What are CLCs?

The national network of 105 City Learning Centres (CLCs) have been a key element of the Government's 'Excellence in Cities' (EiC) initiative since 2000, impacting on learning in schools by providing a focus for the very best in education for young people across a wide range of innovative environments.

Following the end of Excellence in Cities in March 2008 the City Learning Centres now form part of Rochdale MBC School Service - School Transformation team; working alongside the 14-19 Reform team, School Improvement staff as well as other Children's Services colleagues.

By providing outstanding high technology local facilities, the CLCs aim to support the drive to improve education standards and skill levels, so promoting employment opportunities and countering social exclusion.

The aim of City Learning Centres is to enhance the learning opportunities of pupils in our major urban areas. To bring this about, the objectives of the centres are, amongst other things, to improve access to and use by pupils and adults of the latest education technology; improve attainment levels through use of that technology; and improve employment prospects.

The core client group for the City Learning Centres is pupils and teachers, but they also have a role to play in providing opportunities for the wider community to promote lifelong learning.

These objectives will be achieved in a number of different ways, including:

• providing additional courses and opportunities for individual pupils that involve ICT-based teaching and learning materials
• providing access to state-of-the-art ICT technologies that will be attractive and a motivation for young people
• delivering services and outreach support to a wider network of local schools
• providing a range of extension activities for pupils
• acting as test beds for innovation and new ways of teaching and learning
• researching and trialing emerging educational technologies
• cascading best practice amongst the local network of schools