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Memorandum submitted by Mrs Lynne Murphy, CP Co-ordinator, Epinay Business and Enterprise School, Tyne and Wear
We would like to submit the following memorandum as evidence of the impact of North and South Tyneside's Creative Partnership program on the quality of teaching and learning in Epinay Business and Enterprise School.
Executive summary
1 :Creative Partnership support has made a significant difference to the development of the school curriculum
2:Creative Partnership has a significant role to play in the understanding of school as a creative learning environment.
3: Creative Partnership extends the understanding and implementation of creative approaches to teaching and learning
4: Creative Partnership extends school activities by enabling links with other sections of the community including business, artists (generic term), educationists, local government and the lay public.
5: Creative Partnership enables schools to share their own practice and learn from the excellent practice of the local and national school community.
6. Creative Partnership has a major role to play in the personal and professional development of individuals.
2: I am submitting this memorandum in my role as CP Co-ordinator for Epinay School. My role is to create a programme to engage all staff and pupils in creative and enterprising projects to inspire pupils, teachers and support staff, and to initiate new approaches to teaching and learning. Epinay is a designated school for Business and Enterprise and our creative programme reflects the school's values and ethos. The pupils of Epinay Business and Enterprise school range in age from five years to sixteen years. They have moderate learning difficulties and a number of them exhibit challenging behaviour.
My personal area of expertise is as subject leader for art and design and food technology.
3.1: Creative Vision: Epinay Business and Enterprise School aims to be a community partnership that creates dynamic learning process and enterprising staff and pupils. As an enterprise school we want all stake holders to make the most of their talents and have a 'can-do' attitude to learning. Epinay's Creative Partnership programme is integrated fully into these aims, extending opportunities to work with a range of partners across all National Curriculum subject and Vocational areas.
We aim to broaden pupils' horizons and raise standards of achievement by providing an outstanding quality of learning for all staff and pupils. In particular, the Creative Partnership programme enables us to give pupils a voice that will impact on their own future and the world in which they live, and provide them with the skills, knowledge and confidence to contribute fully as responsible citizens in adulthood.
Epinay Business and Enterprise Creative Partnership programme supports pupils through participation to take ownership of and develop their own potential for learning, thereby creating autonomy and empowering pupils to live rich and fulfilled lives.
3.2: Project example: Science and the Environment
Partners: A collaborative project between Epinay Business and Enterprise School, scientists from the cove Marine Laboratory (University of Newcastle upon Tyne) and local artists, Geraldine Ling of Lawnmower Theatre Company and Malcolm Green, storyteller.
Project outline: This was essentially a research project where pupils set out to discover for themselves the interrelation of people to the marine environment.
Professor Stewart Evans, working alongside Marine Biologist Susan Gebbels, led the project.
Funding support: Akzo Nobel, a large multi-national paint company with a plant based locally in Felling, Gateshead, as part of their global programme of corporate social responsibility.
The project set out to awaken pupils' curiosity in nature and create awareness of their role as responsible citizens. The approach was multidisciplinary, involving art (music, poetry, photography, art and drama), mathematics, food technology, creative writing, ICT and science. Pupils began with an exploration of their local marine environment focusing on the open sea, the rocky shore and sand dunes. There was a particular emphasis on field studies, using 'real life' contexts to engage pupils in a wide range of practical, physical and sensory activities.
A set-of management proposals for the coastal area of South Shields, originating entirely from the pupils, was an important outcome of the project.
3.3:The following evidence demonstrates where we achieved success in relation to our aims:
Aim: Create an exciting multi-disciplinary learning environment making meaningful cross curricular links between the arts, science, food technology, numeracy and ICT.
Janet Brewis Year 7 Teacher commented: "I was amazed at the development of the pupils self esteem and confidence throughout this project. Pupils communicated very well with our partners and really developed their questioning techniques across all areas of the curriculum."
Professor Stewart Evans was delighted with the whole programme. His comment, reported in the Shields Gazette was:
"The project has been highly successful. Class 7JB has become hugely enthusiastic about the seas.
Their eyes have undoubtedly been opened to the fact that the seas and coasts are an important resources, but they are also resources that people are damaging, and so they are in need of protection."
Aim: Offer opportunities for partners to learn about each other and how we can work together to the benefit of the wider community.
Quote from Kathy Higgins Akzo Nobel "The emotional and social developments of the pupils were raised considerably. The extension of the learning environment, to include working outside and inside the classroom but in particular studying in partnership with scientists from the Dove Marine Laboratory improved the level of engagement, self esteem and confidence."
Professor Stewart Evans commented: "The management proposals for the South Shields coast produced by Class 7JB are enterprising, mature and realistic and, not surprisingly, therefore they have been received enthusiastically by South Tyneside Council. There are already plans to implement at least some of them. These young people have therefore already shown their ability to act as responsible citizens by improving the local environment in ways in which future generations of local people will benefit."
Aim: Offer opportunities for pupils to speak to members of the community who they would not normally engage with.
Evidence: News reports
Feature in the ITV News 'Today in the Northeast'. Broadcast Date: Monday 18th June 07 News feature on BBC Radio 4: Monday 18th June 07 Article in The Journal. Local Environment Issues by Environment Editor Tony Henderson. Date: Saturday 16th June Appendix 1. Article Article in the Shield's Gazette by Kevin Waugh. Date: 2nd July 2007 Appendix 2.
Evidence: Presentation Day.
The pupils provided their findings to invited guests at an open day on 18th June. This included a power point presentation of the learning outcomes of the project. a display of work undertaken, a visit to the South Shields coast and a seafood lunch (prepared by the pupils).
PowerPoint presentation: Disc attached. Appendix 3.
Those present at the open day were: the Mayor of South Tyneside, Mrs.Tracy Dixon; Professor Stewart Evans and Mrs. Susan Gebbels of University of Newcastle upon Tyne; Local Councillor Mr. T. Defty; Mr. Gareth Bowen, Enterprise Consultant; School Governors, Mrs. K Higgins and Mrs A Schreiber, Akzo Nobel, Felling; Mr. Jaap van den Akker CSR/HSE Manager Akzo Nobel, Amsterdam; Ms. Heather Walton, North and South Tyneside Creative Partnership Director; Mr. Dave Connely Co-operative School Enterprise representative; Class 7JB, parents, School staff representatives and 'Friends of Epinay'.
Mr Gareth Bowen wrote to the Hilary Harrison [Head teacher]:
"I would like to congratulate all those involved, staff and students, in what for me was a memorable experience.
In so many educational establishments today the emphasis is on knowledge acquisition to jump through examination hoops but here there was simply the enjoyment experience, of finding out, of individual and group involvement for the sheer pleasure of discover. That is so important in the world as it is today; involvement in issues that affect us all.
What those young people did was not only learn for themselves but added to the knowledge of all who offended. They raised awareness of the world's problems through demonstrating the effects on a local, personal level and what each of us can do about it. I felt the "court" approach was very innovative and certainly gave rise to thought of that possibility in a real context.
For their learning the information they gained and the care they now feel will last them throughout their lifetimes. It will change their world and their actions living within it for the benefit of all. Those are the issues directly related to the project subject matter but there are much wider considerations which I saw demonstrated-group work, self assurance, commitment and all those qualities that an enterprise based education brings to a young person's life long learning.
Thank you again for the opportunity of being at the presentation day, well done to everyone involved and congratulations on achieving what is often lost in today's education system-sense of enjoyment, of involvement, of commitment and above all a love of discovery."
Demonstrate that pupils have a real voice in the community and make a difference. The Mayor of South Tyneside has requested that the children come to Council Chamber and present their findings and recommendations to the Local Councillors of South Tyneside.
"I was impressed by the children's ability to clearly communicate their passion and commitment to improving the environment." Anne Curtis, School Governor.
The interest shown by ITV, Radio 4, The Journal and the Shields Gazette in reporting the project has brought the views of Class 7JB to a wide cross section of the public.
Explore factual, imaginative and intuitive responses working through role-play and story telling, cooking and art activities.
Geraldine Lang, Lawnmower Theatre Company: "I was delighted that all the pupils enjoyed this courtroom drama session. They really co-operated with each other and overcame many literacy fears through the speaking, listening and drama activities. Many surprising leaders emerged."
Photographs from Year 7 Art Display Lynne Murphy: Art Co-ordinator
Comments from members of Class 7JB:
"The only food from the sea that I knew about was fish and chips. I didn't think that I would like things like crab, mussels and especially squid - they look horrible. But I really did like them when we cooked them in class." Adam Peterson
"It was good fun when we put people on trial for damaging the sea. Stewart pretended to be a factory owner and we sentenced him to life in prison." Connor Walker
Raise awareness of environmental issues generating a life long interest.
Comment from Darren Kircup of Class 7JB: "I had no idea that there were all these creatures living in the North Sea, especially whales, dolphins and sharks. The whale bones that we saw were amazing".
Unexpected outcomes:
The building of an emotional relationship with a lead male 'role-model' through Professor Stewart Evans had a major impact on learning. "I liked learning about the sea shore. I loved working with Stewart and finding out from Stewart about the fish" Dean Ross. At the end of the project Dean Ross said, "I wish we could start it all over again."
"Many of our pupils do not have a positive male role model in their lives. There was a noticeable improvement in the level of engagement for boys, leading to significant rise in standards of the boys learning outcomes, behaviour and confidence." Lynne Murphy, Creative Partnership Coordinator.
(i) Communication skills and use of appropriate subject specific language improved throughout the period of the project.
Quote Shaun Seymour "We thought of all the words that we could to describe the seas but the best one of all was humungous!"
Both boys and girls gained leadership skills through organisation of problem solving group tasks and team activities.
"There are two girls within the group who normally present withdrawn mannerisms. The project has noticeably improved social engagement between adults (male and female) and pupils." Hazel Smith, Teaching Assistant.
"Both the emotional and social development of the pupils was raised considerably. Hazel Smith, Teaching Assistant.
(ii) Akzo Nobel has committed funding support to enable the project to continue in the next academic year.
Mrs. Alison Schreiber, Akzo Nobel, Gateshead:
"Industry in general is paying ever-increasing attention to environmental issues and its interactions with local communities. Our company, Akzo Nobel, now has a global 'corporate social responsibility' programme and we have been delighted to include support for this excellent education initiative led by Epinay Business and Enterprise School as part of it. In fact, we regard your project as a model 'creative partnership', since it involves schools, the local community, academia and industry. We are keen to promote it further by facilitating a link between Epinay and one or more schools at other locations in the world where we are represented. We look forward to further developments."
(iii) Professional and personal development "Involvement in the school management of the Creative Partnership programme has enabled me to develop subject specific skills working with artists but more importantly I can see myself now in a leadership role, gaining confidence in the planning and delivery of complex programmes involving a wide range of partners and presenting exciting new local and global challenges." Lynne Murphy, CP School Coordinator
4: Recommendation
I recommend that the government continue to fund Creative Partnership North and South Tyneside enabling the development and delivery of a meaningful curriculum that prepares young people as citizens of a global community and as contributors to a global economy.
July 2007 |