What is The Learning Zone?

Macclesfield Learning Zone is a collaborative partnership between local High Schools, Park Lane Special School and Macclesfield College to transform education and training in Macclesfield and the surrounding area.

At the heart of the Learning Zone is a new, state-of-the-art learning campus at Park Lane. This provides modern, world class education and training facilities for the whole community. The campus is shared by Macclesfield College, The Macclesfield Academy and Park Lane School and provides a seamless, integrated service to all of those who enrol as students.

However, the concept and impact of the Learning Zone extends beyond the boundaries of the new campus. The Learning Zone is a wider community of educational partners and builds upon the existing collaboration between the College and local High Schools. Through the Learning Zone, partners have developed a 14-19 Curriculum Plan for Macclesfield. This sets out all of the educational options and opportunities available to young people in the area. It is supported by much improved information and advice about the alternatives to allow young people and their parents to make informed choices.

The Learning Zone opens up new doors for young people by offering them access to the College’s vocational options, wherever they are based. This might be:

• a greater choice of vocational options at 14 years, as part of the Key Stage 4 curriculum
• vocational activities which extend or enrich their studies

or the opportunity as a sixth former to combine academic and vocational courses – something which prepares young people particularly well for university and future employment.

For adults, the Learning Zone provides high quality, industry standard training facilities, a high class training environment in the Management and Professional Centre, and a clear ladder of progression from introductory courses to Higher Education. For employers, the Learning Zone will enable the College to offer an even more flexible and responsive service, at employers’ own premises or on the new campus, to enable companies and public sector organisations to up-skill or re-skill their workforces.