Through the involvement of both schools in training Initial Teacher Training (ITT) students, trainee students participated in workshops led by teachers and pupils at both St. Joseph’s and Pontarddulais schools. ITT students learnt the importance of a creative, expressive arts approach to drive and  deliver curriculum concepts and develop learning through an expressive arts approach. 

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The project extended to students and universities at a greater level that initially planned when Working Whispers was showcased as exemplary practice as part of a module within the Teacher Training Programme.

 

The module focused on ‘Strategic planning in practice: What is the school’s approach to strategic planning within the community?’ The project was showcased to ITT students by teaching staff, artists and pupils, sharing strategic planning at its best; a clear vision built on heritage and culture, encompassing creative and wellbeing aspects, talented and dedicated practitioners striving and pushing boundaries. It demonstrated true community collaboration, culminating in a passionate project that went beyond expectations.

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Higher Education Reflections  on Working Whispers

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The Working Whispers Creative Collaboration project as been an invaluable resource to Yr Athrofa student-teachers and staff. It has supported student-teachers' learning about the relationship between learners, schools and communities, and has supported staff in their delivery of the Where am I teaching? core module on the PGCE and BA Education programmes of study. It has also featured during the 'Bridging' experiences of our programmes which focus on the links that may or may not exist between teaching and learning theory and school-based practice.

 

Having been introduced to the project towards the end of 2019, I could see how the effective practice it demonstrated could be shared with our student-teachers and used as a case study in the module I was delivering. It brought the rather dry topic of strategic planning to life, and provided student-teachers with a concrete example of the importance of whole-school planning and collaboration. It also emphasised the integral role schools have in the community, and how communities can benefit from such projects. Furthermore, it highlighted the diverse backgrounds from which learners come, and how schools can work to provide rich opportunities some children may not usually experience.  In addition, the project provided student-teachers with examples of how key components of the Curriculum for Wales 2022 can be planned for and integrated in the classroom - it demonstrates how the four purposes can be the driving-force of teaching and learning, and how the twelve pedagogical principles can underpin the pedagogical choices being made. It encapsulates the essence of the Curriculum for Wales.

 

Student-teachers have benefitted greatly from learning about this project, and many have referred to their knowledge and understanding of the project as evidence of having met particular QTS standards in their Professional Learning Passport. It has also assisted Year 2 student-teachers following the BA Education programme with planning their own school-community project proposals which they have to submit as an assignment as part of their studies.

 

Yr Athrofa student-teachers and staff are very grateful to Pontarddulais Primary and St. Joseph's Cathedral Primary for sharing this wonderful project with us, and for allowing so many of us to gain an insight into the truly collaborative and experiential qualities that are at the heart of its success.

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Rachel Bendall, 

Strategic Lead Quality  Professional Standards, Institute of Education

Prifysgol Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant / University of Wales Trinity St David

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Being given the opportunity to be involved in this project as a student teacher was a brilliant and eye-opening experience. Throughout my time working in Year 5 I had the privilege of teaching a capable and creative class. The project allowed all pupils to develop their creative skills through art, movement and sculpture. The aim of collaboration on the Jamboree day saw pupils working with a number of artists and with pupils from St. Joseph’s Cathedral Primary, another Swansea school. They worked together to complete tasks and reach the same outcomes. This collaboration allowed pupils to connect with each other, with peers in their own schools and  across school forming positive relationships and experiences working with others. The fact that the project also allowed pupils to access the history curriculum of their local area and to members of their communities that had gone before gave them a real connection with the topic, a real and feel for History. The project created a friendly and authentic context for learning and was reinforced by memorable trips to Big Pit and the Hafod- Morfa Copperworks site.

This project and the experiences it brought has defined for me what a school project should be as it develops the whole child rather than individual aspects that other individual lessons, not so closely connected favours. Moving forward in my career, I will be looking to implement projects of this nature as I have seen the positive and memorable impact that it has had on both pupils and staff.

 

Greg Lees-Griffiths

PGCE Student Teacher Pontarddulais Primary School 2019-2020

 

“The Working Whispers project worked fantastically well in providing learners with a range of authentic learning contexts, particularly within the arts area of the curriculum. It also allowed pupils to develop their problem-solving skills via a blend of teaching and learning approaches and therefore many of Donaldson’s pedagogical principles were met through this project.

The collaborative nature of the project meant that pupils were encouraged to work together in order to meet a common goal. Consequently, their social skills and cultural attitudes were developed in the process. There was a clear process from start to finish, in which the pupils played a major role in collaborating, producing artwork, and planning events. Pupils were able to develop positive attitudes towards experiential and co-operative work, which thus prepares them well for a career in an enterprising or creative field.

Pupils enthusiasm to attend the creative workshops reflected their popularity and pupil testimonies reflected the positive impact of the project upon their attitude to learning and self-belief in producing impressive work. Moreover, the workshops also provided teachers with opportunities to expand their knowledge and to improve upon their creativity within the classroom; something which is particularly important in continuing professional development.

Finally, through this project, the schools were able to promote the local community through effective collaboration, and not only improved the quality of teaching and learning, but also introduced many of Donaldson’s pedagogical principles in line with the Curriculum for 2022.”

Ryan Bradshaw

PGCE Student- St. Joseph’s Cathedral Primary School 2019-2020

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The ‘Working Whispers – An Exploration of Industrial Heritage’ creative schools project has positively affected all involved in the project. Through using materials which represent the local community’s industrial heritage to create art installations, as well as through choreographing musical and dance performances, pupils at St Joseph’s Cathedral Primary School and Pontarddulais have been encouraged to reflect on how their local communities have been established and affected by industrial change. As a result, the create project has contributed profoundly to the schools’ implementation of the Expressive Arts AoLE, enabling pupils to develop skills many will not have had the opportunity to use before.

In addition, the project has developed skills and knowledge in other AoLEs. The collaboration with Pontarddulais Primary School during many of the sessions has developed pupils’ social and oracy skills through having to problem solve with unfamiliar peers. Furthermore, captivating poems written by Year 5 pupils describing their experience inside the Big Pit and stories from the Copperworks evidence how the experiences the project has provided has helped develop pupils’ language and literacy skills as well.

Observations of sessions led by professional artists has upskilled my knowledge and skills in terms of planning and delivering lessons in the Expressive Arts AoLE. This will undoubtedly have a positive impact on my future practice, as prior to exploring this project I considered the Expressive Arts AoLE to be my weakest area in terms of knowledge and skills. I now possess a deeper appreciation of how art and local community involvement can help promote learning within the classroom and I am grateful to St Joseph’s Cathedral Primary School for inviting me to explore the project.

 

Rhys Bevan

PGCE Student- St. Joseph’s Cathedral Primary School 2019-2020

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Feedback  following “Working Whispers” Presentation to BA Ed Year 1 Students at UWTSD (17th January 2020)

 

Thinking about how the project as whole, what element(s) and aspects of it do you find most interesting?

 

• How the big pit trip had inspired the children and brought them in touch with their feelings so much so to write their poems

• The range of skilled people being brought into the project to share their skills with students and teachers, and the scope of what the end product is hoped to be.

• How it has inspired the children and their imaginations, creativity and enthusiasm for learning.

• All the different skilled people coming to the school to teach the children is brilliant.

• How the project has made the children feel and how great a project to bring together the wider community.

• The big pit trip and the children’s art work. 

• The community aspect and hands on/immersive nature of the project for the children. 

• How they managed to create a special team with expertise in different areas to deliver high quality education and experiences to the children. 

• The connection with community and natural materials! The variety of professionals and the work that they’re involved in

• Actually experiencing real life historical situations so the children can emotionally engage themselves in that experience. I think it was clear that the children thoroughly enjoyed the project and engaged with it a lot, producing fantastic work!

• I found the trips that were linked to the project very interesting! 

• How the trip to the big pit enabled the children get in touch with their feelings and empathise with those who lost loved ones

• The planning stage and implementation 

• Very interesting to see what the school offers to their local community. 

• Getting the community and parents involved with the learners’ work 

 

Having seen the presentation, do you feel you have an improved understanding of how teachers will be able to work with pupils to develop curriculum content that is relevant and engaging?

 

Asked to respond with Yes, No or Maybe:

 

87% Yes

13% Maybe

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How do you think learning about the Working Whispers project may influence your own teaching practice and methods in the future?

 

• It highlighted the importance of educational trips and allowing the children to experience what they learn about so they are more engaged 

• I think it will help me feel more confident about trying new ways of working and looking for ways in which I can deliver a truly cross curricular learning experience for my pupils that engages and excites them.

• Yes, it has made me more aware of how important the arts are to children’s development and academic progress. 

• We need to work with all the communities and wider and my number one mission is to help children develop skills through all school life.

• I think I will try to make elements of my teaching more personal to the children to make them feel positive towards their learning for them to have happy memories from their school years 

• I think I will be more open minded in terms of school and class collaboration and appreciate the necessity of education surrounding the unique history of every community.

• Immersing children in their community’s history and present seems to be effective in their learning so I would want to practice this in future also. 

• In future, I will try to incorporate experiences to link both knowledge and experience together to really immerse them into their learning. 

• Engage in activities that are in the heart of the community 

• It’s made me understand that experiences and engagement with a topic, allows a high level of learning not just classroom tasks. I would strive for high targets but provide as much experiences for them as possible because it’s shown how much the children have learnt from this project by experience.

• It has inspired me and sparked ideas of what I can do as a teacher in the future. 

• It has encouraged me to plan terms ion a less structured way so that it is able to be led by the children’s interests 

• I now understand how a community can work together to improve both the school and community 

• Give me an understanding of what sort of teaching I want to be- being an excellent role model to the children I teach and allow them to enjoy their learning journey. 

• Made me realise how important learning about the local history is and showed me how to tie in history, art, language and literacy and more all together 

 

Any other comments:

 

• I think it would have been useful for it to be a bit longer. It felt a bit rushed and was difficult to digest the information and make notes

• I found the whole presentation very interesting and would be keen to find out how the project delivers on its aims, and what the impact of it will be two, five or 10 years from now on those involved, and those in the broader community.

• The presentation was brilliant and really informative. Particularly touching at times. I was very glad to be a part of the session. 

• Thoroughly enjoyed, very interesting and inspirational.

• A really fantastic project that should be recognised throughout wales as excellent practice.

• I really enjoyed and was blown away by the poem that was created all from this project. Thank you!

• I found that the presentation was overall very interesting to listen to and it allowed me to grasp an understanding of how a school project works.

• Presentation was brilliant! Please could we have sessions like this again maybe with other modules.