 

 

The City Council is developing the project in partnership with Cambridgeshire County Council where the existing library card will be repurposed as a card that becomes a cultural ‘passport’ to a whole range of other venues and creative activity/event providers.  A key element of the scheme is connecting pupils’ learning inside the classroom with skills and experience gained outside the classroom, making real world connections between this and potential interest or career pathways.   

This is a scheme that I believe also has the potential to bring together a wide range of organisations including the City and County Councils, Arts Council, two universities, several foundations and research councils, and the RSA, including through the internationally acclaimed Cities of Learning project. 

Michelle Lord, the Cambridge City Arts Development Officer leading the project will give a presentation on it at the next RSA Cambridge Meetup. If you cannot attend, but wish to receive further information on this and any other education projects involving RSA Fellows in Cambridge, please email robert.porrer@virginmedia.com .