Project Name: Meadowbrook Moves Forward Organisation/settings: Meadowbrook College Local Authority: Oxfordshire County Council Creative Partner(s) Dionne Barber, Pegasus Theatre Programme Leader: Ros Mengech/Judy Munday Year Group(s) / Young People involved: Years 9,10 & 11 Start Date: November 10End Date: June 11

EnquiryContextThe StoryYoung People’s Creativity Other impacts on young people Adult Learning ChangeLearning from the work Revisiting the Question Next steps “How can we embed the use of the creative arts in our curriculum across our three sites and particularly through the new Arts Learning Centre in Harlow, in order to prepare our students for the next phase in their lives?” To build on our existing Arts Development strategy and on Years One and Two of the Change School programme. We worked with our students in Years 9, 10 and 11 who come from across 3 sites (Harlow, West Bar, The Orchard) and outreach work. We wanted to maximise development of the new Arts Centre and ensure it becomes fully embedded in the ongoing curriculum of the school. We wanted to be using mainly visual arts to aid transformation and to enhance self-expression. We wanted this to result in a shift in thinking and attitudes of not only themselves but also of the environment they live in and their fellow peers. A creative approach will also enable refreshed staff thinking and open up new possibilities for dealing with these challenging young people. By providing a platform for self expression for both students and staff we hope to encourage a more positive learning environment throughout the whole school, to help combat on going negativity that these young people are struggling to deal with in their daily lives.

EnquiryContextThe StoryYoung People’s Creativity Other impacts on young people Adult Learning ChangeLearning from the work Revisiting the Question Next steps Developing self awareness programme, linking with Oxford museums University Museum of Natural History, Pitt Rivers Museum and including creative delivery of other aspects of curriculum eg. Science and English. Creating links for Continued visits. Creating and expressing responses and findings of experiences. Work on Young Ambassadors students and staff using their experiences from museum visits to make Oxford museums more accessible to general public, including friends and family, and to create visual advertisements from their perspectives. Fresh approaches and perspectives from staff and students

EnquiryContextThe StoryYoung People’s Creativity Other impacts on young people Adult Learning ChangeLearning from the work Revisiting the Question Next steps Insert text, images, sounds: Visits to The Museum of Natural History- students were given guided tours, their own worksheets to follow and handled live creatures. Students work in response to museum and identity Visits to Modern Art Oxford Art Gallery. Behind the scenes tour and workshop in response to exhibition Manfred Pernice, where students made interiors Geography session at Westber an deforestation Work at Westbar in response to reflecting on their week and emotions Group painting at the Harlow Centre & changing identity of space into the Art Room and Gallery- VISIONZ Group painting at Westbar Wall painting at Westbar City Scapes Westbar Workskills session at the Harlow Centre Gallery visit to Modern Art Oxford Thomas Houseago Westbar workshop on Thomas Houseago KS 3 Workshops on identity and self reflection Westbar observational drawing workshop “Home” project with KS 3 &4 Portrait workshop with Westbar Whole School Workshop with Adam Griffiths and Dionne Barber at the Harlow Centre Sculpture workshop with Adam Griffiths at Westbar Pegasus Model box session with Dionne Barber GCSE Art Westbar GCSE Art Harlow Centre Artweeks at The Harlow Centre

“I think the new Art space is relaxing and feels safe” (student) “It was good doing a poster for the Natural History Museum and Pitt Rivers, it was good for someone to listen to what I think”(Student R) “I’m enjoying it – I like getting messy and using masks” (student) Support staff, learning mentors, Teachers, and students were involved in the workshops Staff participated in activities alongside students during workshops, so they were equal and experiencing the same issues Over the course of the partnership the identity of the art centre space became more established and respect grew Students began to see the merits of their hard work and commitment Staff became more involved in the Arts through participation, events and challenges being set

EnquiryContextThe StoryYoung People’s Creativity Other impacts on young people Adult Learning ChangeLearning from the work Revisiting the Question Next steps Self Confidence grew Team work and social awareness improved Feeling happy proud of the work produced and wanting to share this with others Being more open to creative thinking Being more open to working in new and challenging ways of working Example- Students visited the Thomas Houseago exhibition at Modern Art oxford and then produced their own sculpture in the artists style “I would say to other people like me to give it a go – you will enjoy it more than you think!” (student)

Students technical ability increased Confidence in taking on challenging tasks and unfamiliar projects Constant dialogue and feedback was respected and recorded Students were given choices and made decisions on what they wanted the session to be like “I enjoyed doing the charcoal and making tape drawing. I’m really proud looking at them on the wall” (student)

EnquiryContextThe StoryYoung People’s Creativity Other impacts on young people Adult Learning ChangeLearning from the work Revisiting the Question Next steps Confidence in using creative approaches Fresh insights in engaging challenging young people Higher levels of motivation Working with someone outside school – artist Analytical skills Team working and planning together Better relationships and respect Developing skills to be able to use creative ways of delivery Instilling confidence in young people “my experience of this has definitely opened my mind more to my surroundings. This will help me in the future” “I have learnt to work as a team, and on a large scale and not worry as much!” “I don’t get stressed out doing art” “Every time break comes I don’t want to leave”

EnquiryContextThe StoryYoung People’s Creativity Other impacts on young people Adult Learning ChangeLearning from the work Revisiting the Question Next steps “ It’s good to be a student for a day” “the freedom of access to materials is brilliant” More confidence in using a variety of media rather than just 2D Progressed approaches- more open to using a number of different materials Become more aware of how to integrate ideas and planning into the School system Finding new ways of engaging with young people

Geography Workshops at Westbar

Whole School Workshop “we now realise what it is to feel afraid and take a risk. We ask our young people to do that on a regular basis”

EnquiryContextThe StoryYoung People’s Creativity Other impacts on young people Adult Learning ChangeLearning from the work Revisiting the Question Next steps The routine of the Art Space is well established The first student to do a full Art GCSE has now got onto a course at Abingdon College and has been put straight into level 2. This Student did not even want to stay in the room for a whole session last year Keeping everyone informed and up to date with activities and plans. Also involve students and staff with all planning “Art spills out into the building and brings calmness and creativity into the school”

“what amazing work from all – such imagination and lovely use of colour!” “Absolutely stunning pieces of artwork – well done!” “Such an air of creativity in the room” Comments by visitors to Art Weeks

EnquiryContextThe StoryYoung People’s Creativity Other impacts on young people Adult Learning ChangeLearning from the work Revisiting the Question Next steps In the future take all students to events rather than people missing out due to preconceptions Dionne would have done more CPD work with staff, and would like to improve on this in the future The Thames Valley Partnership Barnstorming event was really useful for Dionne Barber to give insights to other approaches and practices.

EnquiryContextThe StoryYoung People’s Creativity Other impacts on young people Adult Learning ChangeLearning from the work Revisiting the Question Next steps Working with Pegasus- for staff not to assume which students want to be involved- and to get everybody involved and not let preconceptions stop attendance Through varied and challenging visual activities students can leave School with refreshed thinking; building and gaining new skills, self confidence and a positive attitude. The School now has the arts as a prominent resource for learning and self expression- its permanence is an unexpected and yet natural outcome

The success and importance of the HOME project was unexpected. Artwork produced by Meadowbrook College students was sold to a member of staff from TATE Britain and a Hospital Schools Teacher. The artwork on the bottom right was also used for the private view invitation and sent to hundreds of people.

“Drawings, paintings, photographs and sculpture by young people from Oxford schools, investigating and reflecting on the theme of home. The starting point for the project was the four-storey high wall painting, KIDS, by artist Michael Craig-Martin at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.KIDSMichael Craig-MartinJohn Radcliffe Hospital HOME is led by artist Dionne Barber, and has been developed by Oxfordshire Hospital School in association with Modern Art Oxford and Artlink, the arts programme for Oxford Radcliffe NHS Trust. Schools and colleges participating in the project include St Andrews Primary School, Oxford Spires Academy, Cheney School and Meadowbrook College. The exhibition is sponsored by the charity Bear Givers. Artwork will be for sale to raise funds for the Children’s Hospital.Dionne BarberBear Givers Visit the Additional Resources section to view a selection of artworks produced by students from St Andrews Primary School, Oxford Spires Academy and Meadowbrook College during workshops with Dionne Barber. Works included in the final exhibition have been selected from over 200 submissions by children aged between 4 and 16 years”Additional Resources HOME —

EnquiryContextThe StoryYoung People’s Creativity Other impacts on young people Adult Learning ChangeLearning from the work Revisiting the Question Next steps Meadowbrook have created the role of Artist in Residence/ Visual coordinator for Dionne Barber. This is for 3 days a week, developing and continuing the work from the Change Schools programme, including supporting teachers with creative delivery of the curriculum, transforming spaces outside and within the School, building on the success of the Art Centre and Art GCSE.

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