The Creative Leadership Programme, endorsed by the National Academy for Educational Leadership, draws on our experience of facilitating professional learning in the Lead Creative Schools Scheme and our wider understanding and knowledge, of how school leaders can encourage innovation in their setting. Our model is based on evidence around effective professional learning and current guidance by Welsh Government. The provision subscribes to the four-element design model of collaboration, reflective practice, use of data and research evidence and coaching and mentoring.
The aim of the programme is to encourage confidence in new ways of working, innovation, reflection, and resilience whilst also developing the understanding of the role of creativity in the context of the Curriculum for Wales, the four purposes, the Professional standards for teaching and leadership and Schools as learning organisations. You will have 2 days’ training and meet your Creative Agent who will guide you through this enquiry-based research period of between 12 – 20 weeks, to explore how creative learning can help deliver authentic learning experiences. The enquiry can be narrow or broad in focus, depending on which aspect of your School Development Plan you are working with. It is based on need within your individual school context and your own professional learning objectives.
The programme is unique in that it focuses on developing YOU – the school leader - allowing you to explore creative leadership approaches and creative learning pedagogies – to develop your confidence and competence in this exciting area of professional learning.
To enjoy the time and space to develop your knowledge of creative learning techniques alongside a Creative professional within a safe, small network of peers. You are invited to be open and vulnerable in this space, we encourage you to take risks, to enjoy playing with possibilities and embrace failure as a way to stretch and develop your creativity. If you want to be a positive role model for creativity within your school, please do apply. You will be supported all the way.
St Josephs Cathedral Primary School, Swansea felt the material shared in the mid-point networking event on the power of play really resonated with them. Teachers used voice notes and journalling to record their experience and were grateful for the CA’s mantra of ‘Know who you are and be that person every day.’ “Inclusivity improved as we found creative learning engaged the lower-level learners better and challenged the higher level learners more.” “Really useful to re-find yourself and reflect on your own practice and not just on leading others.”
Ysgol Pen Rhos, Carmarthenshire, learnt that, “leadership is not a position or title, it is action and example.” Each phase set their own enquiry question and met with Tegwen Ellis, National Academy for Educational Leadership, to discuss creative learning and how it improves wellbeing.
Ysgol Bro Pedr, Ceredigion, said they “learnt to embrace the chaos and noise” during the programme. Outdoor learning inspired the music of trees learning – where students studied nature and trees and made their own ‘Naturewatch’ programme and then developed music compositions to mimic the trees.
Whilst it isn’t always possible to bring in the creative expertise of creative professionals, there are some actions that teachers can take to explore creative learning approaches. The teacher’s hub will give you some guidance on how to take the initial steps to develop creative learning activity in the classroom.
Inspired by this project? Applications for the Creative Leadership programme will be open in the Autumn and Spring Term. Click here to sign up to the Creative learning bulletin.
