The school sought to develop a new creative curriculum based on theme based schemes, cross-curricular links, and enquiry based learning. It sought to develop opportunities for more purposeful and relevant pupil voice, and to investigate and incorporate the use of technologies to enable pupils to attain life-long skills in the ever changing world.
"My daughter has spent the longest time ever doing homework on this subject…(she) has talked (about this topic) incessantly and has been looking for extra information about any and all aspects of this topic and has talked about EVERYTHING she has learned in school ...we're going to see Anne Frank's house and the Reichstag this summer!" Parent
“I’ve learnt that when you put your mind to it you can do anything well." "I’ve learnt it by doing it, not just being told." Pupil
"Miss M has changed, she's more relaxed..." "Miss W is more relaxed, she even has music on." Pupil
Castle Bromwich wanted to develop teachers' understanding of creative teaching and learning throughout the school and use their pupils developing skills to involve parents and the wider community (including their feeder school) in their journey.
Creative practitioners were recruited by an interviewing panel of six pupils and two teachers. The Assistant Head had worked with the pupils to establish the qualities desired and questions to be asked. Four artists were recruited, each with a varied skillset, but all with the ability to listen to pupil voice and to develop creative learning activities that build on both pupil and staff voice. Each practitioner focussed on one year group, working directly with two classes and the teachers and pupils of those classes, who then shared activities and learning via peer tutoring, with the other two classes. Each year group had an overall theme, and an art-form to work with./ These covered a China theme with Paula Tew - textiles artist and craft maker, a local environment theme with Denise Stanton - textiles / visual artist, Space with Faith Pearson - installation / 3D conceptual artist and World War II with Alex Hampson, environmental artist.
Teachers were tasked with using and developing observation skills to feed into teaching and learning to ensure excellence in delivery. The school also kept its own focus on BLP as an underlying thread (which as a result is now more owned and understood by staff as to how it relates to curriculum delivery, and is therefore more relevant).
The Assistant Head Tristi Soards took the lead in school, with interest from the Deputy and PHSE coordinator in particular. Parents and families were involved through 'Wow' and 'Sharing' events and were welcomed into the classrooms to support learning. The local community was involved through Year 4s project on the local area.
The project was innovative in the way it supported teachers to make links across the curriculum and to explore creative pathways into learning. The school explored how ‘Wow’ events could ignite interest in a theme so that pupils could confidently express ideas about the direction of learning and celebration events with families, so engaging parents and opening up dialogue with home.
As the project involved all year groups and four practitioners the most significant aspects of the change process varied across the school. For the children in Year 3 it was the use of reflection journals, creative approaches to learning (some of which were initiated by the pupils) and the sharing events with parents at which they were 'lead learners'. In Year 4 it was child initiated routes into learning and collaborative working. In Year 5 it was co-construction between pupils, teachers and practitioner and in Year 6 it was ownership of learning and sharing with families. For teachers in all Year groups it was more flexible planning, using new pathways into learning and the sharing with families.
The project concluded with a whole school staff sharing and a number of key elements emerged; the success of starting project with research days, beginning with what the children know and want to know, the value of real pupil voice, enabling children to be leaders of their own projects to ensure content, approach and learning activities are owned by the children, and looking to the future, the next step being . to explore how high quality displays can support this learning in an imaginative and stimulating way.
For pupils there was a clear development in speaking and listening skills, and tangible impact through the success of peer assessment. Children evidenced through evaluation the value for them of the increase in sharing what they individually learnt with other pupils, how this made them ‘mini-teachers’. In Y4 an there was an increase of +51% saying they shared what they learnt (compared with before they began), and in Y5 +69%
Pupils recognised how being involved in planning projects (co-construction with teachers) increased their enjoyment and that they felt empowered to offer suggestions for next time. Teachers also talked about the benefit in class of this approach and indicated they would continue to develop pupil voice.
A very positive impact was the increased engagement, enjoyment and motivation for children. They were inspired by actively learning and engaging with new challenges, and especially sharing learning outside the classroom with families and parents. A significant observed moment was when pupils from Y5 came back to do some evening observation around their Space project. Parents had come in at the start of the project to set the project up, working with the children to imagine what other places and worlds might look like.
The Year 3 Sharing event (with pupils were leading activities) attracted over 100 family members. This was the biggest turn out ever for the school. Parents were queuing along the pavement to get in!
When parents were asked (in a questionnaire) if their children carried on learning at home from school 92% of the Year 6 parents said their child had talked (in some cases extensively) to them at home and 77% said they had done independent research. 100% of parent responses at Year 3 Sharing said their children had talked about the project at home, and 70% said their child had done independent research or work at home.
Staff identified that for them the biggest impact was the confidence to adapt and change path in response to children’s learning, and engaging families in learning, and how they have more freedom around displays and they are more confident to divert from ‘plans’.
Over the three years there has been a real growth in creative learning understanding. It is now more child-led, and there is a more committed staff, willing to explore new approaches. Working with external partners has been central to the whole school development and senior leaders talk about ensuring this continues. The school now has a more devolved leadership, which enables staff to develop and take control of their own curriculum development. The school now has a thematic curriculum and a commitment to pupil voice in co-constructing it. Creative pathways into learning are being developed across all year groups and shared through a new planning format.
The key factor in the change has been the vision of the head teacher and the clear understanding of the processes involved by the Assistant and Deputy Heads. They have been involved in team teaching to share this expertise. The school has a commitment to distributed leadership. Key individuals are positioned across the year groups and year teams now plan together. The success of the Sharing Events for pupils and families is valued by the SLT and will continue to address SIP priorities. (Based on the experience in Year 3 and 5, these could also include launch learning events for families and a mid theme sharing.) The school is interested in cluster working to develop practice locally. The Head now does 2 days a week working as trouble shooter for NAHT with is a solid vindication of the strength of the teaching team at this school.
Project Title: Creativity in Motion
School: Castle Bromwich Junior School, Solihull
Creative Agent: Sarah Hann