1. Background
1.1 The programme stems from a successful pilot DFES funded scheme in 5 schools within Dudley and Walsall LEA during summer 2000. This new NOF scheme is under the umbrella of the West Midland Arts Education Partnership (a consortium of 14 LEA’s) and is co-ordinated by Dudley LEA. An original application for 40 schools was expanded to incorporate 120 Primary schools over 4 years with total funding of £570,000 – the scheme covers 10 schools this year (Dudley and Walsall), to increase to 30/40 per year for the next 3 years (all 14 LEA’s).
2. Key Idea
2.1 Creativity is seen as the key to unlocking individual potential. Each summer school has a resident professional artist, teacher and classroom assistant with 24 children.
2.2 Each group works as a “team of experts” to produce a unique permanent piece of artwork/installation in the school. The impact of both the experience (process) and the longer term effect of the installation (product) are seen as significant for the individual and the group.
“When back in school in September each child from the project can be the expert, an interpreter in a gallery for the rest of the school” – Alison Haynes, Project Director.
3. Aims/Objectives
3.1 The strategy, aims and objectives of the Impact Project are comprehensively covered in the documentation outlining the scheme. The key elements were expressed as follows…
3.2 The overall aim is to affect children’s learning at the end of Year 5, in preparation for their final and vital year in Primary school. Disaffected and/or vulnerable pupils are targeted for inclusion in each project.
The objectives are threefold:
Attainment – by treating the children as “experts” with continually high expectations the outcomes will reflect that and have an impact on future work in school.
Attitudes – the extended time with adults on such a concentrated project will affect their approach to relationships and their perception of themselves as individuals.
Attendance – a positive experience will lead to higher attendance rates for full time schooling.
3.3 Other secondary objectives were pointed out by the Chairman of the Steering Group (Lindsay Newton, Head of Development for Dudley LEA) and the Project Director (Alison Haynes) and these included:
The professional development for teachers by working with a professional artist.
The development of partnership working across a sub-region.
4. Organisation
4.1 An initial presentation to the school from the project team explains the philosophy and operation of the scheme. The schools are provided with the artist, specimen invitation letters and consent forms on disk, a clear outline of roles and responsibilities, an evaluation methodology and further back-up as required. A joint half day’s preparatory training is provided for the artists, teachers and assistants a month before the summer school.
4.2 A key element is the way in which a live website (www.impactmag.net) is used during the project to explain and display the work of each school. Each school will also have an official opening of the “installation” to coincide with Family Learning Week in October.
4.3 Various external agencies are involved. The Red House Glass Cone and Walsall Art Gallery were venues for the first day. Crayola sponsor some of the materials and Trilby Multimedia are commissioned for the website design and management.
5. Case Study 1 – Christ Church Primary, Walsall
5.1 The observation was for the second day of the 5 day project, with 18 children from mainly Year 5, some Year 4 (23 expected - 3 withdrew, 2 absent but to return).
5.2 The staff were the artist, a teacher and a classroom assistant from the school. The group had spent the first day with other groups at Walsall Art Gallery. The artist had identified the theme of “The world we live in” and the children had chosen to work in groups round their themes of gadgets, fashion, cities and travel.
5.3 The sessions involved a high degree of decision making by the children prompted by extensive open ended questions and by the end of the day each group had developed a “picture language“ to represent their chosen theme. These were drawn on to card in linear form using two colours of drawing ink and then a wash, in preparation for mounting on pillars. Techniques were explained before each session and all staff encouraged the children. The expressed project belief that the children can work as experts was particularly evident in the approach of the artist as he made it obvious that he valued all contributions. The day ended with a discussion of the work done, the objects that the children were going to bring in for the next day and reference to the website which the children clearly were interested in.
5.4 The artist, teacher, classroom assistant and 3 children were interviewed.
Tony Philips, the artist comments …”This project allows them to see Art as a method of being empowered. So far I think that they have overcome a creative mental difficulty that all children have, to free themselves up about how to invent images. By the end of the project I hope/feel that they will have made something very special to them as individuals and as a group – a testimony to the creative spirit”.
5.5. The teacher described the challenges that many of the children faced and the way in which the school had targeted some disaffected children and those who they thought would most benefit.
She comments … “The work that they are producing will undoubtedly raise their self-esteem. The level of concentration and the quality of the work has shown me that the extended time on Art pays off – having the professional artist has made all the difference”.
5.6 The classroom assistant was also convinced of the value of the project and particularly mentioned the impact that she thought the “shrine “ would have in September when the rest of the school returns. It was interesting that the group had developed their own identity and referred to themselves as “The Arty Crew”.
5.7 The children were focussed and evidently enjoying what they were doing …
”It’s good to have a long time at something – it doesn’t finish like a lesson.”
“It’s not just Art you know, it’ll increase our imagination to write stories – like I might do a gadget story like James Bond”.
“The Gallery was good – it was your decision what was good or not – not just him giving off thinking of himself”.
5.8 Reference to the “Impact” website the following week has indeed shown the progress made during the final 3 days of the summer school and the impressive installation created in the school.
6. Case Study 2 – Beauty Bank Primary School, Stourbridge (Dudley)
6.1 The observation was for the third day of the 5 day project with18 children from mainly Year 5, some Year 4 ( 24 expected – 1 withdrew, 2 ill, 3 absent to return). The staff were the artist, a teacher and classroom assistant from the school. The group had spent the first day with another group at the Red House Glass Cone, a newly opened museum.
6.2 The project was planned round the horsetail plant – an intriguing idea that involved looking at the way in which the plant had grown millions of years ago and formed the local coal deposits, a study of the structure of the plant today and a story of a horse in the eighteenth century ( a “Horse Tale” – note the play on words) told round a lighted fire. The artwork sprang from these stimulii e.g. plaster casts that the children had taken then made up from the Glass Cone and charcoal work using the horsetails as a scourer.
6.3 The first observed session involved the children looking carefully at their own horsetail plant with a magnifying glass – skilful use of open-ended questions and prompts from the artist led to the children discovering detailed features of the plant and reflecting on the texture and sounds associated with it. This was then followed up with drawings of the plant which were based on their research.
6.4 Use was made of outside speakers – a coalman delivering coal on the second day and a speaker from Dudley Museum on the third day who brought horsetail fossils with him – the children were fascinated by the latter and asked many questions. This session provided the stimulus for the afternoon 3D work with clay – each child producing a piece that had to link in to their neighbour’s piece, which obviously involved negotiation and teamwork within the group.
6.5 The installation was planned as a “fire” made up of the casts, 3D work in clay and a cooking pot with horsetails – later reference to the “Impact” website indeed confirmed this outcome.
6.6 The artist, teacher, classroom assistant and 3 children were interviewed.
Jo Naden, the artist comments…”The project is a process of discovery – they are the scientists or the artists. It’s a way to ask questions and experience moments of insight. Success will be getting the children to realise the uniqueness of their experience of something which is equally valid. They will have made their own story within a fire”.
6.7 The teacher confirmed the challenging nature of the group. Within the group there was a high percentage of single parent families, reconstituted families and a significant number from larger families. Some are disruptive in school and the project was seen as successfully channelling their energies. Some children are shy and withdrawn in the school environment and the project was perceived as affecting their attitude – “ I’ve never seen **** smile before – watching her today, she actually smiled, she usually scowls. Many are disaffected and I think they will feel special when they see the finished product in the Quad”.
6.8 The classroom assistant was equally convinced of the value of the project ….”I work with this year group and I knew they would benefit – it’ll raise their self-esteem which is rock-bottom. The hands-on approach, particularly at the Glass Cone, is great”.
6.9 The children had plainly enjoyed the experience ….”It’s fun and it’s good to do Art for so long – the radio controlled fossil was great” “I’m looking forward to the party on Sunday when it’s all finished – I’ll be sad to leave it”.
7 Evaluation and Monitoring
7.1 A detailed and thorough monitoring and evaluation structure is in place. Details of attendance, ethnicity etc is collated both during and at the conclusion of the project and published on the Dudley LEA website. An evaluation system is in place for all staff with questionnaires to form a bank of evidence which will inform the development of the project in years 2-4. Visits to the school after a lapse of time will also be used to judge the long- term impact of the summer school on the cohort involved.
8 Finance
8.1 The NOF grant is approximately 90% of expenditure with the rest as in kind support from LEA Officer and Administrative Section, use of school accommodation and some resources from the schools.
9 Meeting Needs
9.1 The “Impact” project is clearly meeting a range of needs.
9.2 Each of the summer schools visited was providing a stimulating activity and focus for groups of children who are at a crucial stage of their education. Pupils targeted were those who were particularly vulnerable or disaffected. The experience of the 5 days had its own impact but the longer term benefits with the installation as a point of reference could be crucial to some children as they go through Year 6.
9.3 Working with a professional artist for 5 days was significant professional development for the teachers and classroom assistants.
9.4 The concept and successful operation of using the website “live” during the summer schools, the joint first day with a group of schools at a Museum/Art Gallery and the inter-LEA dimension means that the impact of the project is not confined to the school sites. Some of the benefits are not compartmentalised but shared.
10 Future Plans
10.1 Where problems were encountered this year, such as in one school where tension between staff over a confusion of roles was endangering the success of the particular school project, the Project Co-ordinator was to intervene the following morning to resolve the problem. Such action was seen as essential to safeguard the success of that experience for those children but also to ensure the long-term success and sustainability of the whole scheme.
10.2. The project will run over 4 years with 120 schools and this year 10 schools have been involved. The schools will not be eligible to have a second “Impact” summer school but each of the schools will be supported in applying for an “Awards for All” grant to continue provision. The same model/concept could be followed and there is local advice and an artist database available.
10.3 The expansion of the scheme raises an issue of the extent of quality experiences from professional artists and their existence in adequate numbers. The project team are aware that there is a possible need to train artists who have not worked in education before.
10.4 The preparatory training session with the artists, teachers and assistants was clearly important and valued by the staff and was a key part of the planning and preparation of the scheme. More time than the half day allowed would give greater opportunity for the artist to discuss with the staff his/her aspirations and also more time for the artist to be aware of the context in which he/she is working. One of the artist comments…..
“There was a lot to fit in for one session. It would have been beneficial to have had more time specifically with the school and those involved to look at things in closer detail.… to work on the implications of the stimulus and how it fitted with the school. It’s hard for teachers to know my expectations and on occasions when I’m working with a child it’s hard to focalise the whole group”.
11 Conclusion
11.1 This is an innovative and exciting project whose key idea (see before) was being realised in the schemes observed, with significant effects on the children taking part.
11.2 The vision had been carefully thought through and followed up by effective planning and management of this first year of the scheme. (1/8/02)
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NFER EVALUATION REPORT
