Band aids schools to find an identity
VISITORS to Lancashire Archives can take a look at some of the creative work produced by Skelmersdale pupils and others in Lancashire as part of the Sounds of Identity project that is now on display.
Pupils from nine Lancashire schools took part in the project, which aims to encourage young people to think about their values, and to create new ones for their school.
The young people worked alongside staff from Lancashire County Council’s heritage learning team, the award-winning Young Uns folk group, and in partnership with the Department for Education, to find new ways of teaching British values in primary schools.
Their work so far has been compiled into a Sounds of Identity collection and was recently presented to Lancashire Archives, on Bow Lane in Preston.
County Councillor Peter Buckley, Lancashire County Council’s cabinet member for community and cultural services, said: “I think that engaging the young people to harness their own ideas is a very useful way of achieving greater understanding.
“The project has also continued to develop both their literacy and creativity.
“The pupils were able to choose someone from their community, or a historical figure, who they feel brought about change and cohesion, as the inspiration for their work.
“This made the project have even more personal relevance for each pupil taking part.”
One teacher and three pupils from each of the schools became British Value Ambassadors, and they in turn identified a class or year group to take part in the project.
Each pupil created a book of journeys to record their work.
The award-winning Young Uns folk group worked with the pupils to showcase their work musically.
Pupils were also encouraged to explore their values through prose and poetry, or by developing their own ideas.
The West Lancashire schools that took part in this project were:
Cobbs Brow School, Skelmersdale.
Appley Bridge All Church of England School, Appley Bridge. Others included: Lancaster Lane Community Primary School, Clayton Le Woods, Chorley.
Carter’s Charity Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Preesall, Poulton-le-Fylde, Fylde.
St Andrews Church of England Primary School, Preston.
Bretherton Endowed Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Leyland, South Ribble.
Pendle Primary Academy, Brierfield, Nelson, Pendle.
Springfield County Primary School, Burnley.
St Leonard’s Primary School, Balderstone.
The Young Uns are a British folk group who won the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Best Group award in 2015 and 2016. Saints Primary