Cradoc is a Lead Creative School.
In February 2016 we applied to the Arts Council of Wales to become a Lead Creative School and we were very excited when some months later we found out that we had been awarded this status!
The Arts Council of Wales (and we!) believe that creativity is essential to the success and fulfilment of young people; that it is the basis of lifelong learning, and that this begins in our schools.
The aim of the Lead Creative School’s Scheme is to improve outcomes for children, in literacy and maths, as well as other subjects, through engagement with the arts and creative approaches to teaches and learning.
Lead Creative Schools nurture and develop the creativity of learners so that they achieve their potential, grow as well rounded individuals and are prepared with skills for life. They help to make sure that in a rapidly changing world, children and young people in Wales are able to meet the needs of the economy and to thrive within the increasingly competitive environment of day-to-day life.
Why did we want to be a Lead Creative School?
Our teachers work very hard to deliver a curriculum which is engaging, inspiring and motivating for the children that we teach.
We also wanted to provide children with opportunities which help them to develop skills across the curriculum and the skills that they need to understand the world around them.
We applied to become part of the Lead Creative Schools scheme to give us the opportunity to further develop teaching and learning within our school, making sure that we provide the best possible outcomes for our children and helping them to become life-long learners. We recognise that different children learn in different ways; we wanted to provide increased opportunities for children to learn in their chosen style and to challenge them in new situations.
During the two years that we were supported by the Arts Council, the children had the chance to work with Creative Practitioners. During the first year the children were supported by Lynn and Jim, to write their own poetry and stories and then create animations to bring them to life.
During the second year the children were supported by two lecturers from universities in Scotland to use their numeracy skills to invent board games, which they could then play with their families and friends.
Some of the quotes from children and parents
- “I just want to write all day!” Year 6 pupil.
- “I’ve had my son come home and ask to just sit and write a story… he’s never done that before!”
And a sample piece of shared group poetry writing:
- Let’s play, let’s experiment, let’s take a risk…
- When I write I feel like I’m flying, skydiving deep.
- Swooping down, my prey are words
- Words running, words floating, words drifting.
- Words are fireworks, exploding, zapping. A chocolate fountain, dripping from the clouds like rain!
The children showcased to the parents the work they have been doing and the animations and games they have created. The children were clearly very enthusiastic about what they had been learning and shared their new skills very well with parents and visitors.
Even though the project is now officially over, our staff continue to build on their new skills and encourage learning through creativity.