Why should all schools take part in linking?

 Penny Whelan

What it is:

The Linking Network is a charitable organisation that began in Bradford in 2001 when two Primary teachers decided to link their schools together to give their pupils experiences of meeting others from different areas. Since then, it’s gone from strength to strength and there are now 26 Local Authority areas running linking projects across the country through local facilitators like me.

Schools Linking encourages pupils to take part in planned activities with a class from their link school across a year-long programme, meeting new people from different backgrounds, areas, beliefs and religions, sharing interests and exploring similarities and differences.

“The Linking Network inspires and equips schools to support children and young people to build meaningful connections across all forms of difference” (The Linking Network website).

Luton was a target area for The Linking Network initially and has been taking part for over 15 years with our primary schools. It’s proved to be a hugely successful local project and is backed by our Local Authority and other organisations within the town. Past pupils, some of which are now in adulthood, still talk about how the project impacted them and remember the connections they made with others.

How it works:

Throughout the year-long programme, schools study four key questions – Who am I? Who are we? Where do we live? How do we all live well together? These questions are designed to help pupils consider and learn about their own identity, as well as learning about their local and global communities.

The two linked classes will meet for the first time at a neutral venue where they can take part in simple, purposeful and fun activities together and enjoy interacting with and spending time with each other. The neutral venue could be a gallery, museum, community centre, or any number of alternative places where the pupils can play games, have conversations and take part in joint activities together.

Following the neutral venue, the links will visit each others’ schools and take part in Class Visits. This is a wonderful opportunity to see what another school looks like and to let the children show off their environments to each other, as well as visiting areas that they might not normally travel to.

Throughout the programme, prior to and between physical meetings, schools exchange information between the two classes to help prepare for and develop the links. Exchanging information before the neutral venue is essential to preparing the pupils for linking. It gives them the opportunity to learn about their link school, to ask curiosity questions and to build their confidence before they meet.

The Linking Network has put together a series of Family engagement activities to encourage conversations at home about linking as an extension of the learning in the classroom.

Phase 2 of the Linking Programme also contains a series of lessons helping classes to take part in a Social Action project where they identify a cause they feel passionate about and work as a class to carry this out. It could be a school or community litter pick, working with a care home or local nursery or any other cause the class feels strongly about.

Why it’s needed:

It helps to challenge stereotypes and break down barriers between different groups and areas, helping us to celebrate diversity.

It builds connections between communities and people.

It promotes community cohesion and helps to foster tolerance and respect for others, regardless of difference.

It can help to support transition for pupils between primary schools and up into secondary.

Why it works:

The Linking Network has and continues to research and evaluate the impact of Schools Linking. It is deeply rooted in “intergroup contact” and social contact theory.

The Linking Network provides a proven structure to follow throughout the programme, supported by CPD sessions and resources. You are given all the lesson plans, slides and resources you need to deliver Linking to your class.

You are supported throughout the programme by local facilitators who will guide you through the process and are more than happy to help in any way they can.

How it would benefit your school:

Linking provides real opportunities for writing to an audience and about shared experiences.

The programme has many great curriculum links and can be used to enhance what you are already doing alongside working on the four key questions.

The Linking Network website provides all of the resources you will need for the year, and there are also many resources that you can share with the rest of your school.

The parental engagement activities are a wonderful way to encourage participation at home and support important conversations and can be used as homework discussion tools.

Schools Linking widens the experiences of children through meeting new people and exploring the differences and similarities between us, whilst also providing engaging and exciting activities that build team work, conversation skills and empathy for others and the world we live in.

The social action project your classes choose to take on can support your school and help to engage with the wider community.

Schools Linking addresses almost every aspect of the Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development of pupils, as well as promoting fundamental values.

How you can find out more:

Visit The Linking Network website and follow them on social media to see stories of Linking across the country. .

Find your local area coordinator by contacting The Linking Network and discuss the possibility of joining the programme, how it works in your area and what you need to do.