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VIEW FROM THE CLASSROOM


of their habitat. Of the 15 species of crane, 11 are classified as endangered, the most acute being the whooping crane in North America, of which sadly only 600 individuals are believed to remain (and this figure includes those birds currently held in captivity). really is a devastating reality.


It


You believe that the nation’s educational focus has swung heavily towards Maths and the Sciences over recent years – but that it should not come at a cost to education in the arts – can you explain more? Over recent years, the nation’s educational focus has swung heavily towards Maths and the Sciences. There are understandable reasons for this, not only in terms of the skills they develop and the resulting career opportunities, but also because of the inherent importance of these subjects in understanding the world around us. Science and Maths help us to explore the many unanswered questions that exist about life, the universe and in


looks absolutely incredible. Better still, was a less visible but even more powerful outcome; that sense of communal activity, creativity and expression, focused on a hugely important issue. It has also served as a constant reminder to us all, because whenever we see it, we remember the time when we created something magnificent together and spoke together as one.


How do projects like this support and encourage a sense of community in school? Like any community, a school is at its strongest and best when everyone is rowing together. This is evident at major events, at festive carol services, speech days, sports days and the like. Even at the best of times, these occasions are all too infrequent; in 2020 of course, they have been practically non-existent. Even with the marvels of technology under our belts, it is difficult to recreate that true sense of communal activity and spirit of comradery, when each year group bubble needs to avoid everyone else. This activity allowed us to work together as a whole school community, but towards a greater goal. Despite the restrictions imposed by COVID-19, each and every person has been able to play their own small but essential part in creating something huge and brilliant for everyone. This sense of pride and unity that this initiative


has generated will be long-lasting. The installation catches the eye of everyone who walks past it and in recent days, we were also overwhelmed to receive personal letters of congratulations to our staff and pupils from both Sir David Attenborough and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.


Why cranes? The choice of specifically creating cranes was very deliberate. Although it is both tragic and true that any number of animals could have been chosen for similar reasons, the crane represents the harsh reality of human impact on our planet. These majestic birds, with wingspans of over seven feet, are at risk of extinction across the world as a result of hunting and the destruction


February 2021


fact everything around us. Yet they should not, however, come at a cost


to education in the Arts, which, despite the neglect of successive governments, is a crucial aspect of the development of any child and, moreover, should be a crucial part of everyone’s lives. Not only do they foster invaluable and profoundly human skills and dispositions, such as individual thought, imagination, risk-taking or empathy, but I shudder to think what the world would look like without the Arts; we would inhabit some sort of dystopian world focused only on monotonous, repetitive production and consumption. Yet government education strategy seems comfortable with side lining the Arts.


It is both short-sighted and a real travesty.


What are the key benefits of a creative education and how have initiatives like the installation of the cranes supported this? A creative education brings so much to every individual and its benefits are legion.


It fosters


our curiosity and imagination, inviting us to see the world in different ways and from different perspectives, something that has never been more important. Creativity cultivates a sense of expression as we are invited and indeed forced, to find our own voices; something too many young people struggle with today. By giving each of us our own voice and in providing more opportunities for calm focus, our resilience and personal wellbeing is heightened and this demonstrable, hence its wide use in therapy. Furthermore, creativity brings us together in collaborative work and in glorious, joyful celebration.


It is hard and gritty work, both


requiring and developing our power of enquiry and perseverance to overcome problems. The pictures of our students creating their cranes say it all!


What has most inspired you about this project and how the children have immersed themselves in the initiative? From the outset, the project spurred incredible synergy. It started as an idea within our excellent


www.education-today.co.uk 17


art department, and it grew to grab the attention of everyone in the school. Some pupils were very heavily into crane making; some made dozens, others found ways to make the biggest bird they could or used tweezers to make minuscule cranes. We learned that the simple act of folding paper can bring such variety and joy. The way in which it brought so many crucial ideas together was exceptional; the environment and our responsibilities, the arts and the importance of creativity; our wellbeing and the value of quiet activity; and our community and collective voice. This synergy of elements, at a time when we have all lost so many of the activities that provide light, nourishment and delight, was so special. We are busily thinking about what we might


do next year!


How has this initiative helped to create a sense of calm and focus in school? Our pupils have relished the opportunity to produce their own cranes and to think carefully about their pledges. They have taken time away from routine work, from concerns about COVID and also time away from screens and devices and have instead sat together with their families in the evenings to do this.


It has been especially


important, given the uncertainties the pandemic has wrought and the vagaries of the times we are in, as well as the effect on mental health, that children have meaningful activities to pursue. The sense of community and togetherness that such an initiative brings is also very poignant when many around the country may feel lonely or isolated. The School’s project is something which we hope has given people something creative, fun and peaceful to focus on. Whilst origami is a calming, individual activity, this project has shown that every individual crane is part of something much bigger. Being part of something bigger than ourselves and taking time to really think about our planet, and the impact we are having on the world, is key.


Initiatives like this also help


us to question how we can create change for good and make the difference longer term.


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