Creative Learning raises standards

15 Jan 2010

Creative learning practices in schools are improving standards and pupils' personal development according to Ofsted's latest report, 'Learning: creative approaches that raise standards'. Ofsted visited 44 schools for the report and found that almost all were using creative approaches which had a "perceptible and positive impact on pupils' personal development and on their preparation for life beyond school". Schools in challenging circumstances showed the greatest improvements in pupils' ability across a range of key areas. This was confirmed by considering inspection reports from 180 more schools.

Eighteen of the schools visited are Creative Partnerships schools. Ofsted remarks that Creative Partnerships schools have seen "notable improvements in their levels of achievement and in measurable aspects of personal development, such as attendance"; while school leaders were confident about the value of the programme and its impact on teaching and learning. One secondary school saw "a marked rise in attainment, from only 9% of students gaining five or more A* to C grades at GCSE, including English and mathematics, in 2005 to 34% in 2007".

Commenting on the report, Paul Collard, Chief Executive of Creativity, Culture and Education (CCE), the organisation which manages Creative Partnerships, said: "We are pleased that the report recognises what we see in schools every day: that creative approaches to learning raise attainment levels, improve attendance and increase pupil motivation particularly for schools in challenging circumstances. We also welcome the recognition that a creative approach can make a real difference in core subjects such as maths. The introduction of artists and creative professionals to support teaching, of maths and science in particular, has been hugely beneficial especially for students who have had difficulty in these areas in the past.

"The work of Creative Partnerships, the government's creative learning programme, is recognised positively in the report - in particular the confidence of school leaders in the value of the programme to their work. Independent research reinforces this confidence, showing that young people who attended Creative Partnerships activities made, on average the equivalent of 2.5 grades better progress in GCSE and an educationally significant impact in the reduction of truancy*. To date Creative Partnerships has impacted on nearly 1 million pupils in England but we would like the benefits of creative learning to be experienced by all children across the country."

Creative Partnerships has worked with nearly 5,000 schools across England, from Key Stage 1 to 4. The programme fosters innovative long-term partnerships between schools and creative professionals, including artists, performers, architects, multimedia developers and scientists. These partnerships inspire young people, teachers and creative professionals to challenge how they work and experiment with new ideas.