Memorandum submitted by Castle School, Walsall

A. Leadership, Management and Ethos

Castle School applied and was accepted in Phase 1 of the Creative Partnership initiative in 2002. Creative Partnerships (CP) is now totally embedded in the ethos and management of Castle School. The governors are committed to the continuation of the development of a creative curriculum and this is planned for by its inclusion in the School Improvement Plan and through all sections of finance. Directed time is given to training in creative approaches. The CP Co-ordinator is a member of the Senior Management Team and regularly liaises with all staff and reports to governors. Curriculum co-ordinators plan for creativity and include the development of creative approaches in their subject development plans. As part of its role as a community special school and a centre of excellence, Castle School develops creative approaches as part of its Outreach work and Inclusive practice in mainstream schools.

Creative Partnerships has been very effective at raising the confidence and self esteem of pupils by offering opportunities to participate in a wide range of projects. These have allowed pupils to have new experiences, to learn new skills, to build relationships with artworkers and to have had their curriculum presented in a more exciting and interesting way. Staff report improved listening skills, greater attention spans and improved behaviour of pupils bordering on disaffection. CP activities have improved pupils' ability to be part of an audience; they can concentrate for longer periods, show improved listening skills and are better able to follow a storyline.

Creative Partnerships has been effective in supporting and expanding staff ideas and practice. Staff have been introduced to creative possibilities and have increasingly been able to experiment and collaborate with artists to generate their own initiatives, (e.g. Drumlove/Forensic Day/Maths projects etc).

Linking up with CP has helped develop the school's ethos, visitors say there is a real buzz when they come in the school. It has helped create the direction for the school by giving opportunities for action research and a re-evaluation of how staff deliver their subjects, especially those not involved in what are traditionally considered creative subjects.

Castle School is a community special school, a centre of excellence with links in the community. The links with local primary and secondary mainstream schools are a progression of this. Ofsted stated 'The school never looks at itself in isolation. It has forged extensive and excellent links with parents, the community and with other schools and agencies. Pupils benefit greatly from these links. Most have opportunities to join in with activities in mainstream schools and older pupils are able to gain experiences in the workplace and in helping other people and contributing to the locality'.

There is now a very clear vision of the future of creativity in Castle School. Governors, Management and Leadership Team, staff, pupils and parents are united in their commitment to creativity helped by the funding and encouragement of Creative Partnerships.

Castle School feels the projects offer a good common denominator for a school that contains pupils of varying backgrounds. The recent Ofsted stated, 'This is a delightful and very effective school. It is very close to achieving the excellence its leaders, managers and staff seek.' 'The dedication of all staff has generated an exceptionally strong ethos in which pupils thrive.'

Parental feedback has been enthusiastic about shared involvement, 'We made different pictures. It was fun'. 'Mom thought it was a very clever idea. It's cool Jim'. (Responses from parent/carer questionnaire for Artworks.)

 

B. Teaching and Learning

It is noticeable that pupils have shown an increasing readiness to take part and give new activities a try showing they can absorb what they have experienced by asking intelligent questions. Castle School feels that the involvement with Creative Partnerships is helping our pupils' motivation, improving their skills for learning and co-operation. The school has set up initiatives supporting the schools links with home. The Drumlove project has shown improved attendance & motivation in many pupils as well as helping us establish links with other schools and within the community that we feel benefit our pupils by making them less isolated. It has been noticed that several pupils bordering on disaffection have benefited from links with these projects. The pupils also gain in the social skills required from working with a wide range of art workers and developing positive creative friendships people with a wide range of interests. Working with a range of creative individuals and organisations has raised awareness for staff and pupils of the creative industries.

Creative Partnerships has helped us focus on creative teaching and learning through a whole school inset day on creativity giving staff the opportunity to consider creativity and identify ideas within their own subject areas. Drama input into the forensic science day project, literacy and ICT input within the animation project and the maths Artgames initiatives involving shape and space have all tried to develop new ways of presenting the curriculum. The school has had visiting authors helping students create poems, articles and interviews which now form a publication.

CP has supported staff desires to experiment and in some instances given the licence, confidence and ability to experiment. Collaborating with creatives/artists has extended thinking. In the case of joint planning both creatives and staff are able to challenge and refine ideas and practice.

Encouraging students in the role as 'expert drummer' (Drumlove project) and researchers (Inclusive Playground Project) has and will enable staff and students to experiment with teaching and learning styles.

Regular contact with contemporary arts practitioners has bought about a change within the school. Pupils are more ready to get involved with projects and to connect with a range of people and activities. We see growing confidence and greater self-esteem as the result of a climate of success and achievement. Castle School now sees creativity as at the heart of learning. There is also increased transference of skills into other subject areas through cross curricula, cross pollination and cross phase links. More initiatives are now coming from the staff themselves, in many cases the germ of an idea that CP can help sharpen and realise. Ofsted stated '... the Creative Partnership initiative .....has a significant impact on the academic and personal development of all pupils. The overall provision for creative and arts education - including extra-curricular activities - is excellent...'

 

C. How the School Environment Reflects the Creative work in the School.

· Displays have been created to show the work created around the school. Greek plates created for History, fabric work and clay masks created in art are amongst the CP work that now form an important part of our environment reminding pupils of the standards that they are capable of and making the school look as if it is buzzing with creativity.

· The readiness of the school to suspend normal timetable to maximise the impact of full day initiatives, reflects and stimulates creative work within the school.

· Creative ideas happen more often e.g. Primary Library, making staff think of creative ideas with success building on success and people bubbling with creative energy.

· Pupils are better in the roles as an audience and as performers - our success was often measured in pupils' ability to sit through a long performance as well as their increasing willingness to take part in a range of creative activities and to perform in front of others. Initially staff were sceptical about student's ability to sit through an hour long performance. It is felt that this reflects a shift in staff attitudes towards their pupils.

· CP has given us help to build on things that we can't get funding for anymore - i.e. to extend existing successful projects.

It is now a richer place where music is played, in the hall during the day and in assembly creating a calm ambience and, in classes, fragrances are used to enhance the atmosphere. It is a more exciting place to work in because we have a wide range of interesting people from different backgrounds producing lively experiences. The school has tried to create special spaces like the African drum room. CP has created opportunities, resources, challenges and excitement for all involved. Walking around the school will show evidence of work created by CP projects, use of the CP logo and displays telling of our involvement with CP. Ofsted noted, about pupil attitudes, 'their exuberance and delight when participating in the drum orchestra typify their response to the school's interesting and imaginative curriculum'

 

D. Community Involvement

The Artgames project involved the devising of games that could be played at home and resulted in excellent feedback from parents. Parents have been informed of projects though newsletters and newspapers and also attended performances that involved CP input at school and other community venues like old peoples' homes, Bescott Stadium and other schools. Work put on the school website enables the sharing of work, which is, in turn, used as an exemplar for other schools via Walsall Grid for Learning and WMnet. 'CD in a day' and DJ projects involved taking CDs of pupils' work home to play and enjoy with the families. Inclusive partnerships have been initiated and extended

Castle School is starting to build links with other schools through working parties, the inclusive partnerships project with Walsall Wood School, and the school drum orchestra with Blue Coat School and Stoke on Trent school. Animation links with Southall School, Shrewsbury and with Elmore Green School. Joint planning between staff from the schools builds on Castle Primary department's existing excellent practice. Castle is also a partner school with Blue Coat in a range of performing arts projects.

E. Conclusion

Castle School was delighted to be chosen to be involved with the initial phase of the Creative Partnerships initiative and with this review we can look back on an exciting journey that has brought creativity to the fore in both teaching and learning within the school. It has given staff opportunities for research and staff development and permission to be innovative and creative in their teaching. This has consolidated whole school involvement and staff ownership of initiatives, (joint planning and devising of projects between staff and creatives). They are driving forward their own initiatives in a variety of long and short term creative engagements and then sharing their ideas and growing expertise with other schools. The significant value we feel CP brings to our young children has been validated by research and was recognised by the favourable comments gathered by Ofsted.

 

July 2007