CLIFTON GREEN PRIMARY SCHOOL, 'FEVERED SLEEP' AND 'THE INSTITUTE OF EVERYTHING'!

I visited Clifton Green Primary School this morning. I love visiting primary schools who are doing such important work in some of the most interesting communities we have here in York. The team are very obviously 'releasing a very special Clifton Green magic'! I really enjoyed briefly looking around the school and hearing about their partnership with 'Fevered Sleep' and the work they have been doing with the children and the school team as part of 'The Institute of Everything'. REACH (York's Cultural Education Partnership) wants to develop the sort of work they are doing at Clifton Green. My question would be who wouldn't want to work with Fevered Sleep if they do what it says here...
"The Institute of Everything introduces the idea that artists, like children, are in a constant process of questioning the world around them, and wondering how it might be imagined differently. Focusing on the creative process of critical thinking, we’re moving away from the idea that artists are people who simply make and do things. We’ll be working with a cohort of brilliant associate artists, who will introduce the whole school community to all sorts of art and creative practices, at the same time as revealing how artists engage deeply with some of the biggest, most challenging questions we face."

I met Nicki Jones, the Acting Headteacher, and Lisa Green, who leads on this work, and their passion, commitment and determination alongside Wellcome Trust funding has clearly had a massive impact on the school. And it is great to see this unique and innovative project moving into its second year and that they are now looking to develop their Kingswater Hall into a centre for the whole community to engage in creativity!! Interestingly, creativity, skills and health and well-being are key areas for development across the City of York and with a special focus on communities like Clifton Green....

Why focus on creativity? 

There is increasing understanding that creativity should lie at the heart of a powerful curriculum offer where every child and young person experiences storytelling, art and design, dance, drama and music! We need teachers and schools that help grow, develop and nurture young people for the jobs of the future... designers, coaches, inventors, teachers, storytellers, carers, artisans, creators, artists, dancers, musicians and performers! In this new learning landscape where creativity, imagination and ideas matter so much, we need to focus on literacy and numeracy as well as the arts, creativity and heritage… the two must go hand in hand!

Why focus on skills?
The creative industries are now an important economic driver, providing 1 in 20 jobs in the UK and there is powerful evidence and research showing that giving young people access to the arts, creativity and heritage provision develops the core skills they need to thrive and succeed at school, at work and in later life. Leaders across the City of York recognise that access to arts, creativity and heritage education is critical to the wellbeing and success of our children and young people, to the strength of our communities, and to economic progress locally, regionally and nationally.

Why focus on health and well-being?
There is strong evidence and research showing the impact of arts and creative experiences in helping children and young people respond to challenges to their mental health and emotional well-being. The background picture is that 1 in 10 children experience mental health issue between the ages of 5 and 15 and that means 4000+ children in the City of York. Discussions within the City of York suggested that the arts providers in the REACH network are in a strong position to expand and enrich the opportunities for children to use creative arts to explore common challenges - bullying, issues of self-esteem through critical development stages, family and friendship tensions, exam and school transition stresses, etc.

Visiting Nicki and Lisa makes you realise how strange it is in this learning landscape where creativity, imagination and ideas matter, that we are still more interested in literacy and numeracy than the arts and sport, which have at their heart the skills and attributes required to be happy, healthy, safe and thrive and succeed at school, at work and in life… the two clearly should go hand in hand and they do at Clifton Green Primary School!