About the Citizen Schools Alliance

Key Aims

The Citizen Schools Alliance addresses the challenges facing London’s schools by enabling teachers, parents and young people to work collaboratively for change and the common good as active and responsible citizens. It has 3 core aims:

1. Transform the culture of schools by building and developing trust and active governance between all adults and students - working through the curriculum, whole-school culture and community of the school.

2. Engage with key community issues that affect what goes on in the classroom (for example living conditions, environmental conditions, safety, recognition and stereotyping).

3. Train and support school members (teachers, senior staff, students and parents/carers) to take action together for change, in order to achieve goals 1 and 2.

How We Work

Citizen Schools Alliance member schools work to develop a relational culture, a culture based on interpersonal trust, and a community of learners. London Citizens borough organisers, together with Citizen Schools organisers, work closely with all members of the school in order to develop relational cohesion and a culture of partnership for change.

London CITIZENS’ member schools identify the issues that affect the well-being of young people inside and outside the school. 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, Citizen Schools Alliance also builds networks within and between school institutions and constituencies 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.

The Citizen Schools Alliance 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.