The basic rationale for the event was that despite the continual focus on narrow forms of school improvement, school effects are only 8-15% of educational attainment . Previously area based initiatives were used to reduce community and structural causes of inequality, engage with the other 85% of factors, but in an austerity context there is not the will nor the money for such projects, which have mixed results anyway. What then is to be done?

We are interested in ‘community up’ approaches and the relationship with education. An example, is re:dish (http://re-dish.org) that has developed a food bank, credit union, time bank, befriending scheme andgardening etc through good old fashioned community organising. What happens when such an approach is wrapped around a school or cluster of schools? Is thi the sort of practicable approach approach that can impact on the other 85% of non-school effects? Can such an argument attract engagement fromschools and communities?