Mother Tongue And Supplementary Schools Partnership

The Mother Tongue & Supplementary Schools Partnership (MTSSP) arose from a 'review of supplementary and mother tongue education in the London Borough of Islington', (Dec. 2001), conducted by the African Schools Association on behalf of the Supplementary Schools Support Service. The report stated that the ' education department benefits from an active, enthusiastic, diverse and well-established body of supplementary and mother tongue providers'. A key strength of our sector is the strong community base in which our organisations reside. However, the review revealed the need for support and development of ' specific quality assurance systems, training, funding of MTSSP providers and the development of more formal links with the statutory sector'. The positive response to the review led to the decision to develop a more formal structure. Since then we have adopted a constitution, with clear objects and have a management committee. In terms of achievement, the MTSSP partnership is on the cusp of realising one of our objectives, namely that of establishing formal links with the mainstream school sector. We continue to receive great support from London Borough of Islington.