Using Network and Collaboration to Foster Equity within Urban Education Systems: Possibilities and Barriers

• In Event: Reculturing Schooling: Strategies and Consequences

Abstract

In recent years English policy makers have made extensive efforts to break the link between social disadvantage, school outcomes and life chances. Nevertheless, the evidence is that the poorest children are not well served and that, by and large, they attend the lowest-performing schools (Kerr & West, 2010).

This paper will describe efforts over three years to promote equity within one English city. The evidence is that whilst this approach has great potential, its use as a strategy for system change is problematic within current policy contexts. With this in mind, the paper will analyze the nature of these difficulties in order to formulate proposals for moving education systems in a more equitable direction.

The project - the Greater Manchester Challenge - involved a partnership between national government, ten local authorities and over 1,100 schools, and had a government investment of £50million. The decision to invest such a large budget reflected a concern regarding educational standards in the city region, particularly amongst children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The approach used emerged from a detailed analysis of the local context, using both statistical data and local intelligence provided by stakeholders. This drew attention to areas of concern and also helped to pinpoint a range of human resources that could be mobilized in order to support improvement efforts. Recognising the potential of these resources, it was decided that networking and collaboration would be the key strategies for strengthening the overall improvement capacity of the system.

The impact of all of this has been significant in respect to overall improvements in test and examination results and, indeed, the way the education system carries out its business. Significantly, the greatest improvements occurred in those schools serving the most disadvantaged communities. The paper will reflect on evidence collected through observations and interviews in order to identify what lessons can be drawn. This suggests that two overall strategies have contributed to the improvements that occurred: increased collaboration within the education system, such that best practices are made available to a wider range of children; and the active involvement of community partners. This depends on the currency of knowledge exchange and, therefore, has involved attempts to bring about cultural change.

However, the gains remain fragile. In particular, continuing tensions regarding priorities and preferred ways of working between national and local policy makers, and, indeed, between schools and local authorities, continue to create barriers to progress. So, for example, some of those near to central government remain pre-occupied with achieving short-term gains in test scores in ways that create barriers to efforts for promoting sustainable improvements. Coupled with this is their mistrust of local authorities - often seen as part of the problem, rather than part of the solution - and doubts about the need to have separate strategies that fit particular contexts. At the same time, within local authorities there is an understandable uncertainty about the motives of government officials who have chosen to impose an intervention upon their work.

Author

• Mel Ainscow, University of Manchester