Five schools are getting creative
FIVE WICKLOW Schools have been chosen to participate in pilot Creative Schools scheme from September.
The chosen schools in Wicklow are Greystones Community National School, Kilcommon National School in Tinahely, St Mary’s College in Arklow and North Wicklow Educate Together Secondary School and St Kilian’s Community School in Bray.
Nationally 150 schools, reflecting all types of education settings across the country, have been chosen to participate in the Scoileanna Ildánacha/Creative Schools pilot programme.
Launched earlier this year by Minister Bruton and Minister Madigan, the programme is a central initiative of Pillar 1 of the Government’s Creative Ireland Programme, which puts the arts and creativity at the heart of children and young people’s lives.
Lara Campbell of Greystones Community National School said: ‘ To be selected for the Creative Schools programme is brilliant for us. We would like the arts to become a consistent and integral feature of the school teaching and learning on a daily basis. It will create awareness of the significance of arts for a full development in children and help us build and strengthen relationships within the local community.’
Dara McGarrigle of North Wicklow Educate Together Secondary School said: ‘ To be part of the Creative Schools programme will help us develop our resources in the school – in music, drama/theatre and crafts. It will allow us to cultivate a place for the arts in the heart of our school and local community and to make it a regular occurrence that students get to experience the arts within and outside of the school community.’
Schools selected for the pilot will be provided with a package of support which includes funding and expertise from a Creative Associate to enable them to explore the potential impact of the arts and creativity on school life. With the support of their Creative Associate, schools will develop a Creative School plan and design a unique programme that responds to the needs and priorities of their school. This process will support children and young people to challenge themselves in new ways, to gain in confidence and to take a more active role in learning.’
Chosen from over 400 applicants, participating schools include primary schools, secondary schools, Youthreach centres, special schools, DEIS schools, co-educational schools, rural, urban, single-sex and Irish-language medium schools. Work will begin in September 2018 and run through to the end of the school year in 2019.
In their application, schools had to explain how their participation would support learning and development in the arts and creativity, their capacity to engage as a school and their plans for ensuring that children and young people play an active role in developing, implementing and evaluating their work as a Creative School. Through the programme, the Arts Council is engaging with children and young people across the country enabling their creativity and linking them in with the arts and creative infrastructure in their locality and nationally.
The long-term aim is for every school nationwide to have the opportunity to participate in Creative Schools.