A Place for Learning: towards a new localism in education and learning?

Tuesday 11th October 2016

Tony Breslin’s latest report, A Place for Learning, published by the RSA on October 4th and described as a “brilliant and inspiring read” by RSA Chair Vikki Heywood CBE, outlines how we need to place learning “at the heart of citizenship, civic identity and community life”.

Built around Breslin’s fictional creation of the city of Kensalfield and local education superheroes Mike Barter, Kensalfield’s retiring Director of Education, and Essi Spanier, its newly elected city mayor, Essi Spanier, and Mike’s memo to Essi, it sets out what a city (or county, town or borough) of learning might look like. You can even follow Mike Barter on twitter @place4learning.

Since the paper’s launch on October 4th, the RSA has confirmed that the UK’s first City of Learning will be launched during 2017. Tony Breslin commented:

“Everybody at Breslin Public Policy and the RSA is thrilled with the reaction to A Place for Learning and the news that the City of Learning movement, so successful in the US in recent years, is now – under the auspices of the expert team at the RSA – set to come to the UK.

At Breslin and at the RSA we’re keen to hear from civic, civil society, education and business leaders – and social entrepreneurs, professionals and community activists – who might be interested in developing the kind of culture set out in A Place for Learning in cities, towns and communities across the UK?”