Rob Deane is a teacher at Oak Hill, a pupil referral unit in North Somerset. He wanted to develop a project that would teach the curriculum in a creative way, to engage his students in learning, and raise the student’s aspirations.
Bristol harbourside © James F Clay, flickr.com
Through the Engaging Places 2009/10 network, Rob partnered up with Amy Harrison from The Architecture Centre, Bristol, to develop a project which allowed the students to learn a range of subjects through a real-life situation.
All Oak Hill’s students have been permanently excluded from mainstream school or are at risk of this happening, and they often have behavioural problems. Rob already takes his students out and about at least once a week, so when they came up with an idea requiring visits into Bristol city centre, Rob wasn’t fazed.
Designing for real
The project has started with a design brief, which is for students to develop a piece of derelict land by the city centre harbour, that takes into account the needs of the local community. The students met with an architect who spoke about ways to approach the brief and what to take into consideration, for example, accessibility, street furniture, security and signage. They also looked at maps showing changes in the harbour side area up until the present day.
Once the students complete their designs, they will be manufactured into 3D models, which the architect will appraise.
Rob Deane and Amy Harrison working together at the first Engaging Places network workshop, 2009 © A&M Photography Ltd
Learn from Oak Hill
The ‘Bristol: space and design’ project is already proving a success, with students so enthralled they broke into spontaneous applause at the end of one workshop. All 20 key stage 2 and 3 students at Oak Hill are taking part in the project. The project allows the students to work both in and outside the classroom and is delivering areas of the geography, history, PSHE, ICT and design and technology curriculum.
Make sure you return later in spring 2010 to read about how this project finishes.
Teaching resources on urban design and regeneration
Resurrecting the past – regenerating the Dearne Valley
Public space A to Z glossary
The Engaging Places network
To find out about other partnerships and projects developing through the Engaging Places network visit the 2009/10 Engaging Places network article.
