London CITIZENS’ Schools Alliance Project addresses the challenges facing London’s schools making sure teachers, parents, and children, work collaboratively for the common good. London CITIZENS’ Schools Alliance Project has got three main purposes. Firstly, it wishes to transform the culture of schools by building and developing trust between all adults and children in the school. Secondly, it wishes to engage with issues that affect what goes on in the classroom (e.g. living conditions, environmental conditions, and safety). Thirdly, more generally and in order to have make sure that its first two goals are reached effectively, it wishes to train school members to take action together for change.

London CITIZENS’ member schools work to develop a relational culture, a culture based on interpersonal trust, and a community of learners, in order to combat a culture of isolation, fear, punitive incentives and obstacles that sees all parties (children, teachers, parents) as problems to be overcome rather than as resources to be developed. London CITIZENS organisers work closely with all members of the school in order to develop this idea of relational cohesion and develop strategies for all to learn to see each other as partners rather than, in some cases, adversaries.

London CITIZENS’ member schools identify the issues that affect the well-being of the children inside and outside the school. Teachers and parents work together to ensure that children get the best education possible. A quality education requires educating the whole child. Children who live in substandard housing, are forced to move because of rising rents, are scared to walk home after school, are children who will have a tougher time achieving academic success in the classroom. Therefore, London CITIZENS’ Schools Alliance Project also builds networks within and between school institutions and congregations so that parents and school staff can work together to address the obstacles inside and outside the school environment that affect what goes on inside the classroom.

London CITIZENS develops skills and leadership capacity in the schools where we work through hands-on experience of taking action for change, through formal training of parents, teachers, and children, and with the support of professional organisers. When members identify an issue requiring change, we look together at who can make it happen, and how we can enter into a constructive relationship with them.

Some tools used by London CITIZENS’ Schools Alliance members

Walks for Success

The reason why London CITIZENS is encouraging its member schools to organise “Walks for Success” is that many schools operate as institutional islands separated from the life of the communities in which they reside. "Walks for Success" are neighbourhood conversations where parents/carers and school staff visit some of the families of the children who attend the school to talk to them about their community and the school and how to make them more cohesive. Thanks to the walks, school staff often become more aware of what goes on in the neighbourhood (in which they often do not live), hearing stories from the community of challenges, obstacles and resources, but also learning about the context in which they work. It is hoped that community members will begin to see the school not as an impenetrable fortress but as an institution invested and interested in the life of the neighbourhood. Through such walks, parents/carers, teachers, and community members develop relationships and networks on behalf of children and families.

Caucus Meetings

London CITIZENS works to build relationships between teachers, parents, and other adult stakeholders. The initial step is to begin to break down the barriers between these constituencies through small group conversations known as "caucus meetings". Caucus meetings, which can take place anywhere are conversations of between 6 to 12 parents, teachers and other adults concerned with education who exchange stories, challenge each other's stereotypes and raise issues of concern to them. Through caucus meetings, parents, and teachers develop the trust necessary to see each other as allies rather than adversaries.

Adults as Learners

It is somewhat evident that parental involvement is crucial as far as children’s education is concerned. This is why London CITIZENS member schools, as well as helping children with their learning, try to reflect on ways to involve parents in this process. From the organisation of academic workshops to that of after-school activities for parents and children, London CITIZENS member schools actively engage with issues of cohesion and collaborative learning. Examples of activities include English lessons for parents/carers, through a program called English for Action, covering all abilities and helping them become more confident with their own work, but also their children’s work. Other activities include workshops on parenting skills, healthy lifestyles, dancing lessons, etc. These are very successful and help to bridge the gaps that often exist between parents and teachers, but also between different groups of parents. Workshops organised by parents themselves give them the confidence to actively participate in the life of the school but also put an emphasis on the fact that the school is not just a place for teachers and children, but also for parents and friends of the community.

Key Principles

As well as teaching citizenship as part of the curriculum, a London CITIZENS member school will constantly reflect on its presence within, and its links with, its community. This will be achieved through:

• clear efforts to engage with local community members in terms of getting them involved in the life of the school, but also in terms of supporting community members who are in need
• clear efforts to reflect on issues relevant to the community, through regular “Walks for Success”
• efforts to build One-to-Ones into the culture of the school to strengthen relationships between community members
• using London CITIZENS organisers who can help with in service training and formal ‘leadership development’ training
• ensuring that efforts are made in order to pay its employees the London Living Wage
• ensuring that links are created between the school and other institutions in the local area to be able to act more strongly when necessary on issues relevant to the community.

Mayoral Assembly, 9th April, 2008	Children speaking in front of 2500 people at Mayoral Assembly	Neighbourhood Walk to meet with community members	Parents/carers taking English lessons through English for Action program