How to use this exemplar to improve practice

The videos offer an insight into a creative learning pedagogy which can engage learners in new ways, challenging them to use all of their higher order thinking skills, take responsibility for their own learning, and develop executive functions. This can support more effective learning and behaviours in the classroom.

As a practitioner, you might use this resource to reflect on your own pedagogy and teaching practice and take small steps to embed creative learning in your classroom.

As a school leader, you might use this resource to begin a journey towards a new model of partnership working with artists or creatives that develops teaching practice in your own school and delivers a sustained impact on the quality of teaching and learning.

The videos can be used for personal professional development or shared as part of CLPL for staff.

Improvement questions

• Are your learners using all of their higher order thinking skills by engaging in creative learning?
• Do you have a clear understanding of creativity skills and how they can be developed in your classroom?
• Are there opportunities to engage the least engaged in your classroom through empowering imagination, exploration, creation, problem solving and highly visible outcomes?

See exemplar lesson plans and a 'Things That Work' visual on the 'Art of Learning' page.

Explore this exemplar

Video

See the full playlist (6 videos - see menu at top left of window) below or the individual films further down.

What was done?

Artists delivered prescribed lesson plans, written by Creativity Culture and Education (CCE), across six art forms: visual arts, literature, theatre, music, dance and digital. Teachers and artists worked with learners to evaluate and reflect on the learning.

The project took place in 11 primary schools across East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire during 2016-17.

Why was it done?

The project had multiple objectives but at its heart sought to develop the teaching practices of primary school teachers whilst exploring the connection between executive functions, creativity skills and learning.

What was the impact?

Overall, the project had a positive impact on pupils’ wellbeing and executive functions. It gave them increased opportunity to develop their creativity skills across the curriculum through arts-based learning.

Teachers added to their toolkit of approaches and gained an understanding of the impacts creative learning can have. They reported increased confidence in supporting learners to develop their creativity skills and executive functions and saw how this could have a positive impact on attainment.

A Different Approach

Collaboration

Feedback

Added Value

Impact

Key learning