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Memorandum submitted by Mr J Welsh, Headteacher, St Joseph's Catholic High School, Slough

 

St Joseph's Catholic High School, Slough has travelled from

21% 5+ A* - C

to

51% 5+ A* - C

and from a school which was "Cause for Concern" to "A good school with excellent qualities" - Ofsted 2006.

 

The reasons for these improvements are numerous. Notwithstanding, the collaborative work between Creative Partnerships and St Joseph's School community has been very significant.

 

Our focus has always been on teaching and learning. Within this umbrella title we have worked closely on

· Curriculum innovation

· Focus on Individual Learning

· Creating an ethos of achievement for all

· Literacy and Numeracy

 

Creative Partnerships has aided us in exploring and developing ways of teaching creatively and pupils having the confidence to make connections, take risks, overcome the fear of failure.

 

In 2005, the Royal Opera House worked with staff and pupils at St Joseph's to write, stage and perform our own opera. Moreover, we performed in front of Estelle Morris (the then Minister for the Arts).

 

As Headteacher, I thought that this project was far too ambitious and not appropriate. I was wrong. The pupils made an outstanding success of the project. Soft targets such as attendance and punctuality improved, behaviour, examination results, the behaviour in the school; all improved. This is just one example of how such a project impacted on the teaching and learning and attendance of potentially disaffected pupils. The cast tasted success, their self esteem was raised, and they had a heightened sense of belonging and esprit de corps.

 

This was only one of many projects. Every department has worked with a Creative Partner.

 

This term we committed half a day's Inset to creativity in teaching.

 

St Joseph's gained Specialist School Status "Arts College" in January. We decided to move forward in a strategic way using creativity in teaching and learning as a main plank of the school's on-going success. Creative Partnerships has been vital in helping us with this agenda.

 

I urge the D.F.E.S. to rollout nationally, what St Joseph's has been privileged to enjoy these last three years in partnership with Slough's Creative Partnerships.

 

July 2007