Tag Archives: Partnerships

CLD, Education News, Fife

Inspectors find excellent examples of Curriculum for Excellence implementation at Queen Anne High School, Dunfermline and in its learning community

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Queen Anne High School in Dunfermline, Fife and the learning community around the school have achieved outstanding evaluations in two separate reports by HM Inspectors published by Education Scotland today.

Queen Anne High School has become one of the few secondary schools in Scotland to receive evaluations of nothing less than ‘excellent’ and ‘very good’ from inspectors since the issue of updated guidelines by Education Scotland that reflect the increased expectations now applying as a result of the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence.  At the same time, the learning community has been evaluated as ‘very good’ in all four quality indicators used nationally to monitor the quality of learning communities

The report about the Queen Anne’s learning community states:

  • Learners are achieving very well across the community, becoming more confident and active, and increasing their life chances.
  • Performance reporting is well-embedded, with robust reporting systems that demonstrate that CLD is achieving most targets.
  • Young people are achieving well through a good range of learning programmes.
  • Work with parents is well-established, with a strong focus on early intervention.
  • CLD providers are supporting a range of community groups that are achieving well.
  • CLD partners are working well together to improve the quality of services.
  • Partnership self-evaluation is leading to improvements.
  • There are good arrangements for workforce development.

The inspection found the following key strengths within the Queen Anne learning community:

  • Highly developed partnerships and positive collaborative working.
  • Continuous improvement which is embedded in practice.
  • Innovative professional learning leading to well‑trained and highly motivated staff.
  • Joint reviewing and planning with partners.
  • Well‑targeted provision for young people, adults and community groups which is improving life chances.

Read more by clicking here

CfE, Dundee, Research, Teachers

V&A at Dundee Teachers’ Survey

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The V&A at Dundee invites primary and secondary school teachers from across Scotland to take part in a survey which will help them shape their education programme for the organisation.

V&A at Dundee’s aim is to offer a programme which will encourage interdisciplinary practice and learning, covering a wide range of Curriculum for Excellence areas.  For example, a session looking at Hollywood Costume might discuss the use of costume design to represent particular faiths and debate issues of potential stereotyping, or how people of different faiths are represented in film genres. A session looking at Green Design would explore moral issues about climate change and sustainability.

If you’d like to participate through the online survey, please click on the following link: http://www.snapsurveys.com/swh/surveylogin.asp?k=136327212796&SCE=3

If clicking on the link does not work, please copy and paste the address into your browser.

Education News, South Lanarkshire

Calderglen High School – Excellent example of CfE

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Inspectors find excellent example of Curriculum for Excellence implementation at Calderglen High School

Calderglen High School in East Kilbride has become the first secondary school in Scotland to have its curriculum evaluated as ‘excellent’ by inspectors since the issue of updated guidelines by Education Scotland which reflect the increased expectations now applying as a result of the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence up to S3.  The school was inspected in November 2012.

The inspection of Calderglen found the following key strengths:

  • The invaluable contribution of partnerships and innovation.
  • The school’s holistic approach to health and wellbeing.
  • The impact of leadership at all levels across the school.
  • The outstanding leadership of the headteacher.
  • A community which works together to inspire learners and shape their future.

Tony McDaid, Headteacher, said ‘As a school community, we are delighted with such a highly positive report. We believe it reflects the commitment, drive and creative approaches which are pursued to achieve the very best for all of our pupils.’

For further information click on the following link:

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/inspectionandreview/reports/irpressreleases/irprcalderglenhighschool191212.asp

Funding

‘Start’ funding for arts organisations to engage with schools

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The Prince’s Foundation for Children and the Arts is inviting cultural institutions across the UK to apply to the Start programme.

Start is a grant-giving programme set up by The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts to enable schoolchildren to experience the very best of the arts by introducing them to their local cultural venue.

Start provides funding and support to arts organisations to foster long-lasting relationships between arts venues and their local schools in deprived areas. At the heart of Start is our desire to make cultural venues accessible for a new generation.

Start partners with projects that work within the following broad framework to engage young people with all aspects of the arts:
·         Introducing young people to the arts;
·         Inspiring them to learn more;
·       Enhancing their experience through critical analysis and participation; and
·         Encouraging them to Create their own art.

Children and the Arts is looking to recruit new partners for the 2013/14 academic year.  We are seeking passionate and committed organisations to work with us to develop and deliver Start to primary and secondary school students in their local area.  Our aim, and that of our partners, is that pupils will develop the confidence and enthusiasm to continue their engagement with their local cultural venue beyond the life of the project.

Please read the application guidelines for arts partners before applying.
You can download the Stage 1 application form from this link or from our website.

The deadline for completed Stage One Applications is 5pm on Thursday 31st January.

For more information please visit www.childrenandarts.org.uk/start

Music, Partnerships, Scottish Borders

New community music project inspired by St Abb’s Head

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Local communities across the Scottish Borders will join forces at Eyemouth Primary School on 14 November as part of a new community project celebrating nature, heritage and music in the area.

The St Abb’s Head Music Project is a collaboration between the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO), the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) and Scottish Borders Council Youth Music Initiative. Over the past five months, school pupils and local residents have been working with composer Howard Moody and SCO musicians to write music inspired by the land and seascape around the popular St Abb’s Head National Nature Reserve and St Abb’s Head Voluntary Marine Reserve.

45 pupils from Eyemouth and Coldingham Primary Schools and members of both the Eyemouth Fishermen’s Choir and Mission Crew have created songs based on the NTS site.

The project is part of a wider programme in which Howard Moody has been commissioned to write a new piece for the SCO that celebrates the significance of St Abb’s Head. His as-yet-untitled work will be informed by the creative work of both the children and the choirs from in and around Eyemouth.

The commission will be premiered as part of the SCO’s annual summer tour to the South of Scotland in May 2012, with performances in Duns (24 May) and Galashiels (25 May).

Work began in May with the pupils visiting the site to record sounds of the area: from these recordings they created ‘Sonic Postcards’, with contemporary music organisation Sound and Music. These postcards combine recorded sounds with words to create a ‘sound postcard’ of the area. Using the Sonic Postcards as a starting point, the pupils and Howard Moody have written songs together inspired by the site.
The Fishermen’s Choir and Mission Crew have also been hard at work rehearsing a new song written especially for them by Howard Moody. The song, Waimie Carr, is based on the rock of the same name in St Abb’s Bay and was created following a discussion Howard had with keen local historian Rennie Weatherhead about the area.

The new works will be performed at an informal gathering of parents and members of the community at Eyemouth Primary School on 14 November, accompanied by an ensemble of SCO musicians.

SCO Connect Project Officer Kirsten Hunter said: “Being part of the process of bringing together the two ends of the age spectrum in this intergenerational project has been an inspiration for SCO Connect. It has been wonderful project to be involved in, and the pupils and choirs have created some fantastic music. This is the first time we have worked with the National Trust for Scotland and it has been a real collaboration and sharing of ideas between the two national organisations. The support the project has received from Scottish Borders Arts Development Team has been tremendous and greatly appreciated.”

Sandra Morrison, Learning Manager NTS added, “Working together on the St Abbs project, it is clear that the SCO and NTS have developed a first-rate partnership.  Add to that the support of a forward-thinking local authority, Scottish Borders Council, and the collaboration blossoms into something very special. For the NTS we have found a new and creative way to raise awareness of the uniqueness of St Abbs, with its coastal and marine nature reserves.  Using music as a means to share our knowledge of this wonderful place and to encourage others to enjoy it and support our work has been invigorating.  Watching the different generations coming together to share their experiences has been incredibly rewarding and I am really looking forward to hearing Howard Moody’s composition next year, when we again have another opportunity to talk about St Abbs and all it has to offer us as humans, as well as the birds and wildlife”.

Councillor Graham Garvie, Executive Member for Culture, Sport and Community Learning at Scottish Borders Council, said: “We are very grateful to Creative Scotland’s Youth Music Initiative for funding which has enabled local pupils to be involved in this unique project.  It is very exciting that they are working with renowned composer Howard Moody and the SCO musicians to produce a piece of music that SCO will take on tour with them.”

CLN News, Local Authorities, Shetland

Shetland CLN – creative learning through dance and visual arts

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The Creative Learning Network is the opportunity for artists, school staff and community based staff to come together for inspiration on new creative learning experiences to inform their practice. These fun sessions have a bit of chat but also offer hands on practical exercises. All welcome.

The  session held in partnership with Shetland Arts is on 28 November at Bonhoga Gallery. It will give everyone a chance to hear from an artist featured in the current exhibition and dancer John Morris who has put together a dance unit for non dance teachers. There will also be a chance to make something for Christmas with artist Chloe Garrick and have an exclusive look at the Christmas Exhibition. A fun informal creative learning opportunity!

Title: Cold Hands Warm Heart
Date:28 November
Place: Bonhoga Gallery
Time: 4.30-6.30
Refreshments; tea, coffee,treats
Activity: make something for christmas
Speakers: Artist from exhibition, John Morris dancer & Clair Aldington, Shetland Arts
Cost: FREE
How to book: contact   Noelle Henderson, Creative Links Officer, Children’s Services Noelle.henderson@shetland.gov.uk 01595 744013

Argyll & Bute, East Dunbartonshire, Edinburgh, Learning Exchange, Local Authorities, NCLN

Creative Learning Exchange – Gateshead

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The first gathering of the National Creative Learning Network (NCLN) took place in Gateshead/Newcastle on 12 and 13 September 2011. A group of  21 Creative Learning Networks (CLN) coordinators and partners from across Scotland met for two days of sharing, networking and inspiration.

The focus of our meeting was to look at networks: What makes a network work? How do you know? How can a network have an impact? What works well? What doesn’t?

Initially the group met with Creative Partnerships leaders from the North East to hear about their work and how networks have developed in the region, their own resulting in the Creative Exchange event. We heard how Argyll & Bute, East Dunbartonshire and Edinburgh are developing their Creative Learning Networks, which provided the stimulus for discussion around the CLN programme, covering issues such as engaging participants; timescales; supporting arts practitioners; working with schools, developing a shared language and  understanding of creativity  and how the NCLN can best impact on creative practice in Scotland. At the end of the day, we met Katherine Zeserson, Director of Learning and Participation at the Sage, Gateshead to learn about the region’s Bridge Programme, which aims to create a coherent and focused arts and culture offer for young people.

On Tuesday, the group attended Creative Exchange – Arts, Culture and Learning, at the Sage, Gateshead, which celebrated the arts and learning partnerships carried out through the North East’s Creative Partnership programmes. This event presented a great opportunity for sharing practice, meeting new contacts and professional dialogue around the power of creativity across learning.