Community - Community Learning Centre

French, German and Spanish language sessions are offered three times a week at the British Airways Community Learning Centre, to primary and secondary schools from the local community. Sessions aim to improve students' confidence in communicating in a foreign language. A mock aircraft helps to create an authentic training environment.

Language and Cultural weeks are run twice a year combining language learning, music, art and dance. Languages we have previously covered during these weeks include French, German, Spanish, Arabic, Japanese, Chinese and Russian. March 2009 will focus on Polish. The aim is to promote awareness and tolerance of other cultures.

The British Airways Language Flag Award scheme is a vocational oral language test which is available to any school in the UK. The test complements GSCE coursework, promotes confidence in speaking and links languages at school with the world of work.

British Airways Language Flag Award for Schools and Colleges (PDF, 84 KB)

Visit the learning centre for ICT programmes to suit the students' level:

Heritage (Key stage 2)
Discover more information on British Airways past and present using ICT in line with capability.

Around the World (BTEC, key stage 3)
Explore countries and continents and plan a journey to be presented back to peers.

Welcome to the world of ba.com! (IT Diploma)
What is ba.com used for and how does it benefit the business? Look at how this system has influenced BA bookings and prepare a presentation to present back on the day.

Not local to Heathrow?
The British Airways ICT Community Learning Programme enables students to develop their ICT skills whilst exploring the world of BA. Units are linked to the key stages and use factual information based on the world of travel. Available to schools who are not able to visit the Community Learning Centre.

Work can be rewarded with a certificate of achievement on submitting a sample of students work.

Working with the e-skills council we also have sessions linked with CC4G (Computer Club for Girls). Suitable for school group ages 10-14 with an existing or potential club.

If your school is interested in anything above please email the Learning Centre Manager.

The Customer Service Programme is offered to secondary schools in the Heathrow area and is specifically aimed at students at Key stage 4. School groups attending these courses work on their communication skills and learn about the importance of good customer service.

Our global education weeks explore the various cultures of the many countries that we fly to. The primary school children who take part in these weeks engage in a series of practical activities which teach them about some of the social and environmental aspects of the country in focus. The sessions are underpinned by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and UNICEF.

Aimed at helping people in the local area who need support in returning to work. Please note these courses are currently on hold.

Ready Steady Start 1 and 2 are modular programmes and can be run over weeks or days. These take place at our Community Learning Centre and are offered free of charge.

• Ready Steady Start 1 focuses on confidence and assertiveness training, customer service and communication skills.
• Ready Steady Start 2 is for people actively looking for work who need support. The course teaches those who take part how to write a CV, how to write a covering letter, interview techniques and how to prepare for a job interview.

Over 50% of students who have completed the course are now employed in the Heathrow community.

We run a variety of environmental education programmes for primary and secondary schools located in the communities around Heathrow. The learning experiences are often within the rich resource of Harmondsworth Moor, adjacent to the Learning Centre. We also look at wider, topical issues such as recycling, climate change etc, encouraging children and young people to think about human activity and its effects. Educational programmes fully complement the national curriculum, and link with events such as National Tree Week.

Biodiversity at Harmondsworth Moor

Our Learning Centre offers holiday programmes to children from play schemes and groups aged 5+ in the Heathrow area. These range from a flight experience in our mock aircraft cabin to practical sessions in our 240 acre parkland, fun ICT sessions and also global awareness programmes.