Blackburn Oasis Schools’ Cluster
Six Blackburn Schools: one Children’s Centre, one infants’ school and four primaries funded a new creative programme of work for summer 2011.
Children worked with 7 practitioners led by Creeping Toad artist Gordon MacLellan to develop a programme of work based on their responses to the environment of Corporation Park in Blackburn through the arts. The aim was to produce a portfolio of work which was sustainable and could be revisited in subsequent years.
Children created ‘virtual trails’ in their own ‘special’ corner of the Park. Children and teachers recorded their activities on the ’trail’. The recording is available to be downloaded for other schools to follow in the future. A publication is also available for all the children and teachers involved. Arts workshops were linked to the following areas: plants, climate change, drawing, sculpture and dance so that we can make full use of all the resources offered by the Park. The climax was a day of celebration when all the children came to Corporation Park for a huge picnic.
Benefits for pupils:
- Developing art, dance, speaking & listening skills
- Using ICT technology to develop materials for other children across Blackburn
- Engaging with a ‘country’ environment within the town.
For Teachers:
- Creating sustainable teaching resources
- Developing new ideas for curriculum delivery based on a local park
- New partnerships with individual practitioners and organisations