Do you have an exciting teaching idea but no time to develop it? Solution: get help! There is a small army of experts in England eager to assist creative learning in schools…
Children visiting Goodrich Castle, Herefordshire © English Heritage Photo Library
Architecture practices will often supply schools with building or area plans on request or will give building tours, with an opportunity for the students to ask questions. Regional architectural and built environment centres can also help you with creative programming or to help you find what you’re after.
Apples & snakes website lists poets and writers who are experienced at working with schools.
Artscape lists organisations and individual artists who undertake work with schools and are all CRB checked.
Email newsletters are a great way to keep up to date with what’s on offer - sign up to the Creativity, Culture and Education newsletter to keep up to date with Find Your Talent opportunities.
Regional websites such as the Education Arts Service West Midlands and the London Schools Art Service both list arts consultants in their respective region.
Make use of Engaging Places!
The Engaging Places website contains examples of how engaging an expert in school projects can enhance teaching and learning – take a look at the inspirational collection of projects schools conducted through the 2008/09 Engaging Places network. In 2009/10 schools are involved in projects with places like Wolverhampton Art Gallery, the British Museum and even green space planners from a local council!
Engaging Places also lists hundreds of not-for-profit organisations that offer education programmes and resources that use buildings and places in teaching and learning. You can search the database by keywords, themes, curriculum subjects, location or key stage!
Orleton Primary School students constructing a canopy for their school grounds © A&M Photography Ltd
As a consultant dramatist and writer, I have worked with many local schools and organisations on a variety of educational projects. Like most arts consultants the projects have been wide-ranging, so here’s a taste of what you can expect from engaging an expert in your school.
A is for Archives - G.J.S. Africanus
Several schools wanted to bring their students to the newly-restored archives in Wolverhampton. So two plays for key stage 1 and 2 students were written as an enjoyable introduction to how the archives could be used to reveal the life of G.J.S Africanus who had lived in the building.
The students acted out the plays as part of a series of activities in the Georgian archives, images of the students’ rehearsals and performance can be found on my website.
Football
Premier League's Wolverhampton Wanderers asked me to write a play about their 1908 FA Cup win. The project was my response to a teacher from Whitgreave Primary who asked me to use football to encourage his less-engaged boys. Football is a great way to enthuse students, male and female, whatever their learning needs. It crosses cultural boundaries and is a painless way to learn history!
Arts consultants are sometimes able to secure funding from external bodies, for example, the MLA (Museums, Libraries and Archives Council) funded “A is for Archives”, making it free for schools to get involved. So keep an eye out for funding opportunities available to you locally and regionally – even more the reason to sign up to a range of email newsletters!
I hope this has encouraged you to seek help. Remember: there's no harm in asking!
Don't forget - keep up to date by signing up to the monthly Engaging Places newsletter.
