Welcome to the Autumn edition of the newsletter from the Isle of Wight Cultural Education Partnership (IWCEP)
Hopefully you have all settled back into routine and are enjoying assemblies and wider gatherings to some extent. We all feel that we are not ‘out of the woods’ yet, but it certainly feels like a new term and new year.
For Teachers:
The Creative Biosphere
Wonderful news, this year with thanks to Arts Council England, and partners Isle of Wight Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Island Collection, the Isle of Wight Cultural Education Partnership will be launching an exciting menu of activities on the theme of the Creative Biosphere.
First and foremost is our Arts Council supported ‘Creative Biosphere’ project with 5 arts and heritage organisations, 5 artists and 5 schools. More details on this exciting project to follow!
The IWCEP will bring you a range of activities to complement this project. In fact your first opportunity can be found below, from the Isle of Wight Music Hub – Biosphere Big Sing!
And here is another, one that will enhance your school grounds – £500 worth of outdoor equipment from the Learning Through Landscapes Trust. Working with the IWCEP you can show sustainability of your project and community engagement. Just let us know if intend to apply so we can support your application – admin@iwcep.co.uk
Website and Newsletter News…
The IWCEP website will be having a makeover very soon. Thanks to some funding from the Museums and Schools Project, we will be able to signpost teachers very clearly to local creative resources developed especially for Island schools and teachers.
The Lift the Lid website was originally developed to inform people about the project, but as that ended in 2020 we wanted to update and clearly communicate ways that the CEP can help teachers and young people. Don’t forget that there is still an online archive of the project and the work created at Lift the Lid Notebooks.
This also means that we will have a dedicated email address and a new look newsletter coming straight to your inbox. Sign up.
If you would like to help us shape how we communicate with teachers on the Isle of Wight, please contact us: admin@iwcep.co.uk
Networking opportunity with the Island Collection
The next Island Collection newsletter is out now. You can sign up here. The IWCEP is a committee of The Island Collection CIO.
Did you know that the successful Hullabaloo event is coming to Sandown on 9th and 10th October? The Island Collection is hosting a networking event at 6pm on Sat 9 October at Brown’s Cafe, Sandown during Hullaballoo. Register your interest here. They are hoping to meet local teachers, artists, environmentalists…
Creativity Across the Curriculum Symposium for Secondary School Teachers
Tuesday 5th October 2021, 16.00-17.30 Via Zoom
This symposium is aimed at secondary school teachers, particularly those teaching STEM subjects, Heads of Arts Faculties, and Deputy Heads in charge of curriculum. Book here.
The session will cover the importance of cultural education and how it can be integrated across the curriculum, with a particular focus on STEM subjects. Organised by Articulation as part of its START Talking programme (funded by the Rothschild Foundation), and Milton Keynes and Buckingham Cultural Education Partnerships, this symposium aims to help schools re-evaluate the ways in which cultural education can be utilised to improve learning in and understanding of other subjects.
Covering the following themes, the symposium will be an opportunity for secondary teachers to see how cultural education can give students the creative spark that will help them truly engage in their subject:
- Thinking: art as a springboard for visual analysis and critical thinking
- Making: construction, structure, engineering etc.
- Meeting: science and art meets
Speakers include teachers and educators, young people, and STEAM practitioners.
The Shipwreck Centre is home to the Isle of Wight’s most extensive collection of Maritime Heritage. Our exhibits range from pre-history archaeological discoveries through to maritime conflicts. The Shipwreck Centre’s history and artefacts provide links to a wealth of curriculum topics.
We have a range of new workshops available from the study of Submarines to Museum Curating. Also our Bouldnor Cliff exhibit which enables students to have an up close look at 8,000 year old artefacts. The Shipwreck Centre has strong local connections as well as various international links.
Please contact Museum & Outreach Officer, Polly Buckingham – polly.buckingham@archealogoytrust.org or call 01983 533079
Crossing the Bar is a three year programme celebrating the new coastal footpath around the Isle of Wight which will be fully open in 2023 as part of a national celebration entitled ‘the Year of the English Coast’.
For the pilot year in 2021 six Island schools are working with the New Carnival Company, the IW Ramblers Association and local artists to plan walks taking in sections of the coastal footpath before designing and creating an creative response to that particular area. The young people will also make celebratory flags to carry as they undertake their walk as part of the IW Walking Festival.
All 13 Crossing the Bar walks will happen from 15-17th October. We would love to hear from any school wanting to take part in the project in 2022 which will focus on heritage sites around the coast. Full details of the project can be found on the NCC website.
Contact Frankie Goldspink at The New Carnival Company, frankie@thenewcarnivalcompany.com
IOW Music Hub has lots of projects to get involved with alongside their usual free CPD programme for teachers. Contact Nia Collins, Music Hub Relationship Manager, call 02380 833633 or 07790022559 or via email: nia.collins@iowmusichub.org
Music Hub Live! (In-person workshops and events)
“Proud To Be…” digital content & songwriting workshops in schools KS2-KS5 : The theme for Black History month in 2021 is “Proud To Be…” we will be using this theme to help young people to celebrate this throughout the Autumn term as a starting point for writing their own lyrics about what they are “Proud To Be…” Sign up HERE
Biosphere Big Sing KS1 & KS2 : Through a set of 10 new original songs and resources, suitable for different age ranges (Keys Stages 1 – 3) the project will focus on how pupils and residents can help to continue reinforcing the island’s strong tradition of environmental action and awareness whilst highlighting the island’s Unesco Biosphere Status Sign up via nia.collins@iowmusichub.org
Sign & Sing KS2 & KS3: A 60 minute workshop delving into the sign & sing back catalogue to get pupils singing again and provide some CPD for teachers in school Sign up HERE
Welsh National Opera Schools Concert KS2: Friday 5th November 12.30-13.30 Mayflower Theatre FREE ADMISSION numbers capped at 90 per school. To register your interest, please email Southampton Producer Jamie Harris at jamie.harris@wno.org.uk
Starling Songwriters Club KS4 & KS5 : Monthly first Wednesday of the month from October 2021 16.00 – 17.30 Carisbrooke Church Hall £8 per session. Learn to write songs and develop your style in a friendly environment including; using a range of songwriting techniques. For more information email nia.collins@iowmusichub.org
Music Hub Resource! (weekly digital content, CPD and one-off projects)
Access to these resources (for projects such as 10 Minute Sign & Sing, 5 Minute Rhythm & Rhyme) will be via a weekly email update to our schools mailing list. If you were not on this mailing list last year and would like to be added then please do let me know nia.collins@southamptonmusichub.org
Training for Teachers from our local Bridge Organisation
Missed ‘Arts Rich Schools and how to become one’? Catch up online
After such a challenging year, Artswork’s final online teacher CPDL of 2020/21 was a positive, inspiring and practical event exploring how raising the profile of arts and creativity can energise teaching and learning for the whole school community. Over 60 teachers from around the region took part. Reflections, presentations and recordings from the event are available online
Save the date: Artswork’s first online CPDL event of the new academic year is coming up on Tuesday 19th October 2021, 3pm – 5pm. More info to follow.
Inspiring case study: Thinking Creatively about Creativity
Jenny Stratton, Deputy Head at Westdene Primary School, in Brighton, has compiled a case study detailing how the school approached arts education during COVID-19. Read it on Artswork’s website
Check the training website for more.
If you have any queries please email lorrainecheshire@artswork.org.uk
New Independent Arts Programme Supporting Students’ Mental Health
As you know, children and young people on the Isle of Wight face unprecedented challenges to their mental health and wellbeing.
From October, young people aged 13-30 will be able to take part in Independent Art’s Reconnect programme; a project using a range of creative techniques to address low-level mental health issues including anxiety, depression, and low self-confidence. The after-school creative sessions for 13-16 year-olds – ranging from journal-making and photography to drumming – will focus on mindfulness, sleep hygiene, movement and body positivity.
The 16-19 programme will support participants to work together creatively to produce, market and sell a product.
Please contact us if you have students who need this support. Telephone: 01983 822437. Email: info@independentarts.org.uk. Website http://www.independentarts.org.uk
And if you are working towards Artsmark, don’t forget that Independent Arts is an Artsmark Partner and can guide you through the process!
The Classic Boat Museum – East Cowes
The Classic Boat Museum is delighted to welcome teachers and students to both their sites. New displays can be enjoyed at both the Boat Shed in Cowes and the Gallery in East Cowes.
Through the Museums and Schools project, Estelle Baker gives workshops on ‘Safety at Sea’ and ‘Transport Through Time’. Going forward she is preparing self-guided tours and an introductory video. Spencer Brown has prepared learning materials for the Dinghy Simulator – ‘learn to sail without getting cold and wet’.
Please contact Jan Ford to book your visit or register your interest: jan@maritimeisle.org, or call 07747 602 707
Monkton Arts in Ryde
Monkton Arts is a Ryde-based arts-oriented cafe with 3 open studios, the Acons public exhibition gallery and the Sara-K Children’s Gallery. The Monkton Arts team regularly work with local primary and schools in Ryde to publicly display children’s artwork in the Sara K gallery, including GCSE and A-Level final exhibitions, arts competitions and various other projects. Monkton Arts also initiate various community-centred projects including Fifty Familiar Faces, Two Tidal Towns, Monkton Village Gallery and an annual island-wide arts competition. The Monkton team are inspired by the community for the community and seek to regenerate and rebuild (with plenty of coffee!).
Contact them: monktonarts@gmail.com
Blast Wall – FREE teacher resources
Successful Island artist, Lisa Traxler is currently showing her solo exhibition, ‘Blast Wall’ here on the Isle of Wight. To find inspirational resources for teachers based on her exhibition take a look at the Arts UK website.
For your pupils & school newsletters:
Below we have a number of exciting opportunities for you as teachers to introduce to your pupils or to pass on to your admin team for inclusion in your own school newsletters.
StoneCrabs Young Creatives – Islands That Shapes Us 2
Are you a young creative aged 16 – 26 on the Isle of Wight? Interested in working with film?
You could be a director, writer, actor, producer or designer, so long as you’re interested in developing your skills and creating/leading a digital film artistic response.
You must commit to:
- attending weekly training/mentoring sessions (October 21 – Mar 2022);
- creating/producing a 5-10 minute short film;
- producing and promoting the final film festival
- and making sure you are available for the final artistic exchange.
For more information and to apply www.stonecrabs.co.uk/islands Deadline 5 October
