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Memorandum submitted by Lynne Greenhough, Headteacher, Bramley Vale Primary School, Chesterfield
1. Summary :
I submit that through involvement with Creative Partnerships, I and my staff along with creative partners, have been able to provide a curriculum for our pupils which has enriched their learning and their lives and which has increased their motivation and self esteem. The project has enabled the promotion of independent and personalised learning, not only for pupils across the school, but also for our staff, in the form of Continuing Professional Development. Our involvement in Creative Partnerships has been a major tool for change on our school over the last 18 months, and we are convinced that it has been central to the very visible improvements we are making in the quality of teaching and learning and in standards and attainment.
2. Introduction to the submitter:
I am currently a Headteacher in the former mining area of Bolsover,Derbyshire; an area of significant socio-economic disadvantage. Bramley Vale Primary School is a small school, with 140 pupils on roll, including those in the Nursery. There are long-standing concerns about engagement, motivation and attainment of our pupils, so that prior to the Spring of 2006, we had already made significant changes to the way in which we delivered the curriculum - a strategy which arose as a means of addressing the key issues from our very positive Ofsted Inspection of November 2005. At this time I was invited to attend a briefing about involvement with Creative Partnerships. This immediately struck me as a partnership which could work for our pupils. Our school was fortunate to become selected in 2006 as a Creative Partnership "hub school". I act as the "Creative Co-ordinator" for the school, liaising with the Creative Partnership team. The funding which we are able to access has enabled us to introduce elements of an increasingly creative curriculum into the weekly timetable. Our project has presented us with an exciting opportunity to research the impact of a creative curriculum upon both the attainment and the motivation of those pupils who are involved in the project. Primary research questions are: How has a creative curriculum increased the engagement of pupils ? How has it affected pupil perceptions of themselves as learners ? Is it perceived as an
effective way of teaching and learning by Has the project affected quantifiable pupil attainment ? What have been the most effective elements of the project? What is transferable ?
These questions are evolving as the research progresses; our research into this specific project in this particular school is informing our understanding of how we can help to make the learning more meaningful and accessible for our own students. It is beginning to give us a better understanding of how to teach creatively and how to teach for creativity: it is informing an understanding of the creative curriculum and what it " looks like" for the learner. Most importantly, it is giving us the opportunity to explore how to transfer and embed what works well for both teacher and learner.
The project involves all our 68 Key Stage 2 pupils across year groups 3-6. We began with a series of " tasters" where pupils were able to experience a wide range of workshops with visiting artists and other partners. Some of these visitors were then commissioned to work with us for the life of the project, funded by Creative Partnerships. Pupils were meanwhile asked to make a clear and committed choice to working within one of five groups through the school year. The choices were: Media group ( for those who wished to pursue their learning primarily through the vehicle of ICT) Performing Arts group (for those who wished to work primarily through the vehicle of music, dance and drama) Art and Produce group ( for those who wished to learn through the medium of arts and crafts) Archive group ( for those whose interests lie in research, writing and local history) Eco group ( for those whose learning styles best suited hands-on out of doors and naturalistic learning). The groups vary in size ( 5- 18 pupils) according to the choices the children have made. The groups take place in school during the school day, as part of our timetabled curriculum. The pupils meet and work together in their group bases every Thursday during term time in the afternoon session . The teaching and support staff and parent volunteers constitute the human resources, along with artists and additional resources funded through Creative Partnerships. A major additional benefit is that the opportunities for continuing professional development for my staff and myself, as well as for local parent /carer volunteers have been enormous. The adult learners have increased their skills, confidence and indeed their own motivation in their chosen areas - I am of the personal belief that this enjoyment in learning is infectious and is being transmitted to our pupils through this project.
3. Evidence gathering is in the early stages, but the Inquiry may wish to consider what has been collected so far :
3.(i) An action research model is being used to measure the impact of the programme upon pupil motivation. The research is largely exploratory in nature, and examines pupil attitude and motivation via surveys and interviews of a range of interested parties. An independent researcher has interviewed pupils. A questionnaire went home to parents and carers, who were also invited to write in a comments book during celebration events( pages attached as an appendix) A survey of teaching and support staff explored their views about the project. Our Local Authority Senior Improvement partner is monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning across the school, including looking into the impact that the Creative Partnership project is having upon standards and quality of provision. In addition, we will have the privilege of being able to access at first hand the findings of Dr Maurice Galton of Cambridge University, who is currently commissioned by Creative Partnerships to research into projects in a number of schools, one of which is our own school.
The quantifiable data on attainment for the research is possible within a comparison of those end of year results achieved by pupils in the previous year ( 2005-6), the current year ( 2006-7) and a further year of involvement with Creative Partnerships ( 2007-8). though we are aware that any conclusions drawn from this research must take into account a wide range of factors.
What we have learned so far : 3.(ii) from our pupils :
An independent researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with all pupils in June 2007, in order to explore the children's values, preferences, attitudes and perceptions in relation to the project and how far it has impacted upon their motivation to learn. Of the 35 year 5 and 6 pupils interviewed, 100% stated that they had enjoyed the project. When asked why, answers included: having fun; doing things you have never done before; learning new skills; learning more about a subject; making your own decisions; being more confident about speaking; getting dirty !; being able to mix with other pupils across the school; sharing ideas; practical way of working; working outdoors; feeling excited and proud of your work and what you have achieved. What is significant is that many of these answers came from pupils who began the school year unmotivated and disengaged when offered the more usually structured learning opportunities. When asked if they would like to continue with the project next year , 100% stated that they would want to continue, with some adding that they would like to try a different group to extend their experiences, and many asking for the groups to take place more than once each week. Scrutiny of pupil comments in their end of year reports have produced 25 out of 65 entirely unsolicited comments about the project as "the best" of their time in school this year. The "Big brother" video diary is now to be transcribed, but initial viewing indicates real enjoyment and engagement when pupils talk about their experiences during the project.
3(iii) Parent and carer views: The questionnaire was issued to approximately 85 families. 43 questionnaires have so far been returned, with more promised. Of these, 35 say that their child/ren enjoy Creative Partnership days " a lot"- and often more that they enjoy "normal" school days. Unsolicited comments include their awareness of their children's enjoyment and enthusiasm, and an understanding of how the project is enriching learning. Permission has been given to include photocopies of some their comments.
3(iv) Teaching/support staff/volunteer questionnaire: All adults who took part, either "agreed" or "strongly agreed" that they enjoyed Creative Partnership days and gained professionally and personally from them. They also all agreed or strongly agreed that children in their classes enjoyed, were positive about, and had made progress through participation in, the project.
3.(v) Quantifiable evidence: pupil progress
This year our Key Stage 2 SAT results have shown significant improvement from last year, with 88% in English, 94% in Science and 100% in Mathematics. This is due to a range of factors, including nature and ability of cohort, high quality teaching staff and funding which has allowed a better degree of pastoral support. However, one of the most noticeable changes to the year 6 cohort this year was the visible increase in the engagement, motivation and the growth in self esteem of these children. My staff and I believe that this is due in no little part to the Creative Partnership project.
4. Conclusions For our school, the project has already had enormous impact upon our practice.
Teaching and support staff, pupils and volunteers and artists and partners are becoming collaborative learners, with pupils and parents themselves often acting as facilitators for parts of sessions. Informal monitoring and evaluation indicate a more confident approach to learning in our pupils. They are happier to take a risk, to get things wrong, to try out and to postulate. Teachers are feeling more comfortable to plan imaginatively and this is impacting upon planning for more formal lessons. Pupils and parents view Creative Partnership Thursdays very positively. Even our most disaffected pupils are keen to attend their group sessions, and during those sessions they are neither negatively challenging in their behaviour or disengaged from the activities - indeed quite the opposite. My staff, governors and I are convinced that the model that we have developed for our school with Creative Partnerships has had very significant impact and has moved our school an enormous distance along its path of improvement, as is evidenced by the very positive comments and reports we receive from a wide range of interested professionals who spend time in our school .
5. Recommendations:
it is vital that this initiative continues so that schools in areas of disadvantage can work with Creative Partnerships to enrich the lives of these young people, and help them towards engagement and self-worth. At Bramley Vale Primary School there is great commitment to and ownership of this project and this valuable piece of - for us and hopefully for others- action research. It is vital that educationalists are given further similar opportunities to explore and improve what we offer so that we can better equip our children for a future we can only imagine.
July 2007 |