Case studies

Cultural education in local schools.

Art Flourishes Throughout the Premier Academy

*A Butterfly Mosaic created collaboratively by Year 6s at The Premier Academy*

Walk along every corridor and into any class at The Premier Academy and you will be surrounded by a vast array of art work in different styles such as 3-D models, paintings, and drawings, created by children from Reception through to Year 6.

Recently, children undertook a break-time art project with the objective of learning and appreciating each other’s differences and similarities in a supportive atmosphere of teamwork, by focusing on cooperation rather than competition. They were given an enlarged square to then create a pencil rendering of part of a butterfly which is composed of mosaic. The children learnt to understand unity and variety as important principals of design, giving the artwork a sense of cohesion.

Throughout the Academy, art flourishes and every child has at least one piece of their work on display in a public area – that is over 600 pieces of artwork!
Jonathan Harris, Head of Music, The Premier Academy, Saffron Street, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK2 3AH jonathan.harris@tpamk.co.uk

Place-based and Cultural Learning at Shenley Brook End School

One of the ambitions we have at Shenley Brook End is to prepare our students for the dynamic and changing city that is rapidly growing around them. We do this by collaborating with local businesses and cultural practitioners on projects that support their learning as per the curriculum, and also their understanding of MK and its communities.

Some examples of the cultural work we have engaged in are:

Oral history projects based on migration to MK. Through oral history practices students learned about the migration of elder Sikh communities to MK, and expressed this learning through the creation of comics in workshops led by Marvel and Beano artist Kevin Sutherland. Delivered in partnership with MKIAC.

A cushion project with partner John Lewis. John Lewis set the brief and then judged the artwork, awarding vouchers as a prize;
Costume making. Year 9 students worked with Festive Road to make teacup costumes to wear in the Milton Keynes parade;
Creating for MKIAC Festival of Light. Art students created work that was displayed at MK Library and projected on Christ the Cornerstone Church for the MKIAC Festival of Light;
Understanding MK as a designed city. Students worked with David Lock Associates, Hallam Land Management and The Parks Trust to develop a new aspect of its design, presenting their ideas to the organisations, other students and teachers.

Learning through arts, heritage and culture has been an invaluable addition to the experience students have had at Shenley Brook End. It is also very inspiring as a teacher and a Head to develop the students in this way.
Chris Holmwood, Head Teacher Shenley Brook End

Weaving a Learning Journey at Brooklands Farm Primary School

At Brooklands Farm there are two dedicated Specialist Art Teachers who strive to develop arts and cultural provision across our setting. They create online learning platforms which are accessible not only to school staff but also to the wider community.

We offer a variety of extra-curricular creative clubs and the opportunity to achieve the Discover and Explore Arts Awards, and plan whole school projects with a cross curricular approach. For example, ‘VW Week’, ‘Nelson Mandela Week’, ‘Brooklands Remembers’, ‘UN Rights of Children Week’, ‘Sports Week’ and ‘We Built On A Farm’ are celebrated throughout the year. Together with our EAL/Cultural Leader we have introduced weekly ‘Wellbeing and Welcome Walks’ in our community.

A guest speaker who has a cultural/arts link to the local and wider community features each week. We embrace opportunities such as working with the Churches Conservation Trust, the African Diaspora project, the Grid Spinners and the Artis Creative Learning Programme. Brookfest is our annual summer event which includes creative activities, singing performances, games and other social opportunities. Brookmas is our annual winter event. Parents are invited into school to make lanterns which are paraded through the community to the school grounds where we sing and dance together.

Lead Teachers are:

Art – James Grimditch and Ali Gallacher,
Dance – Catherine Howell and Hannah Pickett from Artis
EAL and Culture – Emily Garratt
Music – Mel Taylor and the MK Peripatetic Music Service

The Arts and Heritage Alliance MK is the lead organisation for MAKE. Together we nourish and support the creative and cultural skills and wellbeing of our children and young people. Charity number 1158874.

MAKE is supported by Milton Keynes City Council.