Children becoming co-constructors of their own learning at Welcombe Hills Special School
"We want to enable pupils with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) to be co-constructors of their own curriculum. Our focus is to enhance the creative skill set of our staff so they in turn can increase the creative learning skills of these young people."
-Jean Langdon, Assistant Headteacher
The project focused on sensory drama in the first year, music in the second and is currently based in the art department. In music, the project explored how skills, both classical and technological, can widen the skill set of staff and increase effective communication with pupils, while in drama it explored how to build on existing knowledge and support pupils in sharing their knowledge with other groups in the school.
Using previous ad hoc relationships, the school worked with Orchestra of the Swan and two audio visual artists from the Birmingham Symphony Hall education team to deliver the project. The artists worked alongside the school’s music staff to explore creative ways to engage and stimulate communication in many forms from pupils with PMLD and more able pupils in KS2, KS3 and KS4. The school's creative agent attended each session as a documenter and project manager to aid pupil-led learning and reflective practice.
For example, pupils with PMLD experienced listening to rhythms associated with their names. Year 5 pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorder wrote their own song about ‘Choccy Derrick’ and created a piece of animation about ‘Snowy McSnowy’.
KS3 combined art with music and in one activity, drew lines on paper reflecting the mood of the music they were listening to. The musicians played music to reflect the mood and speed of their movement. KS4 pupils made a DVD of their school, 'Superstar Six', an inspirational piece of work in which the students flew round school on a magic carpet visiting different classes.
The artists planned with the music team and other school staff and reflected on pupil learning and engagement after every session. Pupils were encouraged to reflect and express opinions on their work.
The school was genuinely committed to the research ethos and so observational and communication skills have been paramount and time invested to make sure all lessons are learned and the impact sustained for the long term.
Impact
As well as other qualitative reviews of the project, progress against the pupils Creative Individual Education Plan was recorded and pupils were asked to reflect on their learning at the end of each session. Findings included:
- Pupils are more confident and will engage in creative activities - they are able to communicate their feelings and emotions in different ways;
- Comprehensive documenting has helped with moving forward learning for each individual and their separate needs;
- Children have developed skills in animation, lyric writing, recording, using a microphone, filming, fitting words to music and gained confidence in the class environment;
- Lesson observation of all classes involved in the project scored outstanding;
- Teachers talked about the impact the project has had on their teaching styles;
- Teaching Assistants in classes recognised the importance of child-led learning;
- It has had a profound effect on the staff’s understanding of creative problem solving.
Feedback
"Pupils are more confident and willing to engage in creative activities... They are able to communicate their feelings and emotions in different ways."
"The project has had a profound effect on the staff’s understanding of creative problem solving."
"The children not only enjoyed learning and repeating new vocabulary specific to music and music technology, but they worked with the expressive quality of language away from content, for example, how does communication intention differ if you express the same word; slowly, staccato, loudly, softly etc."
"The project was truly centred on children and creativity – the use of technology was driven by what it was the children wanted to achieve."
"There was a strong sense of ownership and genuine pupil voice."
"The children exhibited no stress whatsoever during the end of project sharing... it was really their own."
"Parents at the sharing were genuinely moved by what their children had achieved."
If you are interested in this project and would like to find out more about this and other projects, please visit www.cre8us.org.uk
