Creative lessons help pupils to learn more (From The Bolton News)

Creative lessons help pupils to learn more

10:36am Tuesday 9th February 2010 in

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THE Terrible Tudors, The Rotten Romans and Could it Be Magic — they could almost be the titles of fun educational books.

But at Clarendon Primary School in Great Lever they are the names of some of the topics studied by children as teachers inject creativity in the curriculum to teach youngsters the “Three R’s”.

Rather than teach stand-alone subjects, a topic is introduced and studied in different lessons. For example, in history, timelines on The Tudors are studied in maths, and in art children focus on the era. Trips out complement children’s learning such as visits to Hall i‘th’ Wood Museum.

A study by Ofsted, the Government’s watchdog for education has found that creative approaches to learning can help raise schools standards and complements the National Curriculum.

Patrick Leeson, director, education and care, Ofsted, said: “When teachers use more creative approaches, pupils’ learning is more relevant and engaging, it fires their imaginations, they enjoy the challenge and feel a great sense of achievement.”

Now the school has been invited by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust to host an open day in March entitled “Making the Most of a Creative Curriculum to Enrich Children’s Experiences”.

Clarendon Primary School headteacher Naomi Richardson said: “We have found that since introducing the creative curriculum the children’s results in English have increased.”

The idea of a creative curriculum developed from theme weeks which proved popular with children who studied a topic in detail across their lessons.

Miss Richardson said: “The topics are all age appropriate, and become more advanced as children progress in the year groups.”

Stand-alone lessons, however are not a thing of the past. “Topics need careful planning to ensure children get the most benefit.

“Sometimes lessons do not fit into that topic for example science lessons were stand alone in The Terrible Tudors, but science lessons played a big part in the Volcanoes topic,” explained Miss Richardson.

As the creative curriculum becomes more embedded in the school, children will have an opportunity to suggest topics.

Miss Richardson said: “A creative curriculum raises confidence among children because they take the lead in their learning.

“They may go home and create a piece of artwork on the topic. They develop the skills to analysis sources and artefacts and research the subject in more detail.” The creative curriculum is proving popular with the children too. Farhaan Patel, aged eight, said: “I like the lessons because they are colourful and creative. In art and science I am learning about primary, secondary and tertiary colours.”

Zainab Mogra, aged eight, said: “I am learning a lot and a lot of adjectives. Could it Be Magic is really fun.”