The project paves the way for new work and approaches for artists, schools, teachers and support staff, for the benefit of enabling children with the most complex needs to engage in learning through the arts. We hope it will give teachers both a greater confidence in using the arts to curate learning experiences and new ideas to use classrooms in different ways. We created our own Unlocking the World Pinterest board to share ideas and inspire each other. Take a look and follow the board.
Through this project we will want to develop joined up approaches by creating resources, action research, tools and networks to support the delivery of this practice in both schools. This will include;
- Inset days delivering relevant CPD programmes for teachers and support staff
- Nationally recognised Arts Award Qualifications for pupils and Arts Award adviser skills for Teachers and support staff
- CPD for art practitioners through shadowing
- Cultural partnership working – The City Classroom, The Mighty Creatives, CLASS, SENCO, the Spark arts for children.
- Developing Arts Mark Status with the schools.
What we have evidenced and seen so far indicates the positive effect of the Sensory Atelier and how it opens possibilities to significant personal and social development, and a positive impact for the staff, pupils and partners.
There is still much to explore, but the impact, resonance and need for this work is clear. We are currently working on the next funding application to develop this project further, to explore a deeper understanding of the ethos of Reggio Emilia and how we can draw upon aspects relevant to our cohort of students and the community here in Leicester.
SENsory Atelier 