Excellence in Cities
Encyclopedia
The Excellence in Cities (EiC) programme was launched by the British Government in March 1999 to raise standards and promote inclusion in inner cities
and other urban area
s, to try to resolve the educational
problems of these inner cities that successive governments have failed to resolve. Initially just based on secondary school
s, the programme was proven to be very successful and quickly expanded to include primary schools and worked closely with the Primary National Strategy
.
The programme has been heavily funded by the government since it was initially launched, with £200 million being spent on it in 2001-02, and an additional £300 million in 2002-03. To date, over 1300 secondary schools and 3600 primary schools in 58 Local Education Authorities
have been involved in the EiC programme. In summer 2001, the percentage point increase in pupils achieving five GCSEs at A*-C in Excellence in Cities schools was almost double that of schools who weren't in the programme.http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/Database/secondary/excellence.html
The programme tackled underachievement in schools, including the development of Learning Mentors, the development of Learning Support Units, provision for Gifted and Talented pupils and the construction of City Learning Centre
s. The programme also ran alongside the Leadership Incentive Grant and the Behaviour Improvement Programme.
Research into the Excellence in Cities (EiC) initiative also found that while it had boosted results in Mathematics
, it had failed to improve performance in English
and Science
of children aged 11 to 14 in Key Stage 3
.
Inner city
The inner city is the central area of a major city or metropolis. In the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland, the term is often applied to the lower-income residential districts in the city centre and nearby areas...
and other urban area
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
s, to try to resolve the educational
Education in England
Education in England is overseen by the Department for Education and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Local authorities take responsibility for implementing policy for public education and state schools at a regional level....
problems of these inner cities that successive governments have failed to resolve. Initially just based on secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
s, the programme was proven to be very successful and quickly expanded to include primary schools and worked closely with the Primary National Strategy
Primary National Strategy
The Primary National Strategy document was launched in the UK in May 2003 by Charles Clarke, the Secretary of State for Education. The then-existing National Numeracy Strategy and National Literacy Strategy were taken under the umbrella of the Primary National Strategy.In October 2006 the...
.
The programme has been heavily funded by the government since it was initially launched, with £200 million being spent on it in 2001-02, and an additional £300 million in 2002-03. To date, over 1300 secondary schools and 3600 primary schools in 58 Local Education Authorities
Local Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
have been involved in the EiC programme. In summer 2001, the percentage point increase in pupils achieving five GCSEs at A*-C in Excellence in Cities schools was almost double that of schools who weren't in the programme.http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/Database/secondary/excellence.html
The programme tackled underachievement in schools, including the development of Learning Mentors, the development of Learning Support Units, provision for Gifted and Talented pupils and the construction of City Learning Centre
City Learning Centre
A City Learning Centre is a facility in the United Kingdom which provides state-of-the-art ICT-based learning opportunities for the pupils at the host school, for pupils at a network of surrounding schools and for the wider community...
s. The programme also ran alongside the Leadership Incentive Grant and the Behaviour Improvement Programme.
Research into the Excellence in Cities (EiC) initiative also found that while it had boosted results in Mathematics
Mathematics education
In contemporary education, mathematics education is the practice of teaching and learning mathematics, along with the associated scholarly research....
, it had failed to improve performance in English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
and Science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
of children aged 11 to 14 in Key Stage 3
Key Stage 3
Key Stage 3 is the legal term for the three years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales normally known as Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9, when pupils are aged between 11 and 14...
.
Growth
The programme started off covering just 25 Local Education Authorities in September 2001, but gradually expanded that to include many more over the following years.- September 1999 (First Phase): Covers Secondary schoolSecondary schoolSecondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
s in 25 Local Education Authorities. - September 2000 (Second Phase): A further 22 areas join, along with Primary school pilots in Phase One areas.
- September 2001 (Third Phase): A further 10 areas to join the programme, meaning it will then cover more than 1000 schools - about a third of all secondary-age pupils in the country.
External links
- http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/sie/eic/
- http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/Database/secondary/excellence.html
- Excellence in Cities annual report