In February 2021, we repurposed some of our funding to invest in the cultural sector during the third lockdown to help support the arts & culture and education sector. These micro-commissions gave artists space to research and develop their creative practice and create innovative services that can be offered to schools through remote, digital or blended activities.
Scroll down to view the offerings that have been created from these micro commissions, all of which are available for schools to purchase.
Your school can collaborate on a stunning ceramic flower artwork, that has a lasting visual impact inside or outside the school. A gentle and fun way to create something together with options for one class or the whole school involved to commemorate the last 18 months, celebrate being back together and raise some smiles. Colourful clay flowers keep their bloom all year round and even provide colour and water for insects if you have them outside.
Clay projects can be adapted to suit a range of topics, integrating science, imagination and well-being as the children work alongside a professional artist. Ammie has worked for 25 years in schools and this project has been tested for remote delivery.
Adaptable for all year groups from reception to Y6
Ammie Flexen
The Clay Mill Studio
https://www.facebook.com/TheClayMillPottery
Tel; 07961941862
Email: theclaymillstudio@gmail.com
“The children’s ideas developed through the design process. Their drawings showed they were thinking in new problem solving and abstract ideas They began to use technical terms, understanding effect of the kiln and temperature. Although they learned the basic techniques, they were able to express themselves made their own mark on their designs.”
As part of the IVE Micro-commission project, Angie has developed an animation project that can be delivered remotely or face to face. The Animation project is aimed at Yr 6 Pupils to assist with transition.
Angie uses ‘The Blob Tree’ and fun animation session to focuses on thoughts and feelings that may be involved in going to secondary school. The duration of the project will ideally span over 6 weeks and can include a series of pre recorded videos, step by step instructions and zoom sessions are all available to supported young people on their journey.
Y6 pupils
Angie Hardwick
Ceramic Artist
www.angiehardwick.co.uk
Tel: 07730572908
Email: ahardwick1@hotmail.co.uk
“This has been a wonderful project to work on with our Y6 children – they have really looked forward to the sessions each week, actively seeking me out to check what time we would be starting. We worked through the project with a small group of six, however I feel it would work well with larger groups also. In fact, I would be tempted to try it with the whole class next time.
From a teacher’s perspective, I found the videos and step-by-step guides produced by Angie very easy to follow. The Zoom sessions also allowed the children to engage with Angie as an artist and gave them a real sense of excitement around the project. Regular check-ins would definitely be useful!”
Swallownest Primary school
Galenka, the Guiding One, challenges your explorers to take the eggs of the rare Lupu bird to the protected Flo Forests, to be rehabilitated. The species is close to extinction. Their mission is crucial. They will be set tasks to complete on their journey.
The scheme includes 5 film and 5 audio clips featuring guidance from Galenka, teaching resources and supporting teacher’s notes. With flexibility to deliver at your pace, from two weeks intensive project to whole term adventure.
All abilities, enables children to engage at their own level
Mud Pie Arts
Email: jenna12drury@gmail.com
https://www.mudpiearts.co.uk/participation-workshops
‘’I wanted to thank you on behalf of Annabel and myself. The children and both of us have thoroughly enjoyed ‘Operation Last Hope’. The videos, audio and resources you kindly sent to us have been rich, imaginative and immersive. It has been a super journey and we taught it as you indicated, deviating only to expand upon some of the writing (because the children were enjoying it so much). We would certainly recommend your scheme to other teachers.’’
Amy Canham
Y3/4 teacher, Park Grove Academy, York.
Have a classroom zoom-call with an archaeologist and build a 3D timeline to plot out Britain’s prehistory. The Stone Age to Iron Age workshop consists of a series of online check-ins with an in-role performer, who will take the class on a journey through a range of archaeological sites around the U.K. This will be an opportunity to look at different artefacts and think about how life changed for people living in Britain over the course of the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages. The workshop is accompanied by a set of resources and hands-on activities that can be used as the basis for further exploration of the topic. A “live” version of the workshop is also available.
The workshop is aimed at children working at KS2 of the National Curriculum.
Matthew Bellwood
Moveable Feast Productions
Tel: 07779 088 878
Email: mfpinfo@gmail.com
“Overall, the resources were excellent, the videos and extra information were very detailed and well-presented. This series of workshops greatly enhanced the children’s learning experience and allowed them to gain a deeper understanding of the Stone Age to Iron Age topic.”
KS2 Teacher, Rawdon Littlemoor Primary School.
I am offering a multi-cultural individual and/or family activity that can be done both online and in person. This activity incorporates cultural nuances, listening to the sounds of the world around us and understanding the importance of pausing to listen and appreciate the music around us. This kind of activity will work well to provide a bridge between the world before COVID , now and the world after. Schools could use this activity to provide a bright spark and that “something different”. The workshop element of the activity will be approximately 1.5 to 2 hours.
This activity will be most appreciate for young people up to the age of 8.
Supriya Nagarajan
Email: supriya@manasamitra.com
www.manasamitra.com
Carmel Page is a Sheffield based Storyteller, Artist, Author and former Nursery Nurse. She has worked with The Royal Armouries, Museums Sheffield, YSP and in many schools. Her stories are healing, inspiring and captivate all ages.
Whether you need support with oracy, with literacy or to excite pupils about any curriculum area Carmel can provide a bespoke session or a longer residency. She is passionate about creativity and using a pupil-led ethos.
Carmel can work, Covid Secure indoors, outdoors or online.
She can combine stories with activities to meet your requirements for Early Years, KS1, KS2 and KS3.
Carmel Page
Email: carmelpage@zoho.eu
www.sheffieldcreativeguild.com/profile/861
“The children were very excited to meet Carmel after seeing her on zoom, and they all thoroughly enjoyed the craft and story sessions. They were keen to continue weaving, and some of the children continued at home!”
Debbie Johnson Y4 teacher Pye Bank School Sheffield
Street Beat have been providing high quality training in dance and drama for over 15 years in Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. We offer after school clubs, specialist workshops, recorded lesson support, CPD for teachers, mentoring and choreography for productions.
We can provide training in a wide variety of dance styles from Street & Breakdance to Contemporary and Jazz. We also offer creative dance sessions where schemes of work can be provided, tailored for your study topics enabling cross-curricular work.
We are an advocate for boys dance and specialise in engaging boys.
We can work with staff to develop schemes of work and lesson plans and can offer mentoring in curriculum dance delivery for the non-dancer, building confidence in your team for future dance sessions.
Our practitioners are all professional artists working as performers and creatives within the dance industry.
We can provide sessions for all ages from KS1 – KS 5.
Kim Oakley-Duffill
Tel:07808070300
Email: streetbeatdance@live.co.uk
www.sbacademy.co.uk
“You’ve helped to inspire Bowmandale to enjoy dance!” L Singleton – Bowmandale
“There was appropriate challenge and breakdown of movement” D Hyslop – Huntcliff
“The videos have been really helpful to us as non-dancers … I plan to also use them for extra curricular” A Richards – St Bedes
These workshops address the growing need for children to learn skills to help manage their own mental wellbeing, while simultaneously improving creative writing skills.
Each workshop contains:
• A wellness practice and why it works (gratitude practices, mindfulness, directed meditation, kindness, self-acceptance).
• A focus on a creative writing skill that complements the wellness practice (specific detail, using the senses, showing not telling, similes & metaphors, perspective-taking).
• Sharing time and feedback.
• Follow up worksheets with further activities and an example poem.
Workshops are designed for upper KS2 and KS3, and can be delivered in-person or digitally (Zoom / Teams).
Andy Craven-Griffiths
Email: admin@andypoetry.com
“It was a wonderful focus on mental health and creativity. I think I speak for everyone when I say we have really enjoyed the sessions. The children have really engaged with the project and have taken a lot away from it.”
Meghan Atherton – Year 5/6 Leader, Beeston Primary School
Roman Pottery Workshop: An immersive experience where learners get hands on learning about what Roman life was like. Learners will explore a handling collection of replica Roman pottery, learn about what it was made from, how it was made, and what it was used for. Using real archeology sherds learning will be able to differentiate between different types of clay- and speculate on their form, decoration, and purpose. Learners will then design and construct their own replica Roman pottery using real clay.
Key Stage 2
Jen Holtridge
Email: quitecontrarypottery@gmail.com
www.quitecontrary.co.uk
A series of 4 x 1 hour weekly, creative wellbeing sessions that explore through games, reflection and activities key stage 2 children’s sense of self, self esteem and emotions with an emphasis on strategies to manage emotions and cope with challenge. The sessions have in built flexibility to adapt to the needs of the group.
Key Stage 2
Sarah Osborne
Tel: 07595604272
Email: sarah@yew-tree.com
“As a result of your sessions I have notice how students are more confident to talk to me in class and are better at managing their emotions.”
Class Teacher – St Michael’s C of E Academy.
Swirl Education lead dance workshops for primary schools, both in person and on Zoom. These workshops for all ages and abilities help children to engage in the curriculum in a new way. World dance workshops help to teach children about culture and support RE, Geography, History, and Topic. All of our workshops are tailor made for each school, so we can create dance workshops based around books your class are reading, or to support science, PE or enhance well being.
Primary schools
Tricia Arthur-Stubbs
https://swirleducation.co.uk/
“Thanks for the session the children loved it. I thought it was really good, it fit perfectly in with today’s theme. I liked how you did a bit of the dance and built it up a bit at a time so the children could keep up and learn the routine. I thought your music was really good and featured superheroes the children knew.”
Hill Top Primary (Super Hero Theme for Year 1)
STEM theatre in a box is a cross-curricular resource and workshop programme. It’s aim is to focus on storytelling, puppetry, theatre and dance to enable access to science in an inclusive, imaginative and creative way. Each box focuses on the story of one female scientist or one scientist of colour, their story, and their work. Our initial four scientists are: Dr Jane Goodall, primatologist and environmentalist, Dr Patricia Bath, Opthalmologist and inventor of laser cataract surgery, Dr Victoria Braithwaite, Animal behaviourist, and Dr Sheila Kanini, Astrophysicist.
Science Capital is a huge area that needs to be addressed to give children the opportunities to feel like they can ‘be scientists’ and to bridge the educational inequalities. Particularly in relation to gender, ethnicity and social class. The project aims to allow children to see people like themselves in scientific roles, really making a difference. And to experience their stories in a creative and accessible way.
For children aged 4-11 years. Specifically to build science capital among children from age 4-11.
Louise Hodgson
Tel: 07876408652 / 07736472938
http://www.theatre-in-a-box.co.uk
Email: stemtheatreinabox@gmail.com
Created Cultural and Historical activities through the art, inspired by the changes happening in and around Garth Lane and the Riverhead in Grimsby town centre. Created 2hours sessions or opportunities to develop into a wider project about the Where we live, History and links with traditional skills (clay, 3D built environment, textiles).
Wendy Chan
Tel: 07909911443
Email: chanwendyone@gmail.com
‘Very clear and thorough details of how to use the clay for our coiled clay pots. Easy to follow!’
Michelle Steeper Deputy Head St Mary’s
Music and art workshops to support the literacy curriculum, bringing texts to life through song writing, art, movement and games. Helping to cement children’s knowledge of the books they are reading and use their literacy skills in a new way.
The workshops are designed for children in Upper Key Stage 1 and Lower Key Stage 2 between ages 6-8 and can be run across 4 weeks with 1 hour long workshop per week.
Megan Jowett
https://www.makethepaintdance.com/musicalwords
Tel: 07920054578
Email: megan@makethepaintdance.com
“I especially liked the art session, where the children could experiment with paint the same way Paddington did … the song helped reinforce the key themes of the text and the art helped children relate to the chapter of the book.”
–Green Lane Primary Academy
We plan, build and code our buggies before setting them to battle. This project will encourage participants to think creatively and strategically. Working together in groups, learning how to use physical materials, coding and electronics to achieve specific results of applied engineering.
Buggies are powered by the Crumble controller and use proximity sensors to respond to their environment.
National Curriculum: Design & Technology, Computing (coding)
Primary & Secondary schools, home-education groups, other groups. Year 5-6 or Year 7-9 (differentiated content), ages 9-14.
Steve Summers (QTS)
www.buggybattles.org
Email: steve@noisytoys.org
“The battle was really fun and this was a perfect project for our pupils after coming back from lockdown- fun, creative and practical, with a lot of learning outcomes.”
-Pandora Papamichael, year 5 & 6 class teacher, Scout Road Academy
“Buggy Battles hits a lot of National Curriculum programmes of study in Computing and Design and Technology, and had the class fully engaged. I would highly recommend Buggy Battles to any school.”
-Gina Blagbrough, Assistant Principal, Scout Road Academy
Hi, I’m Lorna, I’m an artist and before that I was a primary school teacher with many years experience. My YouTube channel, Lorna Hazelwood Art, has lots of art tutorials covering a range of exciting drawing techniques and ideas for children in Key Stages 1,2 and 3. My tutorials are friendly and informal but also encourage taking risks, learning through mistakes and enjoying the artistic process. I am always encouraging and positive and hope to inspire children into being more free in their own artistic endeavours without being scared of making mistakes.
Each tutorial ranges from around 5 – 15 minutes long, uses simple art resources that are readily available and are very user friendly. You can find all my tutorials on my YouTube channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOrlsIh4el5VcB11zSetVpA
Key Stages 1,2 and 3
Lorna Hazelwood
www.lornahazelwood.art
Email: hi@lornahazelwood.art
“We have really enjoyed doing Lorna’s art tutorials. They were easy to follow, producing super artwork which they were proud of. We look forward to doing more of them!”
“Thank you so much- we had a blast! It was such a fun way to engage with art. The children are all very proud of what they achieved.”
OutoftheBox is a multi-sensory, playful approach to sharing stories. It creates space for wonder and reflection, through a time of calm and mindfulness. OutoftheBox supports the wellbeing of children, fostering wisdom, hope, community and dignity.
One basket contains beautiful materials to share 49 wisdom stories exploring the themes of Care, Creativity, Choice, Contentment, Courage, Community and Conflict. The story ideas are drawn from children’s literature and wisdom stories from different worldviews and faiths.
Contributors to this innovative approach are teachers, education consultants, academics, counsellors, Montessori and Charlotte Mason practitioners, trainers in Adverse Childhood Experiences and trainers in childhood spirituality and wellbeing.
OutoftheBox has a positive impact on both individual pupils’ development and wellbeing and on the whole school community:
– supporting children to develop holistically, increase their self-awareness and ability to express themselves and find a sense of meaning in life; and
– creating a safe space for children to express themselves and listen to the thoughts of others, to help to build empathy, understanding and relationships within the class and the wider school community.
OutoftheBox supports delivery of the National Curriculum and provides evidence sought via inspections.
Hannah Lord
www.outoftheboxtraining.org
“It gave them a safe place to say what they really thought and felt.”
“Superb conversations between themselves about what might be happening in the story.”
“The storytelling that they do can give them a chance to process big feelings and make emotional connections with their friends”
“Children were very engaged.”
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