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Royal Berkshire Archives

Learning Policy

Issued May 2010

Revised December 2015, confirmed January 2023

1 Scope

This policy describes how learning is an integral part of services offered by the Royal Berkshire Archives.

2 Governing standards

Learning will be available to all members of the community, without discrimination.

The Royal Berkshire Archives will meet its obligations regarding service provision under the following general statutes:

• Sex Discrimination Act 1975
• Race Relations Act 1976
• Disability Discrimination Act 1995
• Equality Act 2010

In addition the Royal Berkshire Archives will seek to implement best practice guidance for developing learning. This will include guidance from The National Archives, the Archives and Records Association, and other recognised national bodies.

3 Our learning vision

3.1 The Royal Berkshire Archives seeks to provide learning opportunities for all members of the community. These opportunities will be provided through direct experience of our archive collections.

3.2 Learning will be embedded in the activities and services which we provide through our access and outreach work. These activities and services will seek to offer learning in at least one of the following generic outcomes:

• Knowledge and understanding
• Skills
• Attitudes and values
• Enjoyment, exploration and creativity
• Behaviour and progress

3.3 We will seek to encourage self-directed learning as well as initiating learning ourselves.

4 Self-directed learning

4.1 The Royal Berkshire Archives will provide support for self-directed or informal learning. Support will include advice and information for learners and space to undertake learning, as well as the learning resource of the archive collections themselves.

 4.2 Support for self-directed learning will be sustainable, and form part of the customer services provided for those undertaking research.

5 Initiated learning

5.1 The Royal Berkshire Archives will seek to incorporate a learning element into any activities it provides for public engagement or to raise awareness of its services.

5.2 The Archives will seek to work in partnership with other agencies to deliver learning activities. This includes with libraries, museums and local societies.

6 Planning and evaluation

6.1 The Royal Berkshire Archives will include learning outcomes as part of its annual business plan. It will also include a learning element in any projects which it undertakes.

6.2 The learning experience offered by the Archives will be evaluated, and equality impact monitored through usage statistics, user surveys undertaken by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), and customer feedback.

Usage statistics will be collected monthly. The CIPFA visitor survey and distance survey alternate year on year and feedback will be collected daily during the survey period. All will be documented in the Archives’ annual report.