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
|
|
