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Since 1997 Heads Together has run projects
with hundreds and hundreds of young people at John Smeaton
Community High School in Leeds under the CAPE
Initiative (Creative Arts Partnerships in Education). We have
worked with every age group across most curriculum areas;
striving to make a reality of the concept that creative approaches
can have a real impact on the quality of teaching and learning
in education.
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In 1998 we worked with a group of young
people from the school to create a film, documenting
the feelings, thoughts and aspirations of pupils at
the school. Smeaton on Screen was premiered in a packed
auditorium at Warner Village cinemas.
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Between 1999 and 2001 we helped working
with the school on their Global Rock Challenge dance
performances. Hundreds of young people were involved
in putting together a themed performance that was entered
into the national competition.
In 2000 the school got through to the
regional finals with a performance about the impact
of the media on young people. The image is from the
video that was an integral part of the show. Global
Rock Challenge [Quicktime] video clip.
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Between 1998 and 2002 we worked with
15 and 16 year old pupils who were not achieving in
the mainstream curriculum. Starting off with photography
projects around the theme of self-image and identity,
we were able to work closely with the School to create
an off-site unit at the Dennis Healey Centre. Arts are
a major part of the alternative curriculum and additional
funding was made available by the Calouste Gulbenkian
Foundation to promote the work as a model of good practice.
The image is from the exhibition "Look at me now
Mrs Quinton".
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In 2001, during the School's OFSTED inspection,
we ran a photographic studio at lunchtime and after-school
"An alternative school photo". All participants
got a free copy of their photo and the images were used
throughout the school corridors with a special permanent
display in the entranceway to the school; the first
thing that visitors would see. A big statement about
the most important thing about the place; the people
who make up the school community.
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In 2001 we began work on re-designing
one of the internal quad areas of the school as a "chill
out" area for Year 7s; a calm, safe space for the
youngest children at John Smeaton. Apart from the design
work, pupils also prepared presentations to funding
bodies and raised £10,000 towards making the project
a reality.
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Between 1998 and 2002 we have worked with staff
to design a whole series of days where the whole of Year 8
work around one theme – for example looking at citizenship.
We made a video for the start of the day, worked on a whole
range of different workshops and created a newspaper –
The Citizen – written, edited, designed and produced
for distribution by the next morning.
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