1. A Creative Curriculum Nurturing creativity and imagination A Discussion Document for the Creative Learning Group Joan Parkhouse Senior Curriculum Support Teacher Blackburn with Darwen Music and Arts Service

2. The importance of creativity for children What does a creative curriculum look like? What do we mean by creativity? How can the Music and Arts Service help facilitate creativity in a sustainable way? (i.e. not only through workshops!) There is a model which might help! What do you think?

3. Early Years/Foundation Stage AIM To increase coherence To provide a flexible approach to care and learning To raise quality To play a key role in improving the life chances of all children

4. EYFS 2007 Practice Guidance page 104 “Children’s creativity must be extended by the provision and they should be offered support for their curiosity, exploration and play. They must be provided with opportunities to explore and share their thoughts, ideas and feelings, for example, through a variety of art, music, movement, dance, imaginative role-play activities, mathematics and design technology”

5. QCA Definition of Creativity “ … thinking and behaving imaginatively, with four components: Activity is purposeful Directed towards achieving a goal The process generates something original The outcome must be valuable in relation to the objective”

6. ALL OUR FUTURES (Robinson Report, 1999) Definition of Creativity: “an imaginative activity fashioned so as to produce outcomes that are both original and of value” Seeing it (creativity) as a process and a mode of learning which is innovative, experimental and playful and suited to lifelong learning.

7. A Unique ChildPositive RelationshipsEnabling Environments Learning and Development Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured Children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or key person The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates and all areas of learning and development are equally important and inter-connected ChildPeopleContextsCurriculum CHILD DEVELOPMENT: Unique individual Skilful communicator Competent learner INCLUSIVE PRACTICE: Children’s rights Equality and diversity Early support KEEPING SAFE: Being safe and protected Discovering boundaries Making choices HEALTH AND WELL BEING: Emotional wellbeing Growing and developing Physical well being RESPECTING OTHERS: Understanding feelings Friendships Professional relationships PARENTS AND PARTNERS: Respecting diversity Communication Learning together Consulting parents on what they want their children to learn SUPPORTIVE LEARNING: Positive interactions Listening to children Effective teaching KEY PERSON: Secure attachment Shared care Independence through support Critical friend OBSERVATION ASSESSMENT + PLANNING: Starting with the child Planning Assessment THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Children’s needs The learning journey Working together THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT: Outdoor environment Indoor environment Emotional environment THE WIDER CONTEXT: Transitions and continuity Multi-agency working The community PLAY AND EXPLORATION: Learning through experience Adult involvement Dispositions for learning ACTIVE LEARNING: Mental + physical involvement Decision making Personalised learning CREATIVITY + CRITICAL THINKING: Making connections Transforming understanding Sustained shared thinking AREAS OF LEARNING + DEVELOPMENT Personal, social + emotional Communication, language + literacy / Problem solving, reasoning + numeracy Knowledge + understanding of the world / Creative/ Physical EYFS Principles: are these also principles of creative learning?

8. Essence of creativity? PLAY + EXPLORATION CREATIVITY + CRITICAL THINKING: Learning through experience Making connections Adult involvement transforming understanding Dispositions for learning sustained shared thinking ACTIVE LEARNING: AREAS OF LEARNING +DEVELOPMENT Mental and physical involvement Personal, social and emotional, Decision making communication, language + Personalised learning literacy, problem solving, reasoning and numeracy knowledge and understanding of the world, creative, physical

9. Developing a curriculum that supports creativity + critical thinking From QCA In order to develop young people’s creativity + critical thinking, they should have opportunities across the curriculum to: Use their imagination to explore possibilities Generate ideas, take risks and to learn from their mistakes Refine, modify and interactively develop ideas and products Make connections between ideas Engage in creative activities in all subjects, exploring links between subjects and wider aspects of learning Work in relevant contexts, with real audience and purpose Work with a range of creative individuals, both in and out of the classroom Encounter the work of others, including theories, literature, art, design, inventions and discoveries, as sources of inspiration Discover and pursue particular interests and talents

10. Through creativity we…… Promote the full range of human potential Explore values and ways of working Understand our own and other cultures Respond experiment

11. WHY IS CREATIVITY IMPORTANT? Through their creativity, children …. Express their thoughts Think about and create new meanings Solve problems and gain mastery Gain self esteem Create their own view of the world

12. How could we use the arts to promote all areas of learning? Personal,Social + EmotionalCommunication,Language + Literacy Problem Solving, reasoning + Numeracy Concentration, problem solving, seeing plans through Representing feelings, experiences + thoughts Learning to share Learning about own and other cultures Sense of self respect + valuing others Negotiating roles + sharing resources Understanding elements of music – developing language Understanding process leads to symbolic nature of written language Motor skills – writing Narrative skills necessary for storytelling Understanding patterns Concepts of shape + size Opportunity to explore spatial concepts Opportunity to explore measurement – model construction Symbolic representation – recording data Knowledge + Understanding of the World CreativePhysical Discovering the most appropriate method for a particular task Cause + effect Observing living world + developing understanding of life Problem solving ICT – imaginative play Opportunities to reflect on what children know about their world and wider Sequencing events – creating patterns on clay Expressing views on attractive + unattractive features of the environment Exposure to artefacts, dance, music and variety of cultures and times Spatial awareness – map making Opportunities to develop and practice motor skills – cutting, drawing, sculpting, playing an instrument, dance Planning, performing + practising physical skills Linking actions + work with others – through dance, or working on a large construction Exposure to dance traditions Exploring mood + feeling using movement Body control – balance, co-ordination, poise

13. Being a creative practitioner The role of the adult Our role is to …. Create conditions within which children support children to be creative thinkers Develop children’s creative thinking through our interactions with them

14. Creating conditions which inspire children Be aware of the nature and value of creativity and imagination Challenge our own assumptions Value each child’s representations Encourage children to use adults as a resource Provide access to artists, crafts people, musicians + dancers

15. Developing children’s creativity through our interactions with them.. Offer children secure relationships which allow curiosity to flourish Be facilitators Recognise that the process may be more important than the product Encourage and value children’s self- initiated activity Work along children as a partner Be genuine and honest

16. How can we facilitate all this? Our areas of expertise are: Music, Drama, Dance. We can offer curriculum support in these areas through CPD and INSET as well as workshops for children. We would like to rationalise our service to you by nominating one of our team to a group of schools. Do you think this would/could work?