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• mylearning_org: Howard Carter, finder of Tutankhamun's tomb remembered in today's GoogleDoodle - what kind of treasures did he find? http://t.co/yyaEtOMm
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MAGPIE

Museums and Galleries Partnerships in Education (MAGPIE).
Museums and galleries are inspiring places that support pupil’s literacy and help raise attainment in writing. Recent research has proven that a partnership between Manchester Children’s Services, Manchester schools and five museums and galleries achieved on average an increase in pupil attainment in writing that was 35% greater than nationally set expectations for progress, that pupils involved in museum and gallery literacy activities have:
• Enhanced their writing through firsthand experience and language development
• Improved their speaking and listening skills, leading to improved writing
• Written at a greater length and with greater enjoyment.

In 2008/9 MAGPIE expanded by involving all primary year groups, Early Years, Family learning, Networks of schools and ITE in projects that explored the MAGPIE approach further:

• Developing partnerships and communication between museums/galleries and teachers
• Classroom teachers i.e. Lead Teachers, supporting other teachers and trainees
• Incorporating creative approaches for all learning styles
• Integrating sessions at the museums and galleries fully into programmes of study
• Developing teachers skills and confidence to deliver their own museum and gallery sessions
• Raising attainment in literacy by providing valuable learning opportunities.

Organisations involved in MAGPIE include:
Manchester Art Gallery
People's History Museum 
Whitworth Art Gallery
Manchester Museum
Museum of Science and Industry

In 2009/10 the aim is to begin to embed this approach by working with specific schools to create structures to sustain good practice in museum and gallery teaching and learning. These will then become beacon schools who can act as advocates, models and support for other schools in their districts. The partnership will widen to include other Manchester cultural venues. Dissemination and communication will be a high priority through the development of website resources, sharing events and  participation in conferences.