Unlocking Talent & Potential is supported by the Department for Communities and Local Government
At a time of high youth unemployment, too many young people still feel that their education has been an:
… eleven year experience whose net effect has been to leave many of them with a smattering of certificates, and a strong feeling of not having been adequately prepared for the rigours and complexities of real life. ’What’s the Point of School?’ Guy Claxton
The Schools Linking Network (SLN) Unlocking Talent & Potential programme aims to address this by equipping young people with the attitudes and skills they need to succeed at school and thrive when they leave; and to make informed choices at important transition points.
Funded over three years by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), Unlocking Talent & Potential offers participating schools:
- A local partner to support and co-ordinate the programme
- Support with setting up and delivering initial learning programmes
- A framework and resources to support each student’s learning journey
- Mentors and other support from local businesses and other employers
- Staff training to support each school’s preparation and action planning
- Resources to monitor student impact and continuous development
- Support with school linking to enrich learning – for both students and staff
Unlocking Talent & Potential is being piloted in London, Birmingham and Bradford, working mainly with schools that serve communities in areas of deprivation. It helps them prepare young people for a hugely competitive and volatile global jobs market. The programme involves schools that are willing to think afresh and to share their experiences.
Guided by a Steering Group in each locality, Unlocking Talent & Potential builds a network of schools, each of which have agreed to implement the programme in a way that addresses their own priorities. SLN adds its unique expertise in linking schools, creating more powerful learning opportunities for students and allowing schools and teachers to share their ideas and good practice.
Consistently, throughout the programme, employers are involved – bringing learning ‘to life’; connecting classroom experiences with students’ future lives; and helping young people understand why it is in their own interests to work hard at school:
… business engagement in schools can be a powerful tool in helping to raise achievement through making clear the relevance of the skills and knowledge learnt at school to the workplace and to ensure more young people leave the education system with the skills needed for success in their working lives. ‘Fulfilling Potential’ CBI September 2010
Success is not measured in terms of qualifications or sheer numbers of students. Success looks like learning activities that contribute to young people’s development of learning skills, motivation and aspirations. It also looks like school leaders and teachers who are even more committed to taking on this role – and equipped with new ways to achieve it.
SLN Unlocking Talent & Potential
Find out more by watching an Introductory Video.
