Our Achievement
- The majority of children in a Year 1 class went up a level in writing after the intervention. Now only 6 (10%) in year 1 are below national expectations in literacy and before there wer 25%. 75% were average or above and now 90% are average and above.
- Year 1M has improved by an average of 4.94 points, Year 1P by an average of 5.14 points, Year 2P by an average of 4.15 points and Year 2M by an average of 4.6 points.
- The two less than average classes have made more progress than the higher groups.
- Boys in Year 1P made more progress than girls.
- Reception had 53% of children making more progress in the summer term than in the spring.
- In Reception 30% of children were identified as above average, an increase from the previous 16%.
- 95% of staff reported an increase in their confidence in using creative approaches.
- All staff agree that new planning tools and curriculum approaches take less time, are more effective, have greater impact on the learning of the children and facilitate greater engagement by staff, children and parents.
The Feedback
"We used our imagination, pretending to go up Mount Everest."
"I liked climbing Mount Everest."
"I liked learning about Kathmandu and learning about different religions."
"I liked getting ready for the expedition."
"I liked the Yeti story - it was funny!"
"We now do really long stories and even show parents at parents' evening."
"We reflected on what we learnt to write a letter to the Captain."
"I like telling my story about the sea."
The Cre8us effect...at Woodlands Infant School: 'Our Voice, Our Story'
The school worked with the creative agent to identify the right creative partners for the programme. The agent and three practitioners began by delivering an inset day designed to inform and excite the staff about the project and went on to work with the school on the detailed planning and to support the delivery process.
The structure, created by the team to help the school plan in a new way, included a set of planning tools. One step required all staff to have four core elements to the planning: a wow introduction that hooks the children in; clear outputs throughout; a visit somewhere or visitor; and an element of parental involvement.
All classes participated:
- Nursery focused on an Ugly Bug Ball, with parents involved in a trip to the forest.
- Reception looked at trains with visitor Hairy Sam (a puppet), with parents involved in a train ride trip.
- The Year 1 themes were Nepal, Growing and Under The Sea. Parents attended a sharing.
- The theme for Year 2 was Water, looking at diving, saving a whale and the Titanic. Parents were involved via homework and a sharing event.