Curriculum relevance
SLN’s experience with schools has shown us that school linking
provides a rich learning experience for students while it promotes
community cohesion. We’ve also found that linking projects are
particularly relevant to various subjects and strands of
curriculum.
For example, linking is an effective way to bring humanities
subjects to life. It can also be used for literacy work – providing
both a purpose and an audience for communication. It connects with
issues of identity, diversity, community and relationships in
both the primary and secondary curricula, as well as with
initiatives such as Personalised Learning and Learning Outside the
Classroom. Effective linking with other schools provides strong
evidence for Ofsted which requires evidence of action and impact
regarding community cohesion.
There are two main approaches to embedding the linking work
within the curriculum:
Cross-curricular approach
School linking is a great way to provide innovative and engaging cross-curricular work, and it contributes to raising standards. Innovative teachers exploring identity and diversity bring in History, Geography, Citizenship, Maths, English, Art and other dimensions.
Subject focus
The main aim of your link may be to raise attainment in a particular subject area, such as Citizenship or English. Linking themes may be developed with a strong subject focus while also making links to other curriculum areas. More information on subject-specific approaches can be found in the teacher’s guide.
Your approach will depend on how your school and your link school works and how all involved want the linking work to develop. The CPD, for which you will be eligible once you’ve registered your school with this site, will also provide information on how to fit your linking project within the curriculum.
Examples of subject-specific curriculum links
Some examples of subject-specific curriculum focuses for linking
are listed below. More comprehensive information on this is
provided during CPD.
PSHE and Citizenship
Pupils should be taught to deal with conflict, discussing
bullying, racism, prejudice and stereotyping and the negative
effect these have on building strong communities.
English
Pupils should be taught to develop speaking and listening
through group discussion and interaction during reflection,
dialogue, deeper conversations and discussion of controversial
issues.
Case study
A pair of schools worked on a year-long literacy project in
order to raise attainment in writing, speaking and listening. Their
linking focus was to explore identity, heritage and belonging by
researching the journeys people had taken to get to where they are
now.
All children had the opportunity to explore
their own identity and share it with their friends from the other
school. Following this, they went home and interviewed people
special to them and wrote notes about a journey their interviewee
had taken.
Together they engaged in workshops to equip
them with strategies and ideas for effective storytelling. This
helped them to develop their stories from notes into something
people would want to read and listen to.
During Who Do We Think We Are Week (WDWTWA)
the two schools came together for a book launch and presentation
evening. The children played an active role in planning and
presenting the evening and the families prepared food to share. The
families involved were provided with an opportunity to celebrate
and share their identity and heritage with people from diverse
backgrounds.
RE
Pupils should be taught to explore what it means to belong to a
community and to have shared values and beliefs.
School linking across the curriculum
In Sir Jim Rose’s recent review of the primary
curriculum, he proposes a more coherent learning experience,
connecting children’s lives inside and outside the classroom.
School linking, and the work of SLN, can feed into this approach to
teaching and learning.
Case study
Two schools – one urban, one rural – situated miles apart, share
a fascinating connection through history and geography. The urban
school is situated in the centre of the city where the wool
industry thrived more than a hundred years ago. The rural school is
surrounded by sheep farms and is near the canal, which goes into
the centre of the city, and was used to move the wool from the
farms to the mills.
For this linking project, the teachers from both schools planned
across the curriculum for a term, using their link as a stimulus.
They started with PSHE: developing self-esteem and self-awareness,
and moved onto communication skills: oral, written and using
email.
They then did investigative work about their own immediate
environment and shared what they learned with each other. They came
together and explored their surroundings, acting as guides for each
other and producing artistic and poetic representations of their
lives, both separate and collective.
The students’ understanding grew and matured as a result of the
involvement of artists, who were brought in to work with the
students at different points. This was also inclusive – everyone
involved found a way to participate, and to be seen or heard. They
learned new skills such as print-making and developed a sense of
pride in their district, as well as an increased understanding of
where they had all come from.
How SLN can help