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Memorandum submitted by Richard Arkwright, St Anns Community Orchard project, Nottingham
1) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
What follows is: · Background to Richard Arkwright and St Anns Community Orchard project · History of involvement of Creative Partnerships (CP) in project · Impact of CP on project · Response to individual questions
2) Key points: - that creativity is primarily about giving space - that the outdoors provides a particularly valuable creative learning space - that a creative curriculum emphasises empowerment and adventure - that young people need real tangible learning experiences as well as imaginary worlds to explore - that creative learning is about excitement, inspiration and fun - that the best teachers are those who are actively learning and actively creative
3) BACKGROUND
I have been Co-ordinator of the St Anns Community Orchard since its inception in September 2001. The Community Orchard is on the St Anns allotments, the oldest and largest allotment site in the world, an oasis of wildness and community food-production in the heart of St Anns, Nottingham, one of the most deprived inner-city communities in the country, with an unfortunate reputation for drugs and gun-crime.
4) The Orchard was originally planned as a simple means of involving the community in the clearing, planting and use of overgrown allotments. My previous experience was in developing community and environmental education projects in a variety of settings; these include being a secondary school teacher (English and Drama) alongside work with the Peak District National Park, Groundwork Greater Nottingham, Nottingham Museums Service and as educational consultant to a wide range of other organisations. This past experience has led to the development and expansion of the project as a genuine educational resource for the whole community.
5) Now covering 13 plots, including a variety of traditional shelters, ponds, a stream, a forest garden, a traditional food-growing area and a huge diversity of magical nooks and crannies, the Orchard is intended primarily as, simply, a space: a space for play, learning, exploration and discovery, community, food production, wildlife and fun. Above all, it is a space for childhood, where children can escape from or integrate the pressures of everyday inner-city life to come into immediate relationship with themselves, each other and the natural environment.
6) The Community Orchard is run as a social enterprise and is managed by STAA, a voluntary organisation of gardeners dedicated to conserving and enhancing community involvement in the site as a whole. It is dependent on external funding, whether that be from schools or other organisations paying directly for services or by applying for grants so that services may be offered free to the community. Originally a one-day pw post, I now work 4 days pw and my colleague Rachel Brooke works 3.5 days. The approximate cost of the project as a whole is at present £60,000 pa.
7) INVOLVEMENT OF CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS
CP first became involved in the Community Orchard in 2003, when the site was used as a venue for creative arts workshops led by a local environmental artist who was working on a project with nearby St Anns Wells Infants School. In January 2004, the school withdrew from the CP programme as a Core School but CP Nottm was keen for work with the Orchard to continue and funded one day a week of my time up til July 04 to develop creative learning within the Speaking, Listening and Writing Theme Group with the school as a key partner. This continued throughout the academic year 2004-05, with a broader remit to develop the creative core of the Orchard's work with the whole family of schools (based around the local EAZ). In this work, I was recognised as a creative practitioner in my own right, although there was also a budget to bring in additional creative practitioners.
8) In September 2007, the Orchard entered into a Creative and Cultural Partnership with two other local schools, Walter Halls Primary and Elliott Durham Comprehensive. The focus of this work was - simply enough - to continue to build effective creative partnerships with the schools and with the teachers themselves as creative practitioners. This partnership will continue until July 2008, with a particular focus on developing social and emotional approaches to learning.
9) IMPACT OF CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WORK
All this work has been undertaken as Action Research, using a Plan - Do - Review model. Indeed, action, research, being creative, in partnership, have all become the cornerstones of the project. Young people have been key partners, as have teaching staff and other creative practitioners. The work with CP has established a strong foundation of positive, innovative and reflective practice which has developed confidence and effectiveness throughout the organisation. It has enabled us to do what we wanted to do anyway but didn't think we could, either through lack of confidence or resources or people willing to try it out with us.
10) A key element to this has been Time and Space. Most of our funding is delivery-focused; it's about numbers and outputs, without really giving us the space to develop the qualitative creative work that will ultimately give the best results. CP has been very different, and it took me a while to understand this: that they wanted me to think, reflect, be bold, ambitious, try stuff out. That they expressly didn't want "the same old thing".
11) The impact on the Orchard has been immense: we have been encouraged to think of ourselves as artists, to reclaim previous talents and ideas that seemed to have withered on the vine, to meet with fellow artists as equals ready to do creative work. There is a lightness and excitement to the project; its potential is unlimited. There we are in the heart of our community doing wild and exciting things, and this in turn inspires those who come to the Orchard to express their own creativity. It is primarily about inspiration - we follow our inspiration, which in turn inspires others - and what we do is actually less important than this flow of inspiration, excitement and possibility. And the fact that we do all this within a tight budget in a deprived community ensures that all this is thoroughly grounded in the "real world".
12) Of course, it has also had a huge impact on what we do. The range of programmes and creative possibilities that we can offer schools has expanded hugely, as has the take-up of those programmes, which in turn has enabled the Orchard to really take its place at the heart of its community. Our roots are in giving children and young people hands-on real experiences of the world around them - where food comes from, where creatures live, how things grow, how things change - along with the chance to interact in a completely different space, surrounded by the basic elements of life. To this we have been able to add a whole new imaginative dimension - we may be ancient tribes, medieval peasants, explorers; we may meet a whole host of weird and wonderful characters; we can all play that most fantastic of children's learning games, "Let's pretend". What we do hooks children into an adventure and their pathway is studded with learning and empowerment.
13) We have also been able to share what we do with others, either through the enclosed DVD, via ongoing CPD workshops or by welcoming visitors to our site. This boosts our confidence, spreads best practice and brings about further exchanges of ideas. We don't teach as such, yet we are pedagogues, with responsibility for children's learning and development. This is a constantly evolving practice where we have learnt that the best "teachers" are those who are actively learning and given space to learn. Every teacher I ever met was at root passionate about giving children opportunities to expand their horizons, and to expand horizons we need space.
14) And CP has given us money! Let the importance of this not be under-estimated! For a small organisation like ours, income that allows space to think, reflect and experiment is priceless. If that income is ongoing and supported by a responsive organisation that understands the pressures we operate under, then so much the better. Always having to think about where the next bit of money is coming from can be a creative process in itself and can lead us down new and interesting alleyways; however, it can also take us far, far away from the real work. CP has been clear in its expectations, rigorous in its demands and supportive and enthusiastic in its intentions. We are presently making a significant contribution to the educational life of our community and CP has played a huge part in making that happen.
15) DIRECT RESPONSE TO RELEVANT INQUIRY QUESTIONS
How should we define creativity in the context of education and childcare?
Space. Creativity happens where there is space to do new and different things, and a responsive climate where these new and different things can be met and appreciated. Creativity is lost when we know where we are going and we haven't chosen to go there, when we are stuck in a structure that presupposes outcomes and isn't interested in alternatives.
16) On the Orchard we are constantly balancing structure and freedom, enabling children and young people to take over the steering for themselves, to discover their own learning outcomes, to follow their passion and incorporate that into the sessions. Watching children play is to watch children create. This is what we often lose as adults and then we cannot support it in young people. We have to trust them, to trust that they wish to learn, to achieve, to belong, to contribute, and that this - if we look hard enough - is what they are trying to do all the time. They need help with the obstacles sometimes but the spurt of creativity is in all of them; the way they move forward is creativity in action. Our job is to support and facilitate, give time, give space and appreciate.
17) What this means in practice is that creativity is not just about those activities traditionally associated with the creative arts; if it were, we probably wouldn't be said to be doing it! It is about the assimilation of new and different experiences, wherever they originate and whatever use they are ultimately put to. I find it very satisfying that the traditionally conservative world of allotment gardening should be the venue for such innovative, exciting, creative and generally surprising work; if we can do it there, we can do it anywhere. It is simply a matter of taking what we have and shaking it about until it gets interesting.
18) What effect have existing creative initiatives had on teachers' skills and ability to work with creative professionals in the classroom?
We don't work in the classroom, thank god. We are constantly creating a different space in which to work, one that evolves and changes, is alive, responsive, exciting, magical, where we have different rules ("Take Your Time" and "Respect" are the only ones we need to mention) and a different culture. A place that can become familiar yet never, ever the same.
19) CP has enabled us to get teachers, children and other creative practitioners into this space, to inspire them and then to work with them to go in new directions as partners. We have worked with story-tellers, writers, dance practitioners, artists, photographers, as well as gardeners and people who make stuff out of bits of wood and nails. One of our creative practitioners was Charlie, a local resident all his life, allotment-gardener for 30 years. He built a shed with teenagers from the local learning support unit. They ran down the road so they could be sure to get to work with Charlie, to listen to his stories, simply to be with him, doing stuff, chatting, learning, joking. Creativity is about getting different people together and giving enough space to see what happens where they meet.
20) I used to be a teacher. I left because no-one seemed to want teachers to be creative, because schools weren't creative places. One of the wonderful things about work with CP is to be able to say to teachers, "Give me your ideas, come and talk to me, you know the kids, you are the expert" and to reassure them that there is the space to do this.
21) What are the implications of a curriculum shift in favour of creativity for the training of heads, teachers and cultural animators?
Creative people will wish to be teachers! Teachers will be released to be creative! I did my teacher training in the early 90s, surrounded by talk of "incompetent teachers", Ofsted, Chris Woodhead, a climate of fear. I left, quickly. It was, ironically, the single most disappointing educational experience of my life. No-one seemed to want me to be different, to be me, to be creative. It seemed I was supposed to be a technician, a man in a suit, and the opportunities for developing real relationships with kids were strictly limited. Teachers were so unsupported they (I?) became obsessed with control.
22) I didn't want to be there; neither did the kids. If schools can become more exciting, relaxing and different places to be, more exciting, relaxing and different things can happen there. What is needed to make this happen? More time, more space, more teachers. Make learning creative. Respect teachers and pupils as those with the foremost responsibility for the future creative and cultural health of the nation. Put money where mouth is.
23) What evidence is there that a creative curriculum assists achievement in other areas?
Giving children freedom to explore new and exciting experiences makes learning fun. This can make a significant impact on those who are disaffected with school, for whom learning has become an arena of failure and disempowerment. Most of our evidence for this is anecdotal: the children who are "normally" quiet or never stop talking who suddenly begin to demonstrate new behaviour which, when well-received, will carry on into other activities.
24) "During the first session, a very high profile child came to the allotments. His behaviour in class is shocking and inappropriate. He can't sustain concentration for more than 10 minutes. However, at the allotments he managed 2 hours! It is interesting activities which keep children engaged. It was great during my time at the allotments to see children's imagination come to life again. Far too enough the constraints of the curriculum lead to children rapidly losing the ability to use imagination and this can be as young as Year 3! Taking my class there meant they could be free to experiment with ideas and not have to worry if they had made something up and it might sound silly. This also impacted greatly on their story- and letter-writing at school." (Year 3 teacher)
25) These are children; they are learning all the time. Any positive experience will open new doors, demonstrate new potential. Children remember key experiences for the rest of their lives. This may lead to an interest in the "creative industries" or gardening and the outdoors but that isn't the point - the point is that it generates a renewed interest in themselves and each other, the world around them and the part they can play within it. It makes their world bigger without making them any smaller. It is - ultimately - about inspiration, about encouraging children to take a fuller part in their own lives.
26) "They're not set up to fail. They can sit down at the end of the sessions and decide what to do next. They feel like they're in control. Some of them have become Club Leaders telling other kids about the Orchard. They say it's cool." (TA, Yr 3)
27) What is the impact of a creative curriculum on
a) pupil confidence, motivation, behaviour and team work?
The focus of our Action Research 2005-06 was to examine how creative approaches to learning in the outdoors could impact on motivation and confidence, as well as developing speaking, listening and writing skills. One aspect of this was working alongside Year 10 and 11 pupils from the Learning Support Unit at the local comprehensive school. These were young people who habitually "failed", whose confidence was usually rock-bottom and whose poor behaviour reflected this. All these young people were at risk of exclusion. They came weekly to the Orchard to help manage the site and develop their own practical projects. The work they did was then reported on back at school and was used in a variety of curriculum areas from Maths to History to Art to English to Science, primarily to develop a portfolio for the ASDAN Youth Award within what was then "the alternative curriculum".
28) "Their confidence grew from strength to strength. They built up the confidence to speak out and discuss their ideas openly, and have healthy debates about the projects that were happening within the Orchard. The students have learned how to respect other opinions that were voiced, they would discuss openly what their wishes were, and eventually their ideas would be decided together. When the students were doing a task they would begin with one idea but as the project progressed they would change their view because they were observing the projects, seeing what did work and what didn't. They particularly enjoyed their projects when they knew they were building it for the younger children who visit the Orchard. They were encouraged to manage their own behaviour and this contributed to their self-confidence. They were encouraged to think about their actions and how they affect other people and the relaxed environment contributed to this." (TA, Yrs 10-11)
29) "It's better down here. It's better outside. It's more relaxed. My old school did nothing like this. There's no-one on my back and I don't mess about. You get more respect down here. We get stuff done." (Year 11 pupil)
30) A creative curriculum puts the young person at the heart of the curriculum. It takes the risk to give young people the space to take ownership of what they are doing. Once the work is theirs, it becomes more important and, more importantly, they become more important. We never had any behaviour issues on the Orchard because - as we told the young people - we don't "do" behaviour there. We set the bar higher than that; we demand mutual respect, and that means giving as well as receiving. If the young people are not engaged, we are doing something wrong and we need to explore this with them. Because our "curriculum" is so fluid, responsive and thereby inherently creative, we can do this and the exploration itself becomes a key part of the learning.
31) For younger children, the creativity within the curriculum comes primarily through making it - perhaps paradoxically - both real and imaginary. Learning in the classroom is pretty much virtual reality; it asks children to make imaginative leaps into very particular academic boxes. What we can do on the Orchard is give children the space to see, smell, touch, hear and even eat the curriculum; it is Science in Action, Geography in action, Maths in action. When we add to that a narrative, then they can actually "become" medieval peasants or ancient tribes-people; they have an adventure into learning. It's another wonderful opportunity to play "Let's pretend", which is what teachers are ultimately trying to do in the classroom with much less success. Yet we are also in partnership with the classroom; the Orchard becomes the core of the work, the stimulus, the catalyst, something which may be built up to and can then be endlessly reflected on and revisited. It has become part of the children's experience and therefore it matters.
32) "Key thing for the day: they just did. Everything was covered. It was so enjoyable the whole day seemed to last only two hours." (TA Yr 5) "Every kid in school would come down if they could. The structure felt right, everything felt safe and responded to their wishes in a quiet and powerful way. They love coming down, talk about it all the time and are very concerned it's ending." (TA Yr 3) "I must say I had a terrific time in the wild and I liked when we played in nature and stuff. I had lots of fun pretending I was a Native American." (Year 8 pupil) "Are you really ten thousand years old?" (Year 5 pupil)
33) b) literacy, numeracy, ICT and communication skills?
How do you develop young people's communication skills? Give them access to experiences that they really want to talk about and listen to them! The experiences that we provide on the Orchard get them so buzzing with excitement, the real challenge is getting them to stop talking long enough to move onto something else! But with the use of digital photography back at school, they can then speak, listen and write to their hearts' content. The language they suddenly come out with frequently astounds the teachers and yet we don't have to 'teach' them any of it (despite my background as an English and Drama teacher). What we provide is a serious experience, something that profoundly engages them, that they stretch themselves in order to adequately articulate.
34) "We just don't come often enough! The more relaxed they are, the better the language they come out with!" (Nursery teacher) "They had to listen in moments of quiet and take turns. It made them concentrate because of the calm nature of the surroundings. As a result their listening skills were improved and other teachers noticed this back at school." (Year 5 teacher) "I have a certain child who is very quiet in class. She hardly adds to class discussions. However, when at the allotments she wouldn't stop! She was extremely animated and took an active part in group work." (Year 3 teacher) "The quiet ones got louder and the loud ones got quieter and listened." (TA, Year 3) "When the students first started the project, some students were shy and embarrassed to voice their opinions. However, they soon gained confidence and contributed to class discussions because they were encouraged and praised by staff every time they came up with an idea." (TA, Years 10-11)
35) How can creative achievement among young people be acknowledged and assessed?
This is a challenge. It is of course very important to recognise what is being achieved and express that recognition in such a way that the young person can point to it and take it somewhere else as evidence of their accomplishment. It isn't, though, actually the most important thing: the most important thing is the experience, is the transformation and process of recognition that can occur even silently inside a young person when the world suddenly gets bigger and more beautiful. This is our primary focus.
36) Yet it is also vital that it is acknowledged elsewhere, especially in a culture that recognises certain forms of learning (usually those more easily assessed) as superior to others. This is one of the key reasons why we have such low self-esteem amongst many of the young people who come to the Orchard who then mysteriously shine when they get there. Teamwork, problem-solving, persistence, compassion, absorption, sheer physical energy and motor skills, these are all vital to children's development. What makes a young person creative is the ability to open out to, synthesise, integrate and express their experience often just as it happens, in the moment, perhaps even when there's no-one else there, or no adult, or no adult with a camera or tape-recorder.
37) We rely hugely on anecdotal evidence, on teachers becoming active partners in a process of ongoing reflection, keeping journals, having regular evaluation sessions, often getting the young people themselves to interview each other or otherwise record their impressions. The young people are our fellow-researchers after all.
38) But there is more we can and must do. If we know clear assessment criteria, we can make sure that what we do will help to evidence this, without necessarily altering the content or spirit of what we do. This is where the true creativity lies: in ensuring that what happens continues to be creative (continues to have space and freedom) whilst also following a structure that enables its benefits to be made clear and verifiable to both young people and to external assessors (which is everybody else). Thus far, we have tended to leave this to the schools; our responsibility has been more to assess the general effectiveness of the work rather than individual performance. However, as what we do becomes more mainstream (as, in other words, the effectiveness of the work is more widely accepted and the demand for individual assessment increases), we will need to take on more of this challenge.
July 2007 |