LinkedUp Award Scheme
Collaboration for creative learning
Project basics
What is a LinkedUp Project?
A LinkedUp project is a group of language teachers working together, often with other partners, to develop an innovative approach to language learning that will benefit their own learners and also help other teachers to develop their practice.
The award scheme is designed to encourage a range of different sizes and styles of project, but all have some common features. A LinkedUp project is:
- collaborative: all partners benefit from mutual support and ideas sharing
- formative: it is a process of professional learning for all partners
- focused: all partners share an agreed set of goals based on an analysis of learners’ needs
- creative: partners develop new ideas and approaches
- evaluative: throughout the project, partners reflect on their progress, particularly their impact on pupils’ learning, to inform what they do next
- capacity-building: partners consider carefully how they can sustain the outcomes for learners after the project ends, and how other teachers can benefit from their work.
What types of project can receive awards?
In order to encourage a rich and diverse range of projects, LinkedUp has identified four broad project ‘types’. In practice, there will be many variations in the make-up of each partnership, the number of partners, the scope and scale of activities and the respective roles of the participating organisations.
Partnerships coordinated by a school or 16-19 college
In this model, primary, secondary, special schools or 16-19 colleges which have recognised good practice submit an application to work with a group of up to 5 other schools, colleges, and/or other organisations. This approach allows projects to be firmly embedded in classroom realities, to build on previous collaborative work and to draw creatively on each partners’ strengths and enthusiasms to address identified needs. We expect the majority of applications to be of this type, and projects are encouraged to work closely with their local authority and, depending on their sector, other local networks.
Partnerships led or supported by a local authority, initial teacher training provider or university languages department
We hope that a good number of partnerships will be led or supported by a local authority or university. Projects following this model can build on existing networks and initiatives and benefit from a wealth of expertise. If desired, universities can adopt an action research approach with the possibility of associating the project with accreditation.
Partnerships led or supported by an organisation other than a school, college or university
Other organisations, businesses, charities or agencies may lead or participate in a project that has a focus that relates to their particular expertise. By involving partners with different (and perhaps unusual) expertise and experience, this approach extends the possibilities for developing new and creative ideas. If acting as the Lead Institution, an organisation would need to have prior experience of working with schools and/or colleges.
‘High risk, high return’ projects
There is a limited amount of funding to support more ambitious and experimental projects, working with schools or colleges on a larger scale to develop an innovative aspect of language learning. They would receive a higher level of funding and some extra support to monitor progress. We hope to receive proposals from local authorities and other organisations who wish to kick-start a fresh approach, or to test a more radical model of learning such as intensive learning, CLIL, mixed age learning or the innovative use of new technologies. Please note that only a small number of larger-scale projects can be funded in each region and we would advise you to contact us if you are considering this option.
Special requirements in relation to participating secondary schools
Please note that there are important requirements that apply to all projects which include two or more secondary schools:
- If the project involves more than two secondary schools, one of the schools must have fewer than 50% of pupils learning languages in Key Stage 4, and another school should have fewer than 25% of pupils learning languages in Key Stage 4.
- If the project involves two secondary schools, one of the schools must have fewer than 25% of pupils learning languages in Key Stage 4.
If there are serious obstacles to meeting these criteria, please discuss them with us on linkedup@all-languages.org.uk before submitting your application.
If participating schools or colleges are involved in the Links into Languages ‘Narrowing the Gap’ programme, before submitting the application the lead institution should contact the LinkedUp team to discuss how the two initiatives will complement each other.
