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Memorandum submitted by Legh Vale Primary School, St Helens, Merseyside
Summary of the main points: 1. Creative Partnerships have helped us to provide our children with the opportunity to develop creativity in their learning. Engaging all learners - Improving and stimulating Boys Writing. Role Play and Drama 2. The creative approach works according to the data.
Introduction: 1. When providing a creative and inclusive curriculum, the 'Creative Partnerships' helped us to put the '3Cs' at the heart of learning. Creativity, culture and community We aim to equip our children so they can realize their full potential. 'Creative Partnerships' provided teachers time for planning, thinking and evaluating, enabling them to develop their creative approaches to their own teaching and how to best effect children's learning. 2. Creative Partnerships have helped us to provide our children with the opportunity to develop creativity in learning and to take part in cultural activities of the highest quality. All of our projects have been successful, measured by enjoyment, attendance and attainment. Our projects so far have been Mind Friendly Learning, Monsters in Y3, A gallery area designed and built in the KS2 department, A 60's project for Y6, Role Play Classrooms throughout the school and a 'Role Play' room within the KS1 for the whole school to use. 3. The work so far has Engaged all learners, brought a time/place or situation alive, improved Speaking, Listening and Thinking Skills. The whole school focus on Role Play has Improved and stimulated Boys Writing. All children are given the opportunity to talk and act before writing (paired talk, improvise scenes, persuasive discussion, range of audiences) 4. Primary National Strategy recommends that: Drama should be explicitly taught in its own right and can also be used as a tool for understanding in subjects across the curriculum. Drama provides many opportunities for children to extend understanding, use their knowledge of a range of cultures and experiment with styles of speaking, gesture and mime. All of which where made possible in our school because of the support and guidance from 'Creative Partnerships'. Bringing in expertise in this area has helped to skill and train teachers so they can continue to 'good practice' in the future.
Factual information: 1. In KS2 after experiencing the enriched curriculum we saw a rise in Y6 SAT's. Even with a 17% rise in boys within the cohort of children in 2007, the APS score in Literacy was higher than the year before. 2. In KS1 after experiencing the enriched curriculum we saw that even when national and local trends in writing declined we had an increased overall from 2005. Our children are confident and happy to write when they have had first hand experiences and enjoy what they do. 3. Feed back from staff, children and parents was extremely positive. When asked some of the comments where: "I liked it because it got me out of school work and I liked it because I like history, I learned more" "It helped me with my writing because I had more details about Henry" "I realized that children know more than I thought!" "Enjoyable sessions for both children and staff" "Can't wait to have a go... I would like to team teach using the methods" "Children fully engaged in tasks"
Recommendations: 1. Continued input for all schools from the 'Creative Partnership Team' 2. The funds to sustain their work and develop it further. 3. Improve provision for all children.
July 2007
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