Artsmark Case Studies

What makes an Artsmark school? Many schools put on lots of arts activity but what is the next step they take from providing arts activity to actually achieving an Artsmark?

Helen Reynolds at KEAP gives one to one sessions advising schools on their Artsmark applications, and says, ‘Artsmark schools use the Arts across the school to enrich the whole school. They ensure that the arts are part of the school’s backbone of planning and this includes teachers undertaking CPD in their specific arts subject, using arts to teach other subjects and recognising the value of using professional artists to deliver arts activities and projects. Importantly, the arts are used outside the school- to reach out to the local communities, to encourage parents into the school, to give the children experiences in festivals, events, and art exhibitions.’

Here we invited Artsmark schools to showcase some of their work.

Bude Infant School- Artsmark Gold
Community Links

Bude Infant School has been involved in the Bude Canal Regeneration project. The Year 1 children worked with artist Tony Minnion to create banners for display outside the Education Centre. This involved working canalside, drawing and taking photographs. It was a wonderful experience for our young children and we can't wait to see them up when the building is completed. We also worked alongside the town Council and another local artist to decorate the new Council Offices. The children did paintings of flowers in different mediums and they were displayed in the entrance hall. Everyone was amazed that children so young had created the images.

Redruth School- A Technology College- Artsmark Silver
Art Ambassadors

The Art Ambassadors scheme involves young people in the visual arts and gives them a voice to say what they think about Art today. At Redruth School the Art Ambassadors recently took part in the Sorrell Design Challenge which creates an opportunity for groups of young people to become the clients of university design students; the students are in turn mentored by professional designers. The overall theme is how to improve the quality of life in school through good design.

After much thought and visits to the recently re-furbished Watergate Bay Hotel and Jamie Oliver’s 15 restaurant the Art Ambassadors came up with a brief to create them an outdoor social space that would take account of the extremes of Cornish weather and most importantly would look ‘cool’. The Design team, comprised of students from various design courses created a design for an inspirational space that could be used to socialize in at break times, but could also be used as an outdoor performance space and an Alfresco classroom. The finished design took its inspiration from ancient Cornish symbols and included ergonomic wooden seating, sensory planting and a living wall, alongside 21st century high-tech devices such as movable canopies, outdoor lighting and sound systems. The Art Ambassadors all agreed that it was an amazing project to have taken part in and they only wished that there was finance to make their brief become reality.

St Just Primary School

At St Just Primary School every child participates in the summer celebration “Lafrowda Day”. The school builds three weeks of arts activities into its curriculum delivered in a block in the lead up to Lafrowda.

The theme for this year was “Playtime” and they decided to interpret this as sporting events to link with the Bejing Olympics. The school spent the first week concentrating on movement and music in the form of cheerleading and ‘synchronised swimming’ so that during the parade the children could perform to the crowds who line the street.

The second week was filled with visiting artists and the children produced a sound sculpture made from recycled cutlery that hung in the entrance and acted as a wind chime, a figurative piece made from mud, screen printed flags and banners, and a withy image of an Olympic swimmer to swim with her moveable arms and legs up the high street in the parade.

The school also organised a photographic exhibition that was held over two days. Members of the community were invited to submit photographs on the theme of playtime. The exhibition was open to the public and hosted in the school hall.

On Lafrowda Day the children and staff gathered with their families to carry the Olympic swimmer through the streets and the children performed their ‘synchronised swim’ and cheerleading every time the parade stopped. Everyone agreed it was our best one yet!

Probus CP School- Artsmark Gold

Probus school has been creating an infectious buzz around the school and inspiring involvement with a focus on music projects.

The choir now has over seventy enthusiastic children who have been involved in many local events including a performance at Truro Cathedral, the St Austell Speech and Music Festival and singing workshops with the Pearl of Africa Choir, who recently visited. The choir also made an excellent recording on the now very popular song, Hallelujah. This recording was sent to Pirate FM and was broadcasted over the Christmas period (better than Alexandra Burke’s we think!).

‘Funky Music’ is a vibrant brass ensemble consisting of five very talented children under the tutorage of Tony King. They wrote a jazz piece that was recorded at the VIP Studio in Penzance, and is ready to be released as a CD- they even designed the CD cover and are willing to make promotional visits!

A new and exciting venture has begun in 2009: Probus School of Rock. This ‘school’ is for all aspiring musicians wanting to learn about music and the music industry. Once again, Tony King is inspiring these sessions with musical offerings from electric guitars to drums, and saxophones to flutes – there are also staff contributions of violins, piano and the Chair of Governors on the double bass!

Lanivet School- Artsmark Silver
Using the Arts to cover PPA time

For all schools the position of providing PPA is an issue which needs to be addressed in an economically viable manner whilst also ensuring provision enhances children’s learning.

For the last three years at Lanivet School we have used a dance / drama specialist to provide a day of cover across four classes for the entire Spring term. This delivers half of the teachers’ PPA but more importantly delivers lessons to a standard beyond what our own staff could achieve.

For KS2 the focus of lessons leads to the production of a pantomime at the end of the term. These have been very well received with audiences of around 250 attending to watch the 65 children taking part.

Benefits to the children are obvious; all have the confidence to take part whether singing, dancing, acting or overacting to the delight of the audience. As a school with over 10% ethnic minorities a further benefit we have seen is the participation of this group in activities outside of the school day. This is a turn around and one which has made the school more inclusive of all cultures.

Teachers have used some of their PPA time to observe the lessons and gain additional ideas and further their own professional development.

This is certainly a strategy we will continue to use in future years.

 

Mounts Bay School- Artsmark Gold

Mounts Bay School worked with the Sorrell Foundation recently as part of the ‘Joinedupdesignforschools’ project, and were partnered with the architect Phinn Menasseh. As in all ‘Joinedupdesign’ projects, students formed the client team and decided upon their ideal learning space as a new building to design. This gave birth to the concept of “the Qube”. It is a building with both gallery spaces with video production and animation suites, and a downstairs, which provides performance and screening spaces.

Les Hall, Deputy Headteacher says, “Their idea was to build a series of spaces which could be intimate, or open; spaces which could be social or working spaces; which could be indoor or outdoor. With the Qube they have designed just this – a building which is truly flexible in nature, and a pleasure to learn in.”

The Qube is now fully used both during and out of school hours for film screenings and dance sessions for the whole of Penwith. The school has set up a Film Club for students across Penwith, and runs both formal classes such as the Creative and Media Diploma alongside informal gatherings like ‘YouQube” where students share their favourite short films.

Pensans Community Primary School- Artsmark Gold
Pensans Samba

The rhythms of South America have been filling the hall at Pensans Community Primary School this year, bringing sunshine and carnival to the far West of Cornwall. For the last year our Year 3 and 4 have been taking part in weekly vast (and very loud!) percussion workshops delivered by Ross Hamilton from the Music Service. The skills acquired by the children have ranged from reading music to performing a variety of complicated six part rhythms for audiences on the exotically named agogos, repiques, surdos, tambours, ganzas and caixa.

The year culminated in a true samba fashion when the children got the crowds swaying as they marched through Penzance on Mazey Day. This was a real test of their skills, not only keeping the rhythm going but parading as they did so. Special credit has to go to those children carrying the large surdos which would test the strength of a grown up!

The success of the year's workshops and the enthusiasm from both parents and children has inspired the school to extend the opportunity to Years 5 and 6 as part of their PPA activities. Both teachers and teaching assistants have increased confidence in delivering music to the pupils, and there has been greater up-take of individual music lessons, further establishing Pensans Community School's reputation for exciting and stimulating arts!

Falmouth School- Artsmark Gold

In September the Tall Ship Regatta came to Falmouth. This was a major event for the town centre, happening once every ten years, drawing in thousands of locals and visitors from all over the world. Year 10 Art students from Falmouth school were involved producing large scale flags to decorate the town during this prestigious event. Working alongside an artist and a community group, students undertook design, image manipulation and screen printing to produce the colourful and creative flags which adorned the town during the event.

As well as the Tall Ships displays, Falmouth school were involved with the Falmouth Lights Parade making lanterns themselves, supporting local primary schools in workshops and the school jazz band opened the evening event.