Since 2013 Starcatchers has been funded by the Scottish Government to work with Early Years practitioners and teachers across the country to help them feel, and be, more creative. Our Creative Skills training is transforming practice and changing lives, empowering educators and reminding them what their jobs are really about.

Starcatchers is delighted to launch our bespoke level 7, 24 credit point qualification Creative Skills in Early Childhood Practice, in partnership with Glasgow Kelvin College.  Applications are now open for the course beginning in January 2017.

Why are the Arts and Creativity so Important?

The importance of creativity is at the centre of Scottish Government policies and guidelines: from Curriculum for Excellence and HGIOELC, the UNCRC, GIRFEC and EYC/RAFA, there is a strong emphasis on the voice of the child, the importance of child-centred approaches, involving children in decision making and shaping their own learning.

Creativity and Attainment

There is a wealth of evidence proving the arts and creative approaches boost attainment in literacy and numeracy, support healthy development and wellbeing, and are particularly effective when working with our most vulnerable children. There is agreement across the board that creativity is a good thing, but in practical terms it’s not always easy to put that knowledge into practice.

In 2017, through our online Creative Community, Starcatchers will be supporting settings who are interested in using improvement methodology to measure the impact of creative approaches.

To apply for the qualification and register for our Creative Community please visit http://creative-community.starcatchers.org.uk/training-opportunities/

To find out more about Starcatchers please visit http://www.starcatchers.org.uk/