For their 2009/2010 Change School project, Shoreham Academy wanted to focus on improving literacy through creativity, based around the work of the Sussex-based authors, Rudyard Kipling, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and H G Wells. 250 pupils from year nine were targeted for the project as they were about to embark on their two year GCSE English course in years ten and 11.
The students worked on a carousel model with three creative professionals including a writer, an illustrator and a radio presenter, for ten weeks and created visual as well as written work based around the three Sussex writers.
For the Doyle project these students worked with Rebecca Garland, a creative writer and illustrator on murder mysteries and themes relating to Doyle. For the Kipling project they worked alongside prop maker and animator Ryan Laight, recreating scenes from 'The Jungle Book', using aspects of the text to recreate animated scenes. And for the Wells project they worked with James Crawford, a radio presenter and writer to recreate the radio bulletin from The War of the Worlds updating it to a modern context.
Project objectives
Although the different strands of the project employed different methods and were based on different topics, the aims were the same: to raise interest and abilities in reading and writing.
The project objectives were:
To engage students in a literacy project through kinesthetic activities such as acting, recording, design and photography
To encourage meaningful pupil dialogue and interaction
To improve the school’s literacy levels at Key Stage 3
To raise boys’ literacy levels to be more in line with girls’ attainment (this objective specifically fits with the school improvement plan)
Who was involved?
William Tromans and Tilly Baker - Lead Coordinators from Shoreham Academy Ryan Laight - Animator Rebecca Garland - Creative Writing James Crawford - Radio Broadcast Hannah Wheeler - Creative Agent
Impact
The staff noted a high proportion of the pupils that had been most engaged in and affected by the project were those that are usually the most disruptive and generally low achievers. It is thought that this is because of the hands-on nature of the project and the fact that they were able to discover new skills, such as animation, that they could excel at.
Some of the short stories created in the Doyle project (murder mystery writing) will be used as GCSE coursework next year, as the quality was significantly higher than some of the work that those pupils had achieved previously.
In addition, pupils from the Wells project (radio broadcast) have even approached the Head to see if they can start a school radio station.
The teaching assistant that supported Ryan Laight in the Kipling project (animation and storyboarding) will now use the animation skills she has learnt when she teaches English abroad during the summer holidays. One of the English teachers is planning to do an MA and hopes to use this project as a key focus for her research and is hoping to be able to work in partnership with Creative Partnerships Sussex and Surrey, and the University of Sussex, as she begins an MA in Education Studies.
Quotes
James, the radio broadcaster working on the project, asked students from the Wells group to interview each other, as well as interviewing other students and staff members, at the celebratory event. They were asked to comment on their experience of the project.
"This is real education - letting young people show us what they can do" Teacher
"I've liked being given the freedom to do what we want. Student
James recalled the progress he saw in the students during his time working on the project: "My best moment was watching [one pupil] go from being a totally taciturn, silent student to producing one of the best dramas in the year. I also remember [another pupil], who was very disruptive and surly early on bringing in her guitar so she could sing me a song that she'd been practicing - that was a nice moment."
Students were asked to complete short surveys at the start, middle and end of the project, to capture their thoughts on their involvement. Here are some thoughts from these surveys:
"I have enjoyed these past weeks, I love the freedom we had to write our stories, it's given me confidence to write." "The lessons have been good, they have got better during the time I was there and I think the celebratory day was really good." "I enjoyed it. The best thing other than watching the film was writing the story. I enjoyed it because it got me thinking and I really liked the topic. I would like to do more on the topic of murder mysteries." " I have really enjoyed these lessons, they're fun, exciting and I look forward to having them."
Results
William Tromans, Lead Coordinator for the project says: "Our students were in control of their learning and were given a great amount of autonomy throughout the project. They were free to be creative and to use literacy in the most suitable way for their project. The suport staff involved have also learnt a great amount from the practitioners and from the way the students interacted with each other. This has also had an impact on the learning of the whole school as we have exhibited the students work in the main hall for the whole school to come and see throughout the day."
Staff at the school felt the outcomes of the project exceeded their expectations. Attendance and engagement were key indicators of success in the project. The whole yeargroup was very keen to take part and generally attendance was higher than usual. Even some very challenging students were eager to learn, and staff have noticed that their self confidence had increased dramatically.
The school embraced the project and the English department has since adopted the creative approach from the project in their subsequent lessons. The students enjoy reading, and more reading is taking place in lessons too.
The project made specific contributions to the Every Child Matters agenda, as every single student in the year group was involved, regardless of ability or specific educational needs. Shoreham Academy are planning to build on the outcomes of the project and target two specific groups of Year 8 students for the second year of their Change School programme. Once again the focus of the project will be on improving literacy through creative and innovative activities.
Student animating
Human animation
Model making station
Animation station
