In 2023, SPARK hosted four CPD sessions for teachers across the borough to upskill teachers and increase their confidence in creative and cultural learning. The focus was on exploring ways to build their students’ cultural capital using local arts, culture and heritage.
45 teachers attended the sessions from 13 Wakefield schools. Feedback was very positive across the board, with sessions described as “inspiring”, “entertaining” and “engaging”. Teachers who attended told us they had gained new ideas for the classroom, been inspired to explore creative, place-based curricula further, and engage more with Wakefield’s cultural organisations.
“Great CPD for staff – presenters were knowledgeable and engaging; great ideas to use in school” (Teacher feedback)
The sessions were hosted by Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield Libraries, Wakefield Museums and The Art House. It was a great opportunity for teachers to find out more about the schools’ programmes on offer and for staff to chat to teachers about their needs.
Resources from the four sessions can be downloaded from the links below.
Session One: “People and Place: Making Learning Matter,” by Hywel Roberts, 28th March. Hywel used examples to show how place-based narratives and context can make learning engaging and relevant. Resources from this session can be found here (resource 1)
Session Two: “Cultural Capital: From the Doorstep to Your Classroom” by Professor Abigail Harrison Moore and artist Anne-Louise Quinton, 26th April. Abigail and Anne-Louise gave theory and practical examples to show how teachers can embed cultural capital in their practice, making it relevant, valuable and inclusive for pupils. Resources from this session can be found here (resource 2)
Session Three: “Teaching Herstory: Bringing forgotten stories of Wakefield women to life in your primary curriculum.” by Sarah Cobham on 27th September. Sarah gave resources and ideas to show how local female historical figures might be used to support the teaching of key historical concepts. Resources from this session are available on the Forgotten Women of Wakefield blog here (link to Forgotten Women of Wakefield blog SPARK Culture on Your Doorstep 2023 The Forgotten Women of Wakefield – Spark Wakefield)
Session Four: “Creative Collaborations: The benefits of working with artists for children, teachers and your school.” By Sarah Osborne on 10th October. SPARK’s own Creative Voice coordinator and drama practitioner explored the possibilities and practicalities of working with Wakefield artists on a range of scales and budgets. Templates for planning sessions with artists in school are available here.(resources 3 & 4)