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Creativity boost for Northumberland Schools

1 May 2008

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Area Delivery Organisation: Creative Partnerships Northumberland, Newcastle & Gateshead

Schools across Northumberland are to be given specialist support in developing their creativity for the benefit of staff and students alike.

A total of 47 schools across the region have been selected as participants in two new programmes from Creative Partnerships Northumberland, each designed to develop the skills of young people and inject more creativity into the curriculum.

22 schools, including Ashington Central First School in Blyth, Cambo First School in Morpeth, Corbridge First School in Tynedale, Tweedmouth Prior Park First School in Berwick and Lindisfarne Middle School in Alnwick have been chosen to join the Creative Partnerships Change School programme.

This has been designed to enable schools with significant challenges to engage in an intensive programme, lasting between one and three years, that support the creative development of the whole school.

25 other local schools including Abbeyfields School in Morpeth, Broomley First School in Tynedale, Cleaswell Hill High School in Wansbeck, Holy Trinity CE Aided First School in Berwick, Seaton Delaval First School in Blyth and Longhoughton C Of E First School in Berwick will join the Creative Partnerships Enquiry Schools programme, which will see them engage in a one-year creative learning programme targeted at specific groups of pupils and teachers.

All 47 schools will be allocated their own creative agent from a pool that is currently being recruited across the region. These agents will be tasked with supporting the school in the development and delivery of their programme and will be drawn from a variety of sectors including the creative industries, education and other professions, such as science, engineering, design, architecture and the environment.

Sarah Burn of Creative Partnerships Northumberland, said: “These new programmes have been carefully designed to enhance the schools’ approaches to creative learning and develop the skills of students and teachers for their individual and school benefits. We were absolutely flooded with applications and are looking forward to extending the programmes to more schools once this first phase is complete.”

Dr. Lynn Rose, Headmistress, Lindisfarne Middle School, said: “At Lindisfarne, we are very excited at the prospect of becoming a Creative Change School. The support of our Creative Change Agent will be invaluable in helping us to further enrich our curriculum to inspire our pupils to become confident, independent learners and creative thinkers."

Sally Wood, Deputy Head, Longhoughton CE First School, said: “We are extremely excited to have been given such a great opportunity and are very pleased to be working alongside Creative Partnerships on this type of research project. We will be using this initiative to support our students’ learning and in particular to help the boys develop their writing skills.”