Memorandum submitted by Elizabeth Phillips, Head Teacher Retired, Downhill Infant and Nursery School, South Shields, Tyne and Wear (closed August 2006)

 

Downhill was a school situated in the town of South Shields in a Ward suffering from a range of social problems that are typical of South Tyneside and facing significant deprivation. Male unemployment is very high. The area has the highest percentage death by heart disease in England. The staying on rate for sixteen year olds in further education is very low and the incidents of teenage pregnancy very high. The school became part of a Borough wide regeneration programme and closed in 2006. Our Creative Partnerships became an integral part of an extensive change management programme aimed at engaging children in a meaningful way. This was a holistic approach to learning as a whole community activity. It was a bottom up sustainable change process that was successfully driving cultural, environmental, economic and social regeneration

 

Downhill was accepted into the Creative Partnership programme in 2004. We were proud to be a Creative Partnership school where learning was about doing, feeling and being but most of all it was about believing you can. We had a belief that our children could fly. Creative Partnerships was our School Improvement strategy and engaged us all in a community learning programme that lifted the whole school profile and significantly raised standards. Staff took the opportunity, provided by the Creative Partnership programme, to work with a range of partners to extend and develop their own expertise. They had the time to reflect on the process of learning and all that informed their own pedagogy. Downhill was a school that achieved at the nationally expected level in spite of significant challenges. That achievement was made possible by the embedding of a creative curriculum rooted in the Every Child Matters framework that encouraged happy healthy children to be aware of their individual rights and responsibilities as citizens.

 

 

 

 

 

1

How should we define creativity in the context of education and child care?

 

At Downhill School we defined creativity as the energy of learning. Learning was not just about knowing things. Learning was also about knowing what you couldn't do yet and what you might be able to do tomorrow. Learning was about how to use the things that you did know. Schools need to be places that develop a resilience and stamina for learning. That means that we get it wrong some times but we all become better at learning if we can talk about what went wrong and what the next steps should be. Schools can be places that develop their whole community - pupils, staff, governors and parents - as positive creative thinkers and learners who view change and challenge proactively on a daily basis.

 

In a creative setting schools can be

v A challenging place where children were encouraged to be physically active.

v A safe place where children were allowed to take appropriate risks in all weathers.

v A balanced place where healthy life style options were considered.

v A sensory rich place where experiential learning was promoted.

v A calm place where emotional needs were nurtured.

v A shared place where children had the confidence to make choices and develop as responsible co-operative citizens.

v A stimulating place where discussion was developed and individual views valued.

v A beautiful place where the awe and wonder of childhood was celebrated.

v A growing place that encourages and inspires a whole community to take charge of its own future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


2

What effect have existing creative initiatives had on teachers' skills and ability to work with creative professional in the classroom?

Within the Creative Partnership Programme staff have taken advantage of the excellent opportunities to work in partnership with a range of other professionals and so extend and develop own expertise. They have also taken advantage of having space and time to reflect on the process of learning and all that informs their own pedagogy. It has given staff and professional partners a forum for dialogue to professionally discuss learning. The positive experience of this form of professional development was reflected in the successful and sustainable relationships formed between the professional partners. Each partner - teacher and artist - gained from the process and was able to develop their own practise.

 

 

3

What are the implications of a curriculum shift in favour of creativity for the training of heads, teachers and cultural animators?

 

The creative learning process needs to be owned by the school. Each school has different needs and challenges. The current perceived climate of "a one size fits all" approach can contribute a climate of apprehension. Learning can be seen as a linear process that should follow national guidelines in an inflexible way. Professionals need to be accountable but they also need to be trusted to create and develop a school culture that forms a stepping stone pathway to success for their setting. Professional training is then seen as an investment rather than a directive.

 

At Downhill School Creative Partnerships became a central part of the school culture and was woven into a whole school approach that focused on delivering the core values of Every Child Matters. As such it became an empowering strategy that raised the aspirations and achievement of the whole school community and so directly impacted on standards.

 

Developing a networked learning approach was seen as a key priority. Staff agreed that children needed to have a seamless experience of learning that incrementally built on prior learning. Children needed to be ready and focused for learning. For example as part of the creative approach we had introduced dance and drama professionals to work alongside staff in workshop sessions and so develop story telling and performance with children. We wanted an integrated approach that promoted speaking and listening, reading and writing as a whole process. This was an outstandingly successful strategy and so dance drama has become central to the literacy provision and a major part of our core curriculum.

 

 

 

4

How might parents and education and care providers be persuaded to encourage creativity in the home?

 

Creative Partnerships was an integral part of our Extended School Provision which was not seen as a quick win initiative but is part of an inclusive bottom up change process that drives community regeneration. The performances that the children gave and the Open Day learning sessions were excellent "hooks" to begin to engage parents and the wider community.

 

 

Parents were eager to find out about some of the exciting learning opportunities the children were talking about when they came out of school. The learning conversations children were having with each other encouraged parents to think about the learning process. Parents were an important part of this informed discussion and so become powerful partners in the learning process

 

The school used a creative thinking process to work to engage even the most hard to reach parents. A community learning programme was devised with the help of a parent group and put in place under the leadership of a dedicated co-ordinator. This formed part of a platform of strategies that has lifted the school profile and so significantly raised standards. The opportunity to be successful learners has encouraged the whole school community to raise their aspirations. The extended school agenda was at work here. Children and their families, staff and governors were all part of this partnership approach which encouraged and motivated everyone to be involved. Family learning, adult learning and nurtured learning were all part of a co-ordinated approach to empower a whole school community. Parents and carers were part of a learning strategy that began with the achievement of the Basic Skills Quality Mark and developed into a unique whole community approach.

 


5

What special contribution do the arts have to make to creative education?

Creativity is fundamental to all learning. It enables us all to make connections between one area of learning and another and so extend understanding. A full and inclusive arts programme directly links to a deeper understanding of maths and science. It helps to build up a range of people schools and develops communication strategies. Experience of the arts stimulates the senses and engages the whole brain in the creative learning process.

 

 

 

 

 


6

To what degree should creative education be structured to accommodate the needs of creative industries?

 

The experience of successful creative learning builds learning capacity and stamina and develops a positive self esteem. Children and Young People can use a positive approach to apply their knowledge and understanding to a range of real life problems and challenges. Creative thinking becomes the natural problem solving tool. Many of these young people will be employed in the creative industries but their skills and understanding will be needed across the whole life experience as partners, parents and effective contributing citizens.

 

 


7

What evidence is there that a creative curriculum assists achievement in other areas?

 

Downhill School was situated in the urban conurbation of South Tyneside in a ward that was one of seventeen in the borough recognised as having significant deprivation. Male unemployment levels were high as were critical illness rates. Crucially the staying on rate for sixteen year olds in further education is very low and the incidents of teenage pregnancy very high. The experience of a creative curriculum engaged the whole community. The Performance Arts programme impressed and amazed audiences.

 

 

"The most mesmerising performance I will ever be fortunate to see ..................to see your child express the beauty of their heritage ........... and a true belief in them selves ..............is amazing and inspiring."

Parent

 

 

"Parents, carers, siblings, grandparents, extended family and friends in the community working together with creative teachers to promote education , empowering parents and carers and giving our children confidence to have a voice."

Parent

 

"What a wonderful entertainment and learning experience. Congratulations to all involved. I can honestly say it was the most original, daring and exciting production performed by infants that I have ever seen - and I've seen a few in my 30+ years as drama teacher and later programme leader for Performance Arts Studies at University of Sunderland. I was so impressed by the children's level of concentration and the way that they were living the parts. Truly remarkable. Something both children and parents will treasure for a long time and the foundation for so much more in the future. All the children were stars and how they shone."

Colleague

 

Children and their parents began to have aspirations. This positive approach to the value of learning was new and engaging and directly linked to a rise in standards. This was an inclusive setting where all children were involved and valued. Individual progress was tracked and celebrated. School achievements were shared and were a source of pride for the whole team and wider community. There was a real "buzz" about the school.

 

"You can't be late for Downhill. You never know what you might be missing!"

Pupil

 


8

What is the impact of a creative curriculum on a) pupil confidence, motivation, behaviour and team work,

 

A creative curriculum encouraged children to care for themselves and meet their own needs in school. They asked for help when they need it and they offered help to their friends. They formed positive relationships with their peers and with a range of familiar adults. They initiated conversations and use talk to share their ideas and their concerns which contributed to a developing awareness of their individual rights and responsibilities. They began to make informed choices. They were proud of their own, their friends and whole school achievements and they enjoyed being able to share in the celebration of achievement. Creativity within the team led to the provision of a multi-sensory space developed by support staff where the vocabulary of emotions could be described and explored and where the pupil voice gained further confidence to express itself.

 

 

"Our Year 2s are fab. I enjoyed that!"

Year One Pupil after a performance

 

"I know what a buddy is but I don't know what a bully is."

Reception Child during a council meeting

 

"Can we do that all again? I loved it. Dancing makes me feel nine feet high!"

Pupil - after a performance.

 

"It was an inspiration to see children perform as they had never done before. They could project themselves with new found confidence. Their self expression gave them a voice. There children were animated and their eyes shone."

School Governor

 

 

b) literacy, numeracy, ICT and communication skills?

 

Learning in a creative way was the core activity of the school. This new learning agenda was openly shared. Everyone had an opinion and that opinion counted. Every opportunity was used to give children new experiences which would widen their view if the world. A creative citizenship programme involved children in talking about responses and the importance body language. Opportunities to make a contribution were built in to all lessons. Fairness and democracy were explored. School displayed were used a key communication point. The school newspaper shared current topics with a wider audience. The development of core skills underpinned the success of this programme.

The Dance Drama Programme involved the whole school in a practical approach to story telling. Children who previously had limited expressive language were now bursting to tell their tales. They worked with an artist to be part of the planning and setting up of fun role-play areas that were full of props. Writing became an ideas rich fun activity. They worked with a drama specialist who developed their voice resonance and body language which made the stories they told more audience focused. They rehearsal and practise aspects of the practical sessions were linked to other aspects of the curriculum. Children began to realise that is wasn't necessarily about being "clever" but more about thinking and focus and making connections. The school was providing a dangerously safe learning environment where individuals are nurtured by the relationships they formed with peers and adults. This was an environment where mistakes were viewed as essential parts learning and that the learning journey was full of exciting possibilities. It created a whole school culture that encouraged everyone to use initiative and to take risks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Music became an integral part of the learning programme e.g. promoting recall, making new learning more accessible and linking routines. Key mathematical knowledge e.g. number bonds and tables, was introduced with rhyme and song to support memory retention. A well developed sense of beat was used to support word level and sentence level work e.g. syllables and punctuation.

 

"Do I do that on the first set of eight or the third set of eight?"

Pupil asking a dance professional to clarify a move. This was a shy boy who thought he was no good at maths.

 

9

How can creative achievement among young people be acknowledged and assessed?

 

There is already a huge array of measuring mechanisms well established within all schools. Achievement is well documented and analysed. Creative learning within a creative curriculum will enhance this achievement and be apparent in the data already collected. In the context of creative thinking learning becomes a personal journey. Personalised learning is about investment and the progress individuals make. This does not need to be tested but it needs to be observed and recognised by individuals themselves. No-one has told the children at Downhill that learning was disciplined and difficult. It was not about hoops and hurdles process but it was a learning journey full of fun and challenges. The children themselves were the best advocates of the success of the programme. Each could make a personal statement of the progress that had been made, what had been achieved and where improvement was needed. There were targets to meet and standards to achieve but more importantly the personal ipsitive assessment strategies supported children in a cycle of self improvement.

 

The school actively sort accreditation through the achievement of a range of national award schemes e.g. IIP, Arts Mark, Active Mark, Eco Green Flag.

 

 

10

How can creativity be embedded across the curriculum and within the philosophy of schools?

 

Effective learning is all about effective leadership. The curriculum adopted by any school should be in place to enhance the life chances for the children and young people in their care. If schools are to release the potential of the community they serve then the curriculum design has to meet the needs identified. Leadership Teams must use all their expertise to design such a learning programme. School Leaders need to be confident to use national strategies together with local innovation to present an appropriate curriculum that engages the pupil population. Leadership should be about making sure that everyone has an understanding of the vision of the school, that they can see the big picture and where they fit into that vision. Inspirational leadership is about making sure that the organisation's Mission Statement becomes a reality. Effective leadership is informed by the pupil voice and has the confidence to let go at times. Parents, professionals and staff are powerful partners in the learning process. The key factors for success are positive relationships, a stimulating environment and consistently high aspirations. This is not a linear process but is based on a distributed leadership model that invests in space, time and energy and is inspired by the creative process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


11

How can creativity in schools best be linked to the real work (world?)of work and leisure?

 

Creative learning is about real life experiences. Being part of the Creative Partnership network enabled the Downhill School community to have a positive belief in itself and the future. This embedded a can-do approach that sustained the wider vision. It encouraged everyone to have high expectations of the regeneration agenda and the difference it could make. The community developed a positive view of change that raised aspirations. The young people themselves developed learning stamina. They made connections between different areas of learning. They saw each new experience as a new opportunity. They learned from the full range of adults with whom they had contact. They were developing as contributing citizens who could make informed choices. Learning was not just about knowing things it was about knowing how to learn and building learning capacity that would sustain them in a world that was constantly changing.

 

 

 

 

 

July 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DOWNHILL ACHIEVEMENTS

Arts Mark Gold

Active Mark

Leading Aspects Award x 5

Basic Skills Quality Mark II

Investors in People Award

Outstanding Practice IIP

School Excellence Award x 3

Education Business Partnership Links Quality Award

National Healthy School Standard

Healthy School Award

Healthy Teeth Award

Tomorrows History Project

FEAST Award

Water is Cool

Peoples Places Award

Awards for All Grant

Out of School Club

Community Toy Library

Eco School Green Flag

Newcastle Chronicle Gold Award

Creative Partnerships School

Newcastle Journal Christmas DVD

Impetus Citizenship Award

Aiming High OSC accreditation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DOWNHILL ACHIEVEMENTS

Arts Mark Gold

Active Mark

Leading Aspects Award x 5

Basic Skills Quality Mark II

Investors in People Award

Outstanding Practice IIP

School Excellence Award x 3

Education Business Partnership Links Quality Award

National Healthy School Standard

Healthy School Award

Healthy Teeth Award

Tomorrows History Project

FEAST Award

Water is Cool

Peoples Places Award

Awards for All Grant

Out of School Club

Community Toy Library

Eco School Green Flag

Newcastle Chronicle Gold Award

Creative Partnerships School

Newcastle Journal Christmas DVD

Impetus Citizenship Award

Aiming High OSC accreditation