Curious Minds

A particular focus of Walton le Dale's Arts College current School Improvement Plan is to improve the quality of teaching and learning across the school, particularly in terms of catering for talented, able and gifted (TAG) students and creativity.

The college wanted to look at learner voice as a platform from which to investigate what strategies teachers use to make lessons enjoyable, engaging and challenging.  They wanted to focus on the methods and pedagogy which create a learning environment where all students can achieve their potential and where underachievement is addressed, particularly amongst TAG students. Through this the school anticipated raising standards of attainment amongst TAG students across the key stage groups, and equipping teachers with the skills to apply the findings to their own teaching styles. 

The project was delivered by a lead teacher, providing an opportunity for professional development in leading a whole school issue. 

Creative teaching and learning was explored from a student perspective through a series of activities using film, peer consultation and interviews, collecting memories and experiences from across the school community. The cohort of Yr10 TAG students worked in and out of curriculum time on the project over the course of a term with practitioners and teachers.

Film maker Graham Kay worked with the lead teacher to deliver a series of sessions with the TAG group, exploring the theme of creativity in the classroom. This provided the platform from which the project and preparation of the end of year INSET for staff evolved. 

A visual art activity was incorporated to enable the students to unpick their own understanding of creative learning. All materials created during the process, which included figures, a set of postcards, audio podcast and short films were gathered by the students and coordinated to form an installation. The teaching staff engaged with this installation in an INSET session, where all teachers had to make a pledge around developing their creative teaching approaches during the new term. 

These pledges were returned to staff at the start of September and staff have worked together to reflect on and review these pledges and the extent to which they have increased the use of creative strategies in their teaching.

• Pupils were able to articulate that their perception of creativity had changed and that they now realized that creativity is not just about being artistic.
• As evidenced through the film produced and evaluation conversations, pupils were able to articulate a deeper understanding of their individual learning styles.
• Following involvement in the project teachers observed individual pupils taking more of a lead in other school scenarios as well as conversing with staff on a more adult level.
• Working with practitioners allowed the teachers to engage in the learning journey with the students in a different way, inspiring fresh ideas to use creative approaches in future lessons, for example, one teacher is now using installation as the focus for a GCSE Dance piece.

• Students observed a lesson in response to the INSET, which was delivered in a more creative way, as per the teacher’s pledge. The teacher shared the INSET experience with the class and explained why he was trying a different approach in class.

• Following the INSET, staff have been involved in finding ways in which to honor the pledge, varying delivery and content to provide a more creative learning experience for their classes, effectively removing themselves from their own ‘comfort zone’.
• The TAG initiatives are part of a 2 year School Improvement Plan. The INSET has provided a platform from which creativity in the classroom can be implemented and evaluated as a series of focus objectives, led by the staff and students’ teaching and learning groups.

• An exhibition of the work produced for the INSET is displayed in the foyer as a constant reminder to staff of the pledges they made during the INSET and their subsequent review. The display has been a real talking point for parents, teachers and staff from other schools during recent school events such as open days, new intake evenings, primary liaison days and Awards evenings.