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Leading Learning

A new school improvement initiative to support disadvantaged pupils in the classroom – and the professional learning and development of teachers – is to be launched by Leeds Metropolitan University. The ‘Leading Learning’ project is the first of its kind in the region and offers teachers the option to study for Masters degrees and PhDs while working in conjunction with academic partners from Leeds Metropolitan University.

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40 views

Leading Learning

A new school improvement initiative to support disadvantaged pupils in the classroom – and the professional learning and development of teachers – is to be launched by Leeds Metropolitan University. The ‘Leading Learning’ project is the first of its kind in the region and offers teachers the option to study for Masters degrees and PhDs while working in conjunction with academic partners from Leeds Metropolitan University.

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Leeds Metropolitan University
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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March 2011

For immediate release

Leeds Met to launch pioneering ‘Leading Learning’ initiative

A new school improvement initiative to support disadvantaged pupils in the classroom – and
the professional learning and development of teachers – is to be launched by Leeds
Metropolitan University. The ‘Leading Learning’ project is the first of its kind in the region and
offers teachers the option to study for Masters degrees and PhDs while working in
conjunction with academic partners from Leeds Metropolitan University.

Dr Ruth Lupton, from the London School of Economics, who has an international reputation
on addressing social and educational inequalities, will speak at the launch event at Leeds
Metropolitan University on 30 March, along with Professor Sally Glen, Deputy Vice
Chancellor from Leeds Met and Dirk Gilleard, Deputy Chief Executive of Education Leeds.
The scheme, which is supported by Leeds City Council, has been developed by Leeds
Metropolitan’s Winifred Mercier Professor of Teacher Education, Lori Beckett.

Professor Beckett said: “The Government’s educational reform package is committed to high
standards and closing the gaps in educational achievement between rich and poor students.
Teachers are the key to this and our school-university partnership offers a unique
opportunity for teachers and academics to work in partnership and learn from each other in a
unique way. Academics will work with practitioners to develop localised responses and,
ultimately, improve results. Crucially, strategic teacher-led intervention is being championed
alongside teacher learning and development.”

Dirk Gilleard, deputy chief executive of Education Leeds, said: “This is an exciting initiative
which helps teachers investigate, for themselves, learning and teaching their own classroom.
The work will be expertly facilitated by academic partners from the university and there will
be great opportunities for teachers to share their findings and learn from each other. We’ve
already seen the power of this work in some of our schools and we are keen to invite other
teachers and schools to take advantage of this approach.”
Teachers who enrol on the three year scheme participate in seminar-workshops, work with
academic partners, receive project newsletters, and enjoy other opportunities to engage with
the university. They can also qualify for a Graduate Diploma in the first year, going on to
study for a Masters degree with the potential to do an Education Doctorate focussed on their
contribution to school improvement plans.

Professor Beckett added: “This is very much about bringing the resources of the city to bear
on working in schools and supporting teachers in the classroom, rather than so-called
experts issuing advice from the comfort of their ivory towers.”

The scheme, which has been piloted locally with significant success, is being launched on
the same day that Leeds Metropolitan University will hold the annual Winifred Mercier public
lecture, honouring the first female Vice Principal at the former City of Leeds Training
College.

Ends

For further details please contact Helen Goodwin in the News and Media team at Leeds Met
on 0113 812 5935 or email [email protected]

Notes for editors:

 Leeds Metropolitan University has 30,000 students and over 300,000 associate
students through its partnerships with 24 colleges.
 The University has achieved its best ever Research Assessment Exercise results.
Sports-Related Studies is in the top 6 institutions in the country with research rated at
the highest levels of 4* and 3*.
 The University’s award-winning learning environments include the iconic Rose Bowl
building, awarded Best Commercial Property Development in the 2009 Yorkshire
Property Awards; Broadcasting Place, winner of the 2010 Leeds Architecture Awards
New Building category and the pioneering Carnegie Village student accommodation.
Broadcasting Place was also voted the best tall building in the world in 2010.

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