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Schools, communities and social capital: building blocks in the 'Big Society' - full report
Author:
Neil Flint
Subject:
Helping every child succeed
Audience:
Headteachers, Middle leaders and aspiring headteachers, School business managers, Early years leaders, Stakeholders and partners
Date of publication:
April 2011 |
File format and size:
PDF, 327 Kb
The ideal of the Big Society is to empower people by re-establishing the influence of community. This study examines why schools are important in supporting traditional communities and gives thoughts of how your school can become a hub that empowers everyone.
Schools can have a huge impact on improving 'social capital', or the communities and networks in which we live. Here we examine why this is important, both in terms of improving life chances for pupils and also leading to school improvement and community wellbeing.
The study considers how schools support those around them, what barriers they face and the implications of deeper involvement. It examines best practice, looking at how 'happy schools' encourage cohesion and civic responsibility, bridging divided and isolated sections of the community, and empowering them by developing skills and providing opportunities.
Case studies of specific initiatives show both the challenges and the impact of these ideas in action. It is an inspiring view of how schools can lead in making the Big Society a reality.
A summary of this report is also available.
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