HMIE has published ‘Learning in Scotland’s Communities’ (pdf; html), a report based on evidence from the programme of inspections over 90 ‘Learning communities’ in Scotland which began in September 2008. These inspections take place at the same time as the inspection of the local secondary school and evaluate the outcomes and quality of the partnerships of those who work together to support learning and development within the local area.

Interestingly, the report provides a new and wide definition of a ‘Learning community’:

‘A learning community seeks to address the learning needs of its locality through partnership. It uses the strengths of institutions, public, private and voluntary services, and community groups to enable young people and adults to achieve to their full potential. Learning communities use learning as a way to build community capacity, and to promote social cohesion, social inclusion, regeneration and economic development’.

The report identifies a number of strengths. These include the ways in which community learning and development providers have developed and used their particular skills both to support young people and adults to achieve and to develop community capacity. Opportunities for accredited achievement are also developing well, providing opportunities for more young people not only to take part in a wider range of challenging and motivating experiences but also to gain formal recognition of their success.

The report also identifies a number of areas for improvement. More schools, CLD and other providers now need to work together under the common purpose and outcomes of Curriculum for Excellence to enable all children and young people to experience a rich range of motivating experiences and achieve all they can. Schools, centres and all of those involved in CLD need to undertake better joint planning and self evaluation so that, together, they can improve the impact of their work on children, their families and communities.