In the final year the Collaborative widened its reach adding another six schools to the network, taking the total number of schools to 13 across the region.
Year three led to further development of a culture of distributed leadership, with schools invited to lead network meetings. The emphasis of the network shifted from inspiring to sustaining creative school change; existing members of the network continued to learn from one another but also supported others on their journey. An integral part of year three was the further development of a Creativity Toolkit to which all schools will contribute.
A third cycle of enquiries and peer learning visits took place, allowing schools to build on previous learning through further development of pedagogical approaches and deeper exploration of the conditions needed to establish a culture of creativity.
The network continued to shape opportunities for creativity in its schools through harnessing the power of youth voice. To support this, the lead school will work with all Young Creativity Champions to develop this role.
In November 2023, the network held a regional event in collaboration with Tyne & Wear Museums, entitled Imagine if … presents. The event brought together a diverse range of stakeholders to focus on two key questions:
The day was an engaging mix of spoken inputs and practical sessions led by schools in the Collaborative and partner artists. Speakers included Professors Bill Lucas and Louise Stoll, and, from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Stephan Vincent-Lancrin.
Advocating for system-wide change is a key priority. The Collaborative has published a film, capturing the learning and impact of its work on professional practice and student learning. Further advocacy work will be targeted towards sustaining the network beyond year three.
Year 3 Film - Please click the video below
Working alongside existing school structures, teachers and educators from eight Collaboratives across England are currently co-developing creative strategy and pedagogy, testing out approaches to teaching and learning, and evaluating their impact on pupils, schools and communities.
The programme launched in October 2021, as a response to one of the recommendations in the Durham Commission on Creativity and Education, and ran until July 2024. Arts Council England has invested in the programme which has been generously supported by Freelands Foundation.