Promoting a creative curriculum and achieving …

1 ResourceResearch Associate Summary ReportJudith AshleyDeputy Head, Park View Junior School, BasingstokePromoting a creative curriculumand achieving high standardsPrimary leadership considerationsSpring 2010 IntroductionThe development of a revised nationalprimary curriculum is likely to raisequestions for school leaders about howits introduction will best be led and itsaims upheld. This study set out toexplore in a small sample of schoolsresponses to the question, How doschools provide a creative , cross-curricular, skills-based curriculum andachieve high standards? . The elementswithin this question strongly resonatewith what the revised curriculum hasset out to achieve through its emphasison areas of learning and the essentialsfor learning and life.

2 The central place ofcreativity is indeed stated very clearly inEd Balls s remit letter to Sir Jim Rose(DCSF 2009: 142): It must provide all pupils with a broadand balanced entitlement to learningwhich encourages creativity andinspires in them a commitment tolearning that will last a lifetime. It is hoped that this study s findings,while based on a small sample, mightaid school leaders in considering someof the key leadership componentsrequired in establishing and sustainingsuch a initial questionnaire was sent to 10primary schools in North Hampshirebased on knowledge of their cross-curricular approach and identification ofhigh standards as measured by SATS attainment. From this initialquestionnaire, three case study schoolswere identified for further research.

3 Thiscomprised separate semi-structuredinterviews with the headteacher and asenior leader with key responsibility forcurriculum leadership, alongside alearning-focused tour of each questionnaire responses andinterviews identified the following sixkey features of sustaining a successfulcreative curriculum and achieving highstandards:1. Establishing a clear curriculumvision Creativity is vital to enable children toachieve high standards. By beingcreative children learn to think forthemselves, become adaptable andlearn key skills for life. It plays animportant part in the curriculum bymotivating and engaging the childrenand enabling them to become moreindependent and confident learners.

4 (headteacher)The schools visions, while developedwith staff, were nevertheless stronglyreflective of the headteachers perspectives on what effective primaryyears learning should comprise. A keyrole for the headteacher was workingwith existing staff to secure a whole-school understanding and approach, aswell as recruiting teachers who wouldbe supportive of it. Key emphaseswithin these curriculum visions were: Skills development:embedding learning and curriculum skills that children would likely need in later life. Cross-curricular links that encourage creativity:establishing links that require children to use their learning and skills imaginativelywithin applied contexts. Meeting children s needs and interests: an inclusive approach in which children are able to receive appropriate challenge the use of intervention strategies for children who are underperforming or need additional support.

5 For example in one school 23 different support groups for children were used involving learning support assistants, senior leaders, a play therapist and community volunteers responding to children s interests, for example a projecton flight for a class with a high proportion of boys gauging children s starting points and empowering them to influence what they would like to learn about and to exercise appropriate choice having an outcome that is motivating for Supporting staff learning All together we are making thedifference by sharing good practice andworking together. (headteacher)There was a strong emphasis on theheadteacher and other senior leadersleading by example and establishingstructures that would support curriculumdevelopment and reinforce itsprinciples, for example through.

6 Enabling the sharing of ideas suchas through providing PPA (planning,preparation and assessment) timeon the same day for year teams, orin one case, the whole school Promoting thinking and dialogueabout the curriculum oneheadteacher spoke of staff being atan intellectual activity level thatenabled them to effectively developcreative approaches senior leaders modelling theexpected curriculum approach withstaff in classes such as through co-planning, teaching and reviewing senior staff delivering curriculumINSET3. Enabling professional autonomyThis involved empowering staff to planand organise learning to meet theirchildren s needs within a framework ofaccountability, for example: co-planning might be developedwithin a year team but wassubsequently adapted by individualteachers to meet their particularclass s needs as the curriculum changes and develops teachers have the autonomy to make any changes they feel would benefit their children4.

7 Securing accountability Maintaining a culture of expectation senior leaders expected thecorporate approach to be used andmonitored planning, challengingstaff if expectations were not met. Monitoring pupil progress in coresubjects through regularprogrammed meetings between theheadteacher and each classteacherinforming intervention planningwhere required. Using teaching and learningresponsibility (TLR) posts in oneinstance to promote developmentswithin the curriculum . Whole-school moderation of Engaging othersFor example,Parents: communicating the curriculumthrough regular written materialssuch as curriculum newsletters inviting parental contribution withinand outside school providing opportunities for parentsto be an audience for learningGovernors: Promoting dialogue with governorsto ensure they share the curriculumphilosophy and encouraging visits tosee this in action6.

8 Creating and maintaining an open,supportive school cultureThose interviewed highlighted theimportance of whole-school culturalelements that underpinned theirschools work, including: a belief in the importance of thecreative curriculum positive relationships and a beliefthat all can achieve good communication with allstakeholders valuing of individuals contributions encouraging independence andresponsibility in all high expectations of allConclusionThe clear message from the leaders inthese schools was that high standardsresult from an emphasis on creative ,cross-curricular and skills-based learning,engendering an enjoyment of learningbut with a rigorous emphasis on skillsdevelopment and progress.

9 Central to itsachievement was the role ofheadteachers and other senior leaders inestablishing and sustaining thecurriculum model, securingaccountability but empowering teachersto shape provision to meet children approach strongly reflects the threecore elements of learning-centredleadership (NCSL 2004): monitoring,modelling and dialogue. Those inleadership positions engaged strongly inmonitoring and modelling practice andengaged in regular dialogue with stafffocused on practice and this was the development ofa positive whole-school culture. Incombination, these features werecentral to their for leadershipHeadteachers and other senior leadersimplementing curriculum development,including the impending introduction ofa new primary national curriculumwhich values creativity, might like toconsider the following: How they will develop a sharedvision for a curriculum that isappropriate for the children theyserve and communicate this to theschool community.

10 How senior and team leaders willmodel curriculum development andsupport its implementation. How structures can facilitate staffworking together, creating dialoguearound creative approaches and thesharing of good practice. How professional autonomy can beempowered so that teachers haveflexibility to match the curriculum totheir children s needs and interests. Which accountability structures canbe used to help secure highstandards. How the school s cultural practiceswill support curriculum developmentand the achievement of publishing Research Associate reports, the National College is offering a voice to practitioner leaders to communicate withtheir colleagues. Individual reports reflect personal views based on evidence-based research and as such are not statementsof National College (Department for Children, Schoolsand Families), 2009, IndependentReview of the Primary curriculum : Finalreport, Nottingham, DCSF PublicationsNCSL (National College for SchoolLeadership), 2004, Learning-centredLeadership, Nottingham, NCSLA cknowledgementsI would like to thank theheadteachers, deputy and assistantheadteachers Barbara Cook, KateFuller, Alison Wyld, Susan Wall, RuthMurray and Bev Ross for all their this summary and the fullreport by website also provides furtherinformation about the programmeincluding.