Creative Approaches to Transition
Date Created: 7th May 2021
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In March we ran the second of our online CPDL sessions for teachers in the South East, led by our Education Development Managers with contributions from teachers and arts organisations. Lorraine Cheshire, Education Development Manager for Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton, explains more:
The second of our CPDL events for teachers focused on the important issue of Transition and how creative approaches to this can create a rich experience for pupils that helps to build their sense of belonging and supports their wellbeing.
Covid and lockdown presented great challenges to schools around how to manage Transition at all levels for pupils when schools’ visits and shared working were not possible, and when many pupils had been out of school for some time. The aim for our CPDL event, was to share a range of approaches, from nursery to infants, infant to junior, and junior to secondary, that would provide teachers with ideas, approaches and models that might inspire them and help to make the transition experience for their pupils creative, positive, fun and supportive.
Over 30 teachers joined our webinar to hear about projects and programmes that have been successful and have shaped provision. There were further opportunities to speak with the presenters in breakout rooms and for teachers to discuss their own plans and experiences, successes and concerns in considering the what, why and how of Transition.
Ali Lockwood, Head of Schools at Alver Valley School in Gosport shared their unique approach to preparing their nursery children for the move to infants through their ‘Adventurers’ programme. This had usually been done by welcoming parents and children into the school to explore it through a shared learning journey. The constraints of Covid made this impossible so the school created a digital programme of support for both parents and children which consisted of 6 weekly sessions which started with a welcome song and a creative hook into a shared learning experience. The children were each provided with a ‘goody bag’ at home so they could take an active part in the sessions which were recorded so they could also be revisited. Tune into the recording as Ali explains how the success of this approach has transformed their practice into a blended approach that they intend to continue to use.
‘Exploring the Familiar’, a Psycho-Geography Arts project designed to support Primary to Secondary Transition. Presented by Future Creatives from Brighton and led by Creative Producer Bec Brittain and Digital Researcher Karina Rodriguez: Outlined an inspiring place-based project across 5 primary schools working with arts and digital partners. The programme focused on building resilience, confidence and wellbeing ahead of Transition, linking both physical and digital elements, through recording and representing the walk to school. Bec and Karina explain how they set the project up and how they coped when it was interrupted by lockdown.
‘The River Project’ led by Carol Wilds an Artist Educator working with schools in Oxfordshire: Used the idea of a river and its journey as a metaphor for Transition. This project involved lots of walking and talking in both the primary and secondary schools to build awareness of place and sense of belonging. The process was thoroughly engaging for the pupils and wonderfully colourful, as Carol’s powerpoint clearly shows. Carol also shared some of the research she had done into the importance and value of a smooth Transition for pupils which is really illuminating.
You can find out more about all of these approaches in the recording and powerpoints in our resources section. We do hope that you will find them useful. Do let us know about the creative approaches you are planning for your Transition pupils this year – we would love to hear from you! Contact your local Education Development Manager here.
View the recordings and powerpoints from this session here.
SAVE THE DATE: For our next CPDL event:
‘Arts Rich Schools – What Do They Look Like and How To Become One.’
Wednesday 30th June, 3pm – 5pm
View event information and book here.
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