Southwark Schools’ Learning Partnership (SSLP)

What is SSLP?

The Southwark Schools’ Learning Partnership (SSLP) is a community of nine state and independent schools in the London Borough of Southwark which shares good practice. It provides a platform for debate and a unique forum for collaboration towards improving learning and teaching throughout the member schools. The aims of the partnership are:

• For staff and students from schools in both sectors to work together to develop innovative practice and to share and broaden their experience in order to improve teaching and learning in the SSLP schools

• To raise pupil achievement by enhancing pupils’ involvement in their own learning and by helping teachers to develop models of highly effective teaching

• To produce research which will usefully inform the debate about factors which improve levels of achievement for pupils from different backgrounds in inner-city schools

The Southwark Schools’ Learning Partnership (SSLP) was established as a DFES London Challenge project in 2003. It followed an initiative by Professor Tim Brighouse, the Education Commissioner for London, to promote the participation of independent as well as maintained schools in the challenge of raising levels of achievement of all pupils across the capital to meet the ‘London Challenge’ - breaking the correlation between economic disadvantage and achievement. In the early days of his appointment, the Commissioner organised a series of ‘suppers’ where he assembled diverse groups to seek their views on this new education initiative for London. Two of the Southwark head teachers, Marion Gibbs of James Allen’s Girls’ School (JAGS) and Dr Irene Bishop of St Saviour’s and St Olave’s CE School (SSSO) participated in one of these sessions and decided to set up SSLP.  They became its Co-Directors.

Deborah Bicknell (the SSLP’s LINK coordinator for JAGS) describes some of what the SSLP has achieved over the last few years:

 “It has helped to break down the State versus Independent prejudice and we have formed new connections between staff that will benefit our pupils. The SSLP has made the staff in different schools more aware of each other, and they want to share more – facilities, time and ideas. It provides a great support network, and really does benefit all the schools involved.”

Who is it for?

It’s for pupils and staff, but also for anyone interested in the scheme and educational issues. It aims to become a community that creates a dialogue with as much diverse input as possible. If you become a member on the website you will have access to the discussion forum and useful links.

What does it do?

Hundreds of teachers and pupils have been involved in SSLP projects and events since 2003, covering a huge variety of areas, for example, art, design technology, drama, English, ICT, Latin, mathematics, modern languages, music, PE, science and investigating what helps pupils to learn well.

A current hot topic at SSLP, and its theme for the year is ‘Pupil Voice’ an initiative which encourages students to participate more actively in the way they learn.  The pupils are reflecting on how their behaviour affects their learning and what makes a good lesson.

50 of the SSLP staff members recently gathered at Dulwich College to consider how they might develop Pupil Voice within their respective institutions. Guest speaker John Bayley shared some of his observations gleaned from schools in the UK and USA.  Groups of pupils from Years 7 and 8 from the nine schools are now meeting together and undertaking research in their own schools to develop best practice. 

Any recent news?

2011 projects – launched in style

British film producer, Lord Puttnam, is an enthusiastic advocate of the Southwark coalition and its common purpose. Launching the SSLP projects on 10 October to a large gathering of teachers and heads of the link schools for the coming year, Lord Puttnam said the best work the government can do is to support the work of partnerships. Post-riots, on request, Lord Puttnam engaged with government officials to consider building on the lessons of history and the likely changes over the next 20 years. “There is a need for authenticity in front of students.” He urged us to embrace technological innovation, to think what advances an entire pedagogy could achieve, rather than accept existing methodologies. Students and teachers together could force a real revolution. Students bring in new technology and drive the flow.

For the good of our society we have to get education right. Lord Puttnam has every reason to feel passionate. He has a string of honorary degrees, despite having left school almost paper-less. He is Chancellor of the Open University. He served as the first Chair of the General Teaching Council (2000-2002), and on a variety of other public bodies. He was founding Chair of the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, and for 10 years chaired the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television. “No education system can be better than the teachers it employs,” he said. “Don’t accept mediocrity,” he warned. A final thought for the SSLP and for our government:  “Make our education system drive the type of sustainable society in which we want to live.” Inspiring words.

How can I become involved?

If you are interested in finding out more about this project please visit www.sslp.co.uk.