Networks
Networks
The Leeds Learning Alliance has an array of networks where our members, supporters and associates engage in strategic collaborative working. Read more about our groups below, or in the latest Annual Report.
PATHWAYS & DESTINATIONS
PUBLIC SERVICES, OCCUPATIONAL STUDIES & LAND BASED STUDIES
PATHFINDERS PILOT PROGRAMME
Leeds Learning Alliance partners CATCH and Leeds City College ran a series of workshops for up to 50 young people over a 10-month period with public services professionals from West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, British Army, The Royal Navy, and The Royal Air Force. The focus was to recruit people from under-represented groups, particularly women and those from ethnic minority backgrounds.
The workshops highlighted what the public services do and the career opportunities available. The aim was to support young people gain a greater understanding of entry routes and how best to acquire the skills and attributes required for each service. Young people took part in interactive workshops and visited various public service workplaces, taking part in exercises and drills allowing them to experience different roles.
The feedback and post-evaluation was very positive with an appetite to do more engagement with young people. 96% of the cohort were young people from under-represented groups. The Public Services Pathways group is exploring how best to continue with this programme moving forwards with our public service partners. There are challenges around capacity and scaling up the programme.
POST 16 OPPORTUNITIES
CATCH and Leeds City College came together to deliver a bespoke programme for post-16 students under the banner of the Occupational Studies course. The course was for young people at risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) and those with an interest for public service, community and youth work.
The programme involved an opportunity to study maths and English complimented by structured volunteering at CATCH to build their personal and professional skills.
We are continuously reviewing the impact this programme is having on individual students in terms of their development and addressing their needs. In a short space of time, it is obvious that students have found the programme has helped with their self-confidence and given them real life skills, which they feel will help them find employment.
RESEARCH
We are keen to understand the views of young people and their families on their perceptions of our public services with a view to understanding the barriers around engagement, attraction, and recruitment.
We are in the process of working with Leeds Trinity University to put together a survey for schools within the Leeds area, followed up by a series of in-person workshops.
MENTORING PROGRAMME
Working with partner organisations, we are in the process of creating a mentoring programme that will offer potential recruits an opportunity to meet someone serving in a public service that has a lived experience. This will allow potential recruits to be mentored by someone that can share their own experiences and discuss perceived challenges that might be shared.
This work is very much in its infancy, and we are keen to hear from anyone who would like to support the programme.
ASH RAZZAQ
CEO, CATCH
POST 16 OPPORTUNITIES
CATCH and Leeds City College came together to deliver a bespoke programme for post-16 students under the banner of the Occupational Studies course. The course was for young people at risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) and those with an interest for public service, community and youth work.
The programme involved an opportunity to study maths and English complimented by structured volunteering at CATCH to build their personal and professional skills.
We are continuously reviewing the impact this programme is having on individual students in terms of their development and addressing their needs. In a short space of time, it is obvious that students have found the programme has helped with their self-confidence and given them real life skills, which they feel will help them find employment.
RESEARCH
We are keen to understand the views of young people and their families on their perceptions of our public services with a view to understanding the barriers around engagement, attraction, and recruitment.
We are in the process of working with Leeds Trinity University to put together a survey for schools within the Leeds area, followed up by a series of in-person workshops.
MENTORING PROGRAMME
Working with partner organisations, we are in the process of creating a mentoring programme that will offer potential recruits an opportunity to meet someone serving in a public service that has a lived experience. This will allow potential recruits to be mentored by someone that can share their own experiences and discuss perceived challenges that might be shared.
This work is very much in its infancy, and we are keen to hear from anyone who would like to support the programme.
ASH RAZZAQ
CEO, CATCH
PATHWAYS & DESTINATIONS
FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION
Leeds is blessed with some of the strongest higher and further education institutions in the country.
In response to recent national and local policy initiatives, a group of leaders from most of the post-16 education providers based in Leeds came together in 2022 to explore the potential for strengthening existing good collaboration.
They agreed:
- To map existing partnerships with Go Higher West Yorkshire
- To review the careers education information and guidance across the education system, in tandem with Leeds City Council
- To engage with policy makers in the development of the Local Skills Improvement Plan
It was also agreed that the LLA and Go Higher West Yorkshire would pull together a working group of interested parties to develop this further. That working group began its work in 2023.
PAUL BRENNAN
Independent Chair, Leeds Learning Alliance
PATHWAYS & DESTINATIONS
DIGITAL TECH
The Digital Pathways and Destinations working group has continued to make progress in creating new opportunities for young people in the digital sector in Leeds. The group was set up to suggest new ways of reaching young people who are less likely to make career and post-16 education choices in the digital sectors.
The group has developed several initiatives and programmes to help it achieve the aim of improving progression and the pathways available for underrepresented young people into digital-related careers. These include:
LEEDS DIGITAL CAREERS FESTIVAL
GROWING DIGITAL TALENT LEEDS
LEEDS UNLEASHED
The Digital Pathways and Destinations steering group is currently developing further activities that include:
- A bid for funding to roll out a third annual digital-focused Healthy Holidays programme at Leeds City College in summer 2024
- Roll out of the University Centre Leeds digital immersion programme
- Development of a digital extended school’s programme for Leeds City College, as well as creating a catalogue of digital taster sessions that can be taken to schools in the city
- Development of a girls/women in tech programme at Luminate Education Group to be implemented in the 2023/24 academic year
- Use of STEM 7 characteristics and the behaviours employers are looking for to be embedded across Luminate Education Group
- Use of IBM P-TECH and Open P-TECH learning frameworks to engage young people at Luminate Education Group
- Roll out of a Digital Skills action plan at Luminate Education Group
If you have any questions about the Digital Pathways and Destinations steering group, or would like to get involved, please contact [email protected].
ANN-MARIE SPRY
Vice Principal, Leeds City College
GROWING TALENT DIGITAL LEEDS
Ahead Partnership launched Growing Talent Digital Leeds with employers, stakeholders and LLA education partners in 21-22.
Since launching in 21-22, Growing Talent Digital Leeds has created more than 23,000 student interactions with employers in Leeds. Reporting from 22-23 showed that interest in digital careers had leapt to 77% amongst participants, a 5% increase on the previous year, due in part to education partners’ commitment to providing multiple programme interventions to students across several years.
The programme works with several LLA schools, including our strategic education partner Carr Manor Community School. In 2022-23, more than 500 Carr Manor pupils participated in 10 activities including a pilot for the programme’s first sessions with primary school pupils. The school has been involved in a range of digitally focused events, including work experience, the Green Tech Challenge (which they won, for the second year in a row) and the programme’s flagship event, Girltech.
Pupils that have engaged in the programme from Carr Manor have reported a 15% increase in interest in the technology sector, with 80% of students saying that taking part has increased their confidence and self-belief.
Representatives from the school attend the coproduction steering group and other events to share invaluable updates with local employers on the realities of working in education and why employer involvement in careers education is so important to driving social mobility and raising aspirations.
Carr Manor Community School’s commitment to this approach is a success story we will use to model partnering with education and employers in the future.
STEPHANIE BURRAS
CEO, Ahead Partnership
Ahead Partnership launched Growing Talent Digital Leeds with employers, stakeholders and LLA education partners in 21-22.
Since launching in 21-22, Growing Talent Digital Leeds has created more than 23,000 student interactions with employers in Leeds. Reporting from 22-23 showed that interest in digital careers had leapt to 77% amongst participants, a 5% increase on the previous year, due in part to education partners’ commitment to providing multiple programme interventions to students across several years.
The programme works with several LLA schools, including our strategic education partner Carr Manor Community School. In 2022-23, more than 500 Carr Manor pupils participated in 10 activities including a pilot for the programme’s first sessions with primary school pupils. The school has been involved in a range of digitally focused events, including work experience, the Green Tech Challenge (which they won, for the second year in a row) and the programme’s flagship event, Girltech.
Pupils that have engaged in the programme from Carr Manor have reported a 15% increase in interest in the technology sector, with 80% of students saying that taking part has increased their confidence and self-belief.
Representatives from the school attend the coproduction steering group and other events to share invaluable updates with local employers on the realities of working in education and why employer involvement in careers education is so important to driving social mobility and raising aspirations.
Carr Manor Community School’s commitment to this approach is a success story we will use to model partnering with education and employers in the future.
STEPHANIE BURRAS
CEO, Ahead Partnership
GLOBAL/CLIMATE CHANGE
The Climate Change Strategy Group chaired by Leeds College of Building is a significant priority for the LLA.
Organisations across Leeds are in varying stages of development in their own approach to the climate emergency, but what is clear is the need to do something of significance rapidly.
The approach from the LLA strategy group has been to focus on the education side of climate change, as it closely relates to the organisations involved.
The group has developed an action play on three core areas:
- Creating a coherent and resourced climate curriculum
- Actively tackle climate change across the LLA
- Develop a climate change conference
Creating a curriculum will form the legacy of this working group. Leeds DEC has completed significant work in this area, and now has a range of resources across age ranges and topics. The next step is to provide a phased curriculum for those different age ranges, an agreed delivery plan and a platform to provide easily accessible resources for practitioners.
It is important that this group works across all networks to ensure it remains a clear, consistent and vocal part of the agenda for all organisations.
NIKKI DAVIS
CEO and Principal, Leeds College of Building
SERIOUS YOUTH VIOLENCE & COMMUNITY SAFETY
In November 2023, Alfie Lewis, one of our learners in the LLA, was stabbed and killed.
There has been a significant increase in knife violence amongst young people in Leeds. It is likely that many more young people will be killed or seriously injured by knives in the coming months and years, and in the meantime many parents and young people are living in fear.
National and international research indicates that a public health approach to the issue should be adopted, which means that a multiagency, multi-disciplinary and preventative approach should be developed.
The Leeds Learning Alliance has expertise across its members that can provide leadership and support and can coordinate a response to professionals, to individual services and agencies, to young people themselves and to communities by coordinating that response.
Action can make a difference – but resource, political-will, strategy and coordination are all required. In July 2023 we produced a report relating to the subject following meetings across the Alliance.
In November 2023, Alfie Lewis, one of our learners in the LLA, was stabbed and killed.
There has been a significant increase in knife violence amongst young people in Leeds. It is likely that many more young people will be killed or seriously injured by knives in the coming months and years, and in the meantime many parents and young people are living in fear.
National and international research indicates that a public health approach to the issue should be adopted, which means that a multiagency, multi-disciplinary and preventative approach should be developed.
The Leeds Learning Alliance has expertise across its members that can provide leadership and support and can coordinate a response to professionals, to individual services and agencies, to young people themselves and to communities by coordinating that response.
Action can make a difference – but resource, political-will, strategy and coordination are all required. In July 2023 we produced a report relating to the subject following meetings across the Alliance.
OUR OBJECTIVES ARE SIMPLE:
- Reduce hospital admissions, injuries and prevent killings
- Reduce the amount of violent crime against young people, especially knife crime
- Improve the sense of wellbeing and safety amongst young people, their families and the community
WE BELIEVE THAT A WAY TO DO THIS IS THROUGH:
- Accurate diagnosis
- Prioritisation and resourcing
- Research
- Action
THIS MEANS THAT WE WILL NEED TO:
- Develop structures and systems to support professionals
- Put in place support for young people
- Strengthen provision of support for families and communities
- Monitor and evaluate the impact of interventions
This work is on-going, and we are grateful for the work of our partners. In the meantime, our thoughts go out to Alfie’s family, friends and the other victims, families and friends that continue to be harmed in this way.
PAUL BRENNAN
Independent Chair, Leeds Learning Alliance
CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICE
The Leeds Learning Alliance Centre for Inclusive Practice continues to develop as a platform to bring together expertise and experience locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. The intention is to provide opportunities for organisations to develop and share practice to improve outcomes for all learners and staff, thereby closing gaps in achievement, health, and employability for all learners.
The centre continues to build on the activity of member organisations. Representatives from different partners have been gathering to identify common interests and needs across priority areas:
1 | RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
To share findings and identify opportunities for further research that will encourage the implementation and impact of inclusive practice across the Alliance.
Activity has included:
- A co-designed project between Leeds Trinity University (LTU) and Leeds Beckett University (LBU) has been delivered. The project was titled ‘Listening, Learning, Leading with Inclusive Values for an Inclusive Legacy’. The project created space for LLA partners to put inclusive values into practice through dilemma-based coaching encounters. The six sessions contributed to developing research on dilemma-based coaching. It also delivered networking across LLA partners and impacted the quality of professional learning conversations within the organisations
- A half-termly meeting has been established with partners from LTU and LBU, Leeds College of Building, Leeds City College, Springwell, Adel Beck Secure Children’s Home as well as primary and secondary schools. The ongoing professional conversation has created connections for future projects
- Publication of research using Carr Manor Community School as a case study. The article explores alternative approaches to inclusion through a ‘distributed network of relational accountability’. You can see the article at Rebecca Hibbin (2023): Relational responsibility, social discipline, and behaviour in school: re-orienting discipline and authority through a distributed network of relational accountability, Pastoral Care in Education
2 | SHARING PRACTICE & WORKFORCE
To identify and share inclusive practices and a common understanding across the LLA and beyond.
Examples of activity include:
- The Inclusive Leadership Conference, 4th March 2023, and 8th March 2024
- LLA 5-day immersion event for visitors from three schools in Belgium. They experienced how we put our core values of inclusion, ambition, and collaboration into practice through relational and restorative practice. The programme included time at Carr Manor Community School, Leeds City College 14+ Academies and Printworks Campus, Springwell North, CATCH, RESTORE and Wetherby High School
- Partner organisations have continued to deliver learning and development programmes that build on expertise within the LLA. For example, Leeds Trinity University delivering training and research opportunities, Wellspring MAT delivering the Kindness Principle (‘Positive Regard’), Carr Manor Community School delivering Relational and Restorative Practice and the Leeds Relational Practice Centre delivering the Family Valued programme
- LLA colleagues participating in Restorative and Relational Immersion Days at Carr Manor Community School
- Developing an LLA local and national inclusive practice network for education organisations and local authorities focused on relational and restorative practices and pastoral structures
- Several LLA partners continue to contribute to developing traumainformed practice in Leeds as part of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate trauma-informed practice initiative
- LLA members participating in the LTU PG Cert in Inclusive Leadership
TOM SHAW
Research & Development Director (Relational and Restorative Practices), Carr Manor Community School
LEADERSHIP FOR INCLUSION & DIVERSITY
The Leadership for Inclusion and Diversity project started in Autumn 2022, with 11 schools participating.
The two aspects of the project are leadership for inclusion and diversity with a focus on provision for EAL learners and diversifying the wider curriculum for all subject leaders.
Middle and senior leaders from 11 schools met to agree the focus for future sessions based on school priorities as follows:
- Leadership of Inclusion for Diversity, for example enhancing reading provision (including phonics) for EAL learners
- Subject leadership for diversity, especially diversity across the curriculum
A wider group of more than 50 staff met to further develop thinking and discussion about subject diversity across the curriculum.
The project will continue to improve outcomes for EAL learners as well as to develop the curriculum to prepare all learners to become good citizens of the wider communities in which they live both locally, nationally and internationally.
THERESE O’SULLIVAN
Special Advisor, Leeds Learning Alliance
PRIMARY EDUCATION
Primary growth and development has been a key focus of the Leeds Learning Alliance.
A network of primary leaders has been established, providing a half-termly forum for focused discussion of current common priorities and challenges facing schools and leaders.
We are delighted that through our work-streams and wider priorities, and under the guidance of Headteacher Emma Wraighte, partners have identified a comprehensive set of professional development opportunities which have been captured within our Primary Offer brochure.
Provision is made for school staff at all levels as well as opportunities for children to work with others across the Alliance. Whilst drawing heavily on partner schools, it also incorporates the use of specialist and other expert professionals to secure outward facing approaches and safeguard against insular thinking.
Enhancing planning and implementation in foundation subjects by engaging more with research and subject experts will enable schools to review and refine their intent and planning to ensure inclusive provision.
Primary colleagues continue to be keen to connect with others within the Alliance. We have been pleased to embark on partnerships with member organisations to make best use of wider resources and expertise. These enable us to enhance primary provision and particularly to extend our children’s knowledge and understanding of the opportunities within the wider world, thus raising awareness and ambition.
We are committed to engaging with partners to extend the experiences and opportunities available to our children, and to build better relationships within the Leeds Learning Alliance.
ANNE FELL
Special Advisor, Primary Education, Leeds Learning Alliance
EMMA WRAIGHTE
Headteacher, Fieldhead Carr Primary School
RACE FOR EQUALITY
LEADERS TOOLKIT & LLA EQUITY NETWORK
In its continued work to embed anti-racist practice, the Leeds Learning Alliance has been working to develop the practical resources to support The Race Equity Leadership toolkit developed by Professor Charles Egbu, Vice Chancellor of Leeds Trinity University, with support from Paul Brennan.
A key component of this work is helping leaders understand how they can become actively anti-racist in their practice.
The Race Equity Leadership Toolkit
The toolkit was designed to ensure that the commitment to anti-racist practice is enacted as an imperative for leaders in our region and beyond. The toolkit has incorporated into discussions about approaches to develop and deliver the tools in practice. The toolkit takes a guided approach to self-work, the place where anti-racism needs to start, but through collaborative work we are seeking to ensure shared learning and accountability to keep the toolkit current and ‘living’.
Building on the anti-racism plan, the LLA is working with Leeds City Council to support the council’s focus on ‘Race 4 Equality’ across education in the city. The objective is to raise awareness and develop a working network to support our ambition for a more diverse education workforce.
The Office for Institutional Equity established at Leeds Trinity University in January 2022 has established an Equity Network which seeks to mobilise this objective. The group has sought to develop an approach which has been used as an opportunity to develop a strategic vision around key issues in equity.
We have hosted discussions about fairness and transparency in recruiting a diverse workforce, reverse mentoring, and anti-racist practice. We are an open group and welcome all those who seek to create a shared framework for racial justice and equity across their organisations to attend. We will continue to develop our plans to embed approaches which support our city, region and improve opportunities for those who live, study and work within it.
Please contact Tamsin if you would like to contribute to this network: [email protected]
TAMSIN BOWERS-BROWN
Director of the Office for Institutional Equity, Leeds Trinity University
