Change Schools

855 schools whose development is supported by Creative Partnerships for three years to bring about significant changes in their ethos, ambition and achievement.

Over three years the Change School programme works across the whole school to achieve a sustained impact for young people through developing schools as creative learning environments.

Change Schools work with artists and other creative professionals across the school on a range of projects that involve, exploring the creative potential of the pupils, professional development for staff - both teaching and non-teaching - in the school as well as involvement of the wider community including parents and families.

Change School projects are driven by what the school needs, and a school applies to be a Change School because it has a real commitment to putting creativity at the heart of its teaching practice. Change Schools support change across the whole school rather than the focused approach taken by Enquiry Schools. Like an Enquiry School, a Change School has a focus, but this can be explored in a deeper and more meaningful way.

There is an expectation Change Schools will embed creative learning beyond the three year period.

Impact and benefits

We've got great evidence that shows us in Change Schools pupils results are improved, behaviour is improved, young people and teachers develop their skill sets, for example, in risk taking, teamwork and questioning. We know teaching improves and that teachers become more engaged with what they do.

Practicalities

Over the three years the school gets up to £15,000 each year and up to 20 days support from a creative professional, trained to enable schools to improve and act as a 'critical friend'.

Each school has to be committed to working with us so we ask schools to put in up to £5,000 of their own money to support the programme and nominate a co-ordinator who can work with us and can be released for up to 20 days each year to support the programme.

The programme also gives the school access to a network of other schools working on similar projects and access to wider opportunities for professional development.

Change Schools work when creativity becomes an integral part of how the school runs. Each school working with the pupils and creative professionals evaluates its progress, learns from what it's done, and through this leads to sustainable change in the way the school operates.

Have your say on all things creative in the Creative Partnerships discussion forums.