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Scotland's National Cultural Strategy Annual Report 2003

PART 2 DEVELOPING EDUCATION AND LEARNING

Aberdeen Cultural Co-ordinators
Creativity project

"REALISE CULTURE'S POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTION TO EDUCATION, AND ENHANCING PEOPLE'S QUALITY OF LIFE"

Creative and cultural experiences in schools add enormously to pupils' enjoyment at the time, can engage them where other subjects may fail, and equip them to enjoy more fulfilling and rewarding lives and careers. They can develop cognitive skills, confidence, self-expression, innovation, self-awareness, teamwork, and awareness and understanding of other members of society. All of these are tremendously important in the development of young people.

The National Priorities in Education stress the need to ensure young people gain from a wide range of experiences, knowledge and skills. There is practice and research to demonstrate positive links between cultural experience and pupils' attainment levels. Music is a particularly fertile artform for developing a range of benefits; however, the recent audit of Youth Music Provision revealed a number of barriers to accessing music-making for large numbers of Scotland's children. That is why the Scottish Executive made a commitment last February that, through funding of 17.5 million over the coming 3 years, every primary school pupil in Scotland will have a year's free music tuition.

The Executive's Cultural Co-ordinators in Scottish schools pilot, administered by the Scottish Arts Council, is already starting to impact on pupils' learning experiences. The programme is also leading to the development of new networks and teaching resources, while online support for teaching and learning now includes the exciting "Resources for Learning in Scotland" project, containing over 107,000 digital images.

We hope to learn a lot from the Co-ordinators' programme about how to maximise the benefits of culture in the development of the young. In the coming year we can develop culture's unique ability to connect with our more vulnerable young people - giving them confidence to participate, and to choose culture as an attractive alternative to anti-social behaviour.

Cultural activity is an excellent route into learning the skills of creative thinking, problem-solving and enterprise which parents and employers rightly look to schools to impart. In the past year, the Executive's response to the National Debate on the Future of Education in schools confirmed our plans to develop opportunities for culture and sport, to promote creativity and maximise the use of school facilities for shared community use. The forthcoming review of the curriculum will provide a chance to consider the overall balance of the teaching timetable and the role of creativity and culture.

This February, the Executive published its 5-year strategy for lifelong learning. This recognises that lifelong learning is not only about working life, but also about learning for its own sake so that people develop a passion for increasing their knowledge and acquiring new skills and scholarship. Learning about culture and heritage can be particularly rewarding, and its enjoyment lasts a lifetime.

The Executive's priority for Gaelic, its support and development, is a strong recurring theme throughout this report. The launch in October of a consultation on draft legislation to give secure status to the Gaelic language was a historic landmark. The Bill's passage through the Scottish Parliament will commence next year and, Bòrd na Gàidhlig's plans to implement a National Plan for Gaelic are progressing simultaneously.

Euan Robson, MSP, Deputy Minister for Education and Young People

" The children were suffering from very very low self esteem ... they wouldn't attempt anything. They were very much passive learners especially in the area of creativity. This project brought about interaction. Every child involved was motivated. Where children are particularly challenged due to fear of failure, that was a major impact. They had a sense of partnership and a sense of ownership."

Stella Andrews, Headteacher, St Columba's Primary School, on the animated film project which ran in selected schools across Scotland, promoted by Scottish Screen. Children agreed on a story, created story boards, produced art work for use in the film, learned about the technology and its application, and produced film music and scripts.

• MAXIMISING THE ROLE OF CULTURE AND DEVELOPING CREATIVITY IN SCHOOLS

Cultural Co-ordinators Launch

>> ACTION SINCE NOVEMBER 2002

"WHAT'S GOING ON?" -

in February 2003, the Audit of Youth Music Provision was published jointly by the Scottish Arts Council, Youth Music and the Musicians' Union. It estimated that 100,000 children would participate regularly in music-making if they had the chance. Barriers included tuition fees, the limited availability of instruments, tutors and other facilities. The Scottish Arts Council is working with local authorities and music organisations to develop a strategy to:

• improve the availability of musical instruments;

• widen the spread of instruments and musical styles for children; and

• maximise the role of the voluntary and informal education sector.

The Executive funding of 17.5 million for free music tutition in primary schools will assist greatly in taking this forward.

"WORK WITH EDUCATION AUTHORITIES TO MAXIMISE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INSTRUMENTAL TUITION IN SCHOOLS, FREE TO THOSE UNABLE TO PAY"

Fèis Group Musicians

CULTURAL CO-ORDINATORS GET DOWN TO BUSINESS -

building on the launch in 2002 of the Cultural Co-ordinators in Scottish Schools pilot, and the announcement of further Executive funding to extend the programme to 2006, 31 local authorities are participating in this programme with over 80 Cultural Co-ordinators in place by October 2003. This year has seen training and support provided by a number of agencies:

• a training launch at the National Museums of Scotland in June 2003 focused on heritage resources and a newsletter for 'keeping in touch';

• regional training days with a focus on the arts were held by the Scottish Arts Council in October;

• a 21,000 grant for Cultural Co-ordinators established by the Scottish Museums Council to undertake heritage learning projects with young people in partnership with a Scottish Museum Council member museum. The fund will make available 200 for each Cultural Co-ordinator in 2003-04;

• publication by the Scottish Museums Council of "lasting impressions" (more details below) within the provision of a 3-part heritage education training event.

"LASTING IMPRESSIONS" - A GUIDE FOR CULTURAL CO-ORDINATORS AND TEACHERS -

this inspirational publication was launched by the Scottish Museums Council in September 2003 to promote better use of Scotland's heritage as a powerful tool for effective learning and to equip Cultural Co-ordinators and teachers with creative ideas, advice and knowledge on how to link Scottish heritage with the school curriculum. Lasting Impressions was produced by the Scottish Museums Council in collaboration with a Steering Group comprising local museum educators, a Cultural Co-ordinator and the Heritage Education Officers Group. It highlights the wide variety of learning opportunities offered by Scotland's heritage sector, gives a broad outline of current resources, and introduces readers to the enormous potential that Scottish heritage has to excite, entertain and educate young people. Learning and Teaching Scotland will deliver 4,200 copies to every primary and secondary school in Scotland.

Launch of Cultural Co-ordinators in
Scottish Schools Training Scheme
at the National Museums of Scotland

CULTURAL CO-ORDINATORS - THE STORY SO FAR! -

in partnership with the Scottish Arts Council and Fife Council's Community and Education Services, 4 Cultural Co-ordinators and a Project Support Officer were appointed to develop initiatives and an extensive programme of projects - including 12 Summer Schools in 2003 catering for over 300 pupils. Some of the projects were:

• Start - a series of creative workshops developed with young people, children and communities, resulting in a new travelling arts exhibition on board the award-winning Museums and Arts Coach (MaC Bus), visiting schools and community-based youth and children's groups;

• showcasing of young people's performances and art work at the May launch; a multicultural group "Club Jawani" wrote and performed for the event, supported by All Ears Music Productions and YDance;

• pupils participating in workshops to script and produce 4 short films, presented at a 'Summer Shorts' film premiere and awards ceremony in September. (This was supported through the New Opportunities Fund as part of an Out of School Hours Summer School);

• children from Collydean Primary School's Signing Club - where the members learn British Sign Language, singing along to favourite pop songs while signing. This push to strengthen cultural awareness involves 100 members. Recently, when the Proclaimers came for a concert in Glenrothes, the Cultural Co-ordinators team arranged for the children to perform to them their favourite signing song, Proclaimers "I'm on My Way".

THE STORY IN MORAY -

Moray's part-time Co-ordinator has been very active making links across arts and heritage. A series of workshops with a poet-storyteller and a visual artist took place at Knockando Primary School's first heritage fair.

• Every child in the school was involved in a 4-week programme around the time of the fair, and a concluding performance in the village hall. The children were active writing poetry, playing and singing music, making a banner-sail for a Viking ship, photography and drama.

"It was a great opportunity for the children's creativity to shine" - Knockando Teacher.

"I learned that something good can come out of only a couple of weeks' practice" - Knockando Pupil.

"Children and teachers will benefit from increased access to practice, to gallery workshops, new digital technology and exciting visual resources. There are going to be lots of new opportunities for children and teachers and hopefully schools will be as excited as I am about being involved." - Cultural Co-ordinator East Ayrshire

Museums and Arts Coach
(MaC Bus) Exhibition

"PILOT POSTS AS SCHOOL CO-ORDINATORS FOR HERITAGE, ARTS AND CULTURE"

"SINGERS AND PLAYERS" MAKE A MUSICAL FEAST! -

in October 2002, the Scottish Arts Council National Lottery Fund awarded West Dunbartonshire Council a grant of 40,000 to carry out a 9-month festival of music-making for children in local schools. The project linked 10 top quality music organisations, all with strong reputations for high quality music education, and 50 local schools. International music providers from Russia, Guinea and Ghana combined with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Traditional Music and Song Association, Glasgow International Jazz Festival and the National Youth Choir of Scotland and presented a feast of music in West Dunbartonshire schools. This music project aimed to provide performance, participation and access opportunities in a way that benefited students and learners as well as their tutors and teachers.

"The project helped with raising esteem and encouraged a willingness to share experience with other children. Children who are poor academically experienced success."

"Children and staff found the workshops fun and interesting. It was especially good for our children with special educational needs - music can indeed be therapeutic and has no barriers" - West Dunbartonshire Council's "Singers and Players" initiative participants.

EXPERIENCING ARCHAEOLOGY -

Historic Scotland encouraged school groups to join in this year's excavations at Cadzow Castle, Lanarkshire which has lain largely undisturbed for hundreds of years and very little is known of its history. School groups were able to visit the site and see the dig in action. Archaeologists gave them a tour and teachers and pupils appreciated the chance to see working archaeologists and discoveries being made, with the opportunity to handle objects which had lain buried for centuries. A special school resource pack was produced for visiting groups, and suggestions for pre-visit and follow up activities ensured they got the most out of their visits.

Tomorrow's Builders, Stirling Castle,
Historic Scotland

HERITAGE WORKSHOPS FOR THE CHILDREN OF NORTH LANARKSHIRE -

as part of the Executive's "Quality of Life" initiative, North Lanarkshire Council's museums began a programme of 'free travel' for primary schools within the Council's extensive geographic area. This allowed children to attend heritage-themed workshops at Coatbridge's Summerlee Heritage Park and Motherwell Heritage Centre.

Running from January to March 2003, the workshops were designed and run by museums staff; on offer were topics associated with the curriculum. An overwhelming response saw the entire series booked up within days. Apart from a flat fee of 15.00 to cover materials, there was no other cost to the schools. Teachers booked a coach to transport their pupils to either venue, paid for by the Council's museums office. In all, North Lanarkshire Council's museums and heritage staff delivered 144 workshops to classes from 62 schools. This resulted in over 4,200 primary school pupils (14% of the roll) within North Lanarkshire enjoying different aspects of their local heritage at 2 of Scotland's 4-Star visitor attractions.

"RECOGNISE AND CELEBRATE SCHOOLS AS CENTRES OF CREATIVITY"

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