Arts Council of Wales
Lead Creative Schools Scheme
The Lead Creative Schools Scheme provides the opportunity to explore creative approaches to teaching and learning with the support of Creative Agents and Creative Practitioners.
Being involved in the Lead Creative Schools Scheme is part of a continuing professional journey for teachers and their schools. Taking an enquiry-led approach, one or more teachers will work with Creative Professionals over two phases, to co-construct creative and authentic learning experiences which align with the Four Purposes of education and engage the Creative Habits of Mind.
Schools are assigned a Creative Agent who will work with senior leaders and teachers to identify challenges within the school development plan that might benefit from a creative learning approach. An enquiry question will be developed and once recruited, Creative Practitioners will collaborate with teachers and learners to devise activity that explores that enquiry question. For example, how numeracy outcomes can be developed using sculpture or how pupils’ literacy skills can be developed through the use of film.
Each school’s enquiry is unique and designed to support individual teacher development and address specific challenges identified in the school’s development plan. In addition, it aims to nurture the creativity of learners, raise attainment aligned to Welsh Government’s priorities and support wider curriculum design.
Lead Creative Schools offer – what you can expect
You will join thousands of like-minded professionals who are undertaking an enquiry to help learners fulfil their potential and achieve their best in all areas of learning and development by exploring the transformational creative learning pedagogy: Creative Habits of Mind and the High Functioning Classroom.
Becoming a Lead Creative School will support your school to:
- address your school development priorities and national priorities
- bring about transformational approaches to teaching and learning
- begin to embed creative approaches across your school setting
- nurture the creativity of teachers and learners
- improve outcomes for learners
Successful Lead Creative Schools will receive funding to explore:
- how creativity and creative approaches to teaching and learning can transform learner outcomes and support a change in the learning culture in schools
- what it really means for young people to be creative and how they know when it is happening
- what teachers and other creative professionals can do to encourage and develop creativity
- how the qualities of a high functioning classroom can support creativity across the whole curriculum
The commitment we expect from schools:
- a dedicated member of SLT to act in the role of School Coordinator for the duration of the grant, 10 days per academic year
- supply cover costs you incur when the school coordinator and participating teachers are attending the Lead Creative Schools training and networking events. NB. this is likely to be one day for School Coordinators and teachers in March 2024.
- allow participating teachers time to plan, evaluate and reflect with all partners and to actively support them to experiment and to teach creatively
- involve teachers and learners as active partners and co-constructors of learning in planning, delivery and evaluation
- demonstrate active support for the Scheme from the headteacher and senior leadership team
- use the learning from the project to inform the future School Development Plan
For more information, visit Arts Council of Wales
