Visited Stroud Green Primary and Infant School today to see the product of their work with Creative Partnerships (CP). CP are part of a government program to go into schools in areas of deprivation and work with the school, an artist and the children on projects that will develop the children through arts and drama. This type of learning is indeed vital and is one of the areas that seems somehow to have been squeezed out of the normal curriculum – although in the end that’s where it really needs to be.

But with budgets squeezed and targets set – even for the youngest now – there is little resource in-house to even begin this sort of intensive specialist work. Which is where Creative Partnerships come in.

So basically – with the littlest children – Creative Partnerships find the school, the right teacher and the right Head (as you need the school to take this on with open arms if it is to work – and here they have) and an artist. We had Harriet – who seemed absolutely delightful and committed to the project and to the children. As CP pointed out to me, the last thing you need is a ‘resting’ actor who is only filling in; you need someone who really believes that through vision and drama children can learn through different pathways.

And therein lies the point – this form of learning isn’t academic but rather it helps develop the other talents children have. Sometimes a child who finds in normal class that they are last or worst or slow or whatever finds that here they can shine in a completely different way. And I personally am a strong supporter of bringing out the best in each child. And that certainly isn’t a one size fits all: life’s more complicated than that.

This is not about ‘putting on a play’ with the talented actor child always getting the main part. This is about thinking – writing and creating a story – and then having the teacher perform it at the childrens’ behest.

In Stroud Green’s case it was ‘Tom the Diver’s Last Dive’, about all the things he encountered in his last dive. It was quite clear that the children were completely engaged in thinking and speaking about all that was going on. There were no children who hung at the back not participating and there was genuine learning and enjoyment – so congrats to all.

However, when the funding runs out – the real challenge is to be able to maintain this type of teaching and learning within the normal school curriculum.