Lifelong Learning Blog 1 22-23
Cultural Leadership in Education Programme 2022-23: Accounts of Practice
Welcome to the sixth collection of Account of Practice written, filmed and designed by participants of the Cultural Leadership in Education (CLE) Programme 2022-23, a co-created leadership course in partnership with Culture Bridge North East.
As in previous years, this year’s collection is another repository of successful, inspiring and impactful in-school initiatives promoting culture and arts. A number of projects focused in on strengthening the whole-school’s arts provision; some involved external partners such as the Music Hub, galleries or museums to enhance their offer to their pupils. A re-occurring feature in this year’s submission is that arts and culture are also vehicles to discussing and exploring different curricula topics, including the environment and the cultural heritage of the places we are living in. A particular mention should be given to the approach some took by adopting a co-creation as a method of engaging colleagues, external partners and pupils themselves in shaping and implementing the initiative.
All projects are closely aligned to the Artsmark’s mission that arts and cultural education ‘supports cross-curricular learning, where pupils study discrete arts subjects, but also regularly use the arts to support learning across the core subjects.’ Furthermore, a holistic arts and culture-infused curriculum enables learners to appreciate various aspects of society and the world they are living in.
Enjoy browsing and please get in touch if some of what you read inspired you to explore the role of arts education in more depth!
On behalf of the collaborating partners,
Professor René Koglbauer (Educational Leadership Centre, Newcastle University)
Click on the links below to read the relevant accounts of practice.
‘Artistic Aspirations’ - Music is for YOU!
Helping children to see beyond their class music lessons and weekly instrumental teaching; and promoting music as a hobby and in long-term plans. By promoting interaction with professional musicians in person, this case study aims to help children understand the future possibilities for themselves.
Abbie Houston - Seaburn Dene Primary School
Access Arts and Culture in the North East
Everyone should have the chance to experience culture, participate in it, create it, and see their lives transformed by it (RtHon Nicky Morgan MP). Some children and students have the opportunity to visit a museum or gallery via a school trip. The aim of the resource developed as part of this project is to allow students to lead cultural visits themselves.
Andrea McGrath - Access Arts and Culture in the North East
Promoting Creative Art Work in our School and Showcasing Children's Work
This study aimed to lead the school into seeing the arts as an important part of school life and a way children, who may not be academic, could express themselves and use their imagination.
Angela Cowin - Tweedmouth Prior Park First School
'Flow Project' - Designed to give children across the Pele Trust the opportunity to explore, create and express the journey of the River Tyne through the Arts
The project follows the journey of the River Tyne using its story to explore and inspire across the Arts. Schools can weave Flow through as much or as little of each school curriculum as is deemed appropriate.
Carly Frame - Ponteland Primary School
Developing a programme of cultural and academic enrichment
The aim of this study was to develop a wide-ranging programme of cultural activities, and academic development opportunities for all students to access.
Craig Barnes - The English Martyrs Catholic School and Sixth Form College
Discovering our Local Area: Introducing a Local History Week
The intention of this study was to widen the children’s experience to ensure that they have a good understanding of their surroundings.
The children live in a community with a rich cultural heritage and this is used to develop, extend and enhance children’s learning.
Deborah Currans - Tweedmouth Prior Park First School
Developing the Art Club Offer
In this study, all children and young people no matter what their background or family circumstances were given the opportunity to develop their creativity, their relationship with society and to contribute to the economy in ways that are beneficial to them as individuals and to society.
Gemma Costello - Bedlington West End Primary School
How our Culture is Diverse
In this project, children used iPad technology to develop and enhance their literacy skills, to be able to create their own trailers for their written stories linked to a unit of work set in Pakistan.
Joanne Campbell - The Federation of Longhorlsey and Whalton CE First Schools
Providing cultural capital through our School Curriculum
The school in this study partnered with Bowes Museum which gave the school lots of opportunities for cultural capital through our school curriculum.
Laura Elamin - Sunnybrow Primary School
Ambitious - Creative - Engaged: Our School's Cultural Offer
The aim was to develop a cultural offer which comprises a wide range of cultural experiences for the children, working with staff and external specialists alike, to include experiences within school and those part of educational visits to cultural establishments.
Rebecca Jennings - Knop Law Primary School
Raising the Profile of Music
The focus for this project was the presence of music in school outside of the curriculum subject; seeking to make music a fundamental part of the school experience.
Sarah Pearson - Greenland Community Primary School