CITY CHALLENGE: London - Black Country - Greater Manchester

The Keys to Success programme

The aim of the Keys to Success programme is to raise standards in primary and secondary schools in some of the most challenging circumstances in Greater Manchester. These schools are seen as the ‘Keys to Success’ for breaking the link between deprivation and underachievement. The key focuses of the programme are to:

• create a culture of achievement

• ensure sustainable improvement and embed best practice at all levels

• help schools improve students’ results

• strengthen school ethos and improve parents’ and pupils’ perceptions

The Keys to Success programme is delivered through an experienced team of Greater Manchester Challenge Advisers, all with substantial practical experience of school improvement in the most challenging of circumstances. The Challenge Advisers work with local authorities, School Improvement Partners and the National Strategies in supporting schools, and broker tailored packages of support according to the schools’ individual needs.

The kind of specialist support that has been brokered for Keys to Success schools by Challenge Advisers to date includes support for:

• building capacity in teaching and learning in a range of departments

• designing and running intensive revision sessions for Key Stage 4 pupils

• improving behaviour and attendance

• improving provision for students with English as an additional language (EAL)

We will be writing to all Keys to Success schools in September to confirm that they are in the programme for the 2009/2010 academic year.