Doing school differently: creative practitioners at work

Abstract

What happens to opportunities for learning when some of the structures of schooling are remodelled? What do children and young people do with these new opportunities? Drawing on research into creative projects in a primary and secondary school, and an after-school club for looked-after children, this paper examines a different way of working in schools, from the perspective of the creative practitioners who designed and led the projects in partnership with teachers and resource centre workers.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the staff and students in the 11 settings, and the creative practitioners. We also acknowledge the invaluable contributions of Delyth Turner-Harriss (Project Manager at Shape Cambridge) and Ana Percival (Project Administrator). The projects and research were funded by Arts Council England, East.

While this article was in preparation one of its authors, Ben Koralek, died after a brave battle against cancer. All his colleagues will remember him with great affection and will sorely miss his commitment to the cause of the fruitful and creative collaboration between artists, architects, educators, families and children.

Notes

1. For information on Cambridge Curiosity and Imagination see www.cambridgecandi.org.uk/home/

2. For information on Shape Cambridge see www.shape-cambridge.org.uk

3. Creative Partnerships ‘provides school children across England with the opportunity to develop creativity in learning and to take part in cultural activities of the highest quality … the idea behind Creative Partnerships is … to animate the national curriculum (the sciences as well as the arts!) and to enrich school life by making best use of the UK's creative wealth’ (Creative Partnerships, 2005).

4. Phare is French for lighthouse.

5. In the UK, Key Stage 2 refers to the four years of upper primary schooling for children from 7 to 11 years old.

6. Joseph Beuys (1921–1986) is one of the influential figures in post-war German and European art. An artist, teacher, curator and activist, a generation of artists were influenced by his ideas about art and social utility.