£1.4m school fund to teach job skills

THE search is on for creative schools in Oldham to share in a £1.4 million fund to teach the skills employers demand.

Local schools are being encouraged to apply to become “Schools of Creativity” and join a Government initiative to develop cutting-edge learning practice.

Creative Partnerships, the Government’s flagship creativity programme for schools, is looking to recruit 30 such schools across England.

They will join a £1.4 million national programme as part of a two-year project to raise educational standards and develop in students the skills that employers say they need.

Organisers say the programme, which works mainly with schools from deprived areas, has already produced real results.

Research shows that schools involved improve their GCSE results faster and seven out of 10 secondary head teachers say Creative Partnerships improve pupil behaviour in their schools.

Paul Collard, National Director of Creative Partnerships, said: “We are looking for schools that put creativity at the centre of the student learning.”

Creative Partnerships has already worked with more than 750,000 young people and works with 2,000 schools across England.

Any maintained school in England can apply.