Embedding art and creativity into the school curriculum can have positive impacts on pupils, driving engagement and learning across all subjects. But to do it successfully we need to give the gift of time back to teachers.
Teacher time is a precious commodity and one there never seems to be enough of, but by building relationships beyond our school walls we can find simple ways to put creativity at the heart of the curriculum and ensure every pupil has the opportunity to perform at their very best.
At Castlehead High School, we have freed up time for one teacher to explore ways to bring new creative practices to the school through a unique partnership with the world-renowned Glasgow School of Art (GSA). The partnership, which started in 2017 as part of a collaboration between the GSA and Renfrewshire Council, is designed to unlock potential in pupils, encourage innovative thinking, increase attainment and develop skills needed to thrive not just at school and work but in broader society.
Our model allows one member of teaching staff to work on the partnership two days per week, and our local authority supports us through the appointment of a newly qualified teacher to cover the timetable. This enables a teacher to work with the GSA to explore ways to bring creativity into the school curriculum, engage and network with teachers and arts and industry professionals, and identify additional opportunities for creative learning across subjects.
Every pupil is given the chance to benefit from the partnership. S1-3 students can participate in a range of creative workshops or lessons with artists, GSA tutors, teachers from across the school curriculum and representatives from industry during our annual Creativity Week. In addition, GSA tutors run portfolio classes for senior pupils, pay regular visits to the school to work on design-related projects and offer studio-based lessons from GSA tutors at the art school.
As a school, it can be difficult to know how to connect with arts and creative organisations. Since 2018, we have worked with Future Paisley, a cultural regeneration programme led by Renfrewshire Council. They work with us to identify ways to expand our approach connecting us with local artists, creative organisations, business and industry, and educational institutions.
Beyond the partnership, pupils can engage with creativity through new courses such as creative industries and - through the Daydream Believers online resource - creative thinking. Both use creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving techniques that can be applied across the curriculum.
Creativity is also inspiring teachers of subjects less traditionally associated with creativity to look at how they can engage learners, from modern language teachers asking pupils to write raps or act out short stories in French, to PE working with art to create and test new sports games.
This approach has seen our art department jump up the rankings from 10th out of 11th for Higher in 2019 to joint number one in our authority. It is also opening up career pathways for pupils, with 13 per cent of this year’s senior students moving on to study creative courses such as game design, product design engineering and architecture.
Not every school will have partnerships with organisations like the GSA, but through relationships with the local authority and links with local creative organisations, they can bring the benefits of creativity to pupils.
Crucially, the priority of this approach has never solely been about getting pupils to art school - it’s about giving them the creative skills they need to succeed, whatever path they choose to follow.
Gordon Menzies is headteacher at Castlehead High School in Paisley, Renfrewshire
