Aiming Higher – Harrogate High School
Summary:
The GTA agenda has been recognised as an area of development at Harrogate High School and is listed within their School Development Plan.
The aim of the project was to expand the provision for the able and talented, track their progress and judge impact of provision through a creative visual arts project.
Enquiry Question:
How can the use of a creative approach to teaching and learning help to develop attainment and aspiration for gifted, talented and able students and contribute to stretching them to their full potential?
Project Description:
Visual artist Rhian Lonergan-White worked with 15 Year 7 pupils who were identified by staff as having talent and ability which has not always being challenged and stretched to their full potential.
Within planning discussions, the pupils identified that they wanted their project to involve making a documentary style film explaining the eleven roles on the Student Voice team:
Student Research, Peer Mentor, Peer Mediator, Department Working Party, Student Governor, Peer Listener, Student Interviewer, Peer Educator, Student Tour Guide, Primary Partner Ambassadors, Investors in Pupils.
Pupils researched the different roles involved in film making both on and off camera. Areas covered within the project included, presenting, performing interviews, the production of cutaways, animation and Vox Pop.
There were no set roles throughout the process, so that the group could experience as many areas of film making as possible.
Project Outcomes:
During the project, the pupils were encouraged to plan every aspect of their project, thus giving a real sense of ownership of their own learning with a relevance to the real world.
They were involved in the creative practitioner recruitment process and have worked collaboratively to create a vision for the project.
In tandem with this, they will also used ‘Big Brother Diary Room’ format as a way of reflecting on their learning and to enable them to make a personal record on film of the project through their thoughts and evaluations. The teachers involved also kept their own reflective diaries.
The project culminated in a ‘Success for Student Voice’ evening on 29 April 2010 showcasing both the final film as well as their whole creative journey. This event involved the whole school as well as the wider community.
