Creative Learning

Creative Learning is a powerful and very individual communication tool for our pupils which stimulates creativity, imagination and enriches their learning experiences at Arbour Vale School. Through creative media, pupils can express their understanding and respond to the world around them. Our pupils learn about the place and role of art, music, dance and drama in life today.  Creative Arts combines the development of ideas and concepts with the exploration and education of feeling; thus helping to educate the ‘whole’ child, emotionally, aesthetically, spiritually, intellectually and socially.

At Arbour Vale School we aim for pupils to

• Experience and develop curiosity, interest and enjoyment in their own creativity and that of others
• Explore through the processes of visual and performing arts
• Acquire and develop skills needed for the creation of visual and performing art work
• Use the language, concepts and principles of visual and performing arts Communicate their thoughts and ideas through visual and performing arts

The students from Arbour Vale School are all invited to participate in our Christmas shows. This encourages good communication and helps develop confidence in all areas. As a result, many of our students volunteer to go on stage for various talent shows we have throughout the year. Those students are able to choreograph their own work and enjoy being on stage.

The aims are:

• to take a more kinaesthetic approach to a given topic
• to develop team work and creative skills by making up a choreography.

The students involved present their choreography to the rest of the school in the Dance assembly in the Spring Term. The assembly is an opportunity to celebrate the students’ work. The students have an opportunity to explain how the dance evolved and the skills they have developed.

Arts Festival Days happen in the summer term and are a celebration of all the creative work students have produced throughout the year. The event takes place over two days. Students have the opportunity to perform on stage, take part in various workshops run by members of staff and creative partners. Students’ art work from all the phases is presented in a whole school exhibition that parents and members of the local press can visit.

Fearless Ltd

Fearless is run as an after school club in partnership with 4Motion and has two components.

Fearless Dance Company has weekly dance sessions with two members of 4Motion Ltd. The students create dance/drama routines which are performed offsite as part of 4Motion Ltd’s termly festival. The students are a part of a much bigger performance with other schools from Berkshire. Fearless Ltd also perform in all of the school dance shows.

The other component is the Fearless Media club. The students are involved in the production of animated short films often comprising dance routines.

Creative Partnerships at Arbour Vale School

Arbour Vale students are always keen to take part in new projects with Creative Partnerships from outside the school.

Creative Partnerships aim to build sustainable relationships between the school, creative individuals and organisations.

Aims:

• To ensure an entitlement to a range of high quality arts experiences for every pupil, whatever their background, ability or learning difficulty
• To develop ambitious and adventurous programs of creative and cultural activity, which are explicitly focused on learning outcomes and on the aspirations of the school and our staff
• To ensure a strategic and co-ordinated approach to arts education, including arts partnerships
• To ensure links with the community, which strengthen and broaden arts provision  in school
• To promote pupils’ creative thinking and behaviour in and beyond the arts.

Examples of our creative partnerships
In partnership with 4Motion dance and media company: 

• The formation of dance group: Fearless Ltd
• After school media club
• Weekly dance sessions for different groups
• Dance performances

In partnership with Creative Junction: 

• Focused projects with artists, businesses and other schools.

In partnership with Aik Saath:

• Community cohesion projects

In partnership with Slough Museum:

• Exhibition of students’ work to the public

In partnership with the Stanley Spencer Gallery:

• Guided visits of the Gallery

We are looking forward to working with HOME Slough this year.  HOME Slough is a consortium of arts and community organisations, led by Rifco Arts. The consortium comprises Slough Borough Council, Slough Libraries, Slough Museum, Creative Junction and Slough Voluntary Community Service. It is funded by Arts Council England and Slough Borough Council.