Technically, Copperfields College isn't a failing school, as it?s not in Special Measures, explains Richard Whistler. And it?s important not to use the term ?failing school?, as emotionally it?s potentially damaging, but the word ?challenging? in the title is highly appropriate.
In 1997 an OfSTED report stated that Copperfields had a significant number of pupils with ?problematic behaviour linked to poor educational attainment, low attendance, poor social skills, emotional instability and low self esteem.? Since then an Education Action Zone (EAZ) has been established in East Leeds, specifically to address these problems using creative approaches.
The Richmond Hill Achievement Zone includes eight schools in Leeds and boasts Northern Ballet Theatre and Interplay Theatre Company among its creative partners. Another key partner in this EAZ is Northern School of Contemporary Dance (NSCD) which had social inclusion at the heart of its mission long before the expression was bandied about by others. Principal Nadine Senior introduced dance to the curriculum at Harehills Middle School over twenty years ago to provide a creative outlet for the young pupils in this culturally diverse area of Leeds. Subsequently these dance classes spawned the talents of Harehills Dance Umbrella and Phoenix Dance Co., not to mention a thriving school now entering its sixteenth year with recent graduates including the award-winning Akram Khan.
Through its involvement with Copperfields College, the NSCD is reiterating its commitment to increasing opportunities for local young people to enter further and higher education in areas where this is not the norm. It also enables the NSCD to tap into a rich seam of local dance talent by breaking down traditional barriers that might prevent young people from participating in dance activities.
But what can dance do to improve the pupils of Copperfields? attendance, social skills and so on? ?We see dance as an art form with it?s own in-built discipline and success factor, and a significant kinaesthetic learning mode? says Brian Higginson, Creativity and Dance Co-ordinator for the Richmond Hill Achievement Zone, ?so as well as enabling pupils to gain skills in the art form, we?re also looking at transferable skills which will assist their learning across the curriculum?. Brian and his colleagues, have sought to address the criticisms of the OfSTED report by encouraging schools like Copperfields to think innovatively about how to attract young people that need additional support to attend school. The use of creativity in teaching core skills is widely accepted as a successful tool for helping to raise levels of achievement. The goals are to increase pupils? capacity to learn through engaging them in dance and giving them access to the cultural heritage that is embodied in the arts.
Underpinning these goals is the bid to nurture emotional intelligence in pupils: this involves systematically nurturing self-esteem and the ability to recognise and modulate the emotions in an age-appropriate way so that young people are emotionally equipped for learning and for life. To this end Merville Jones, an ex- Harehills pupil and a founder member of Phoenix, was appointed Community Dance Worker at the NSCD in January and has been taking regular creative dance workshops at Copperfields. Most of the young people have little or no experience of dance, and no history or background of creative activities.
There is, as the OfSTED report suggested, a culture of problematic and challenging behaviour at Copperfields but as Brian Higginson says ?within two months, Merville - and the dance activities - have made significant inroads into that culture. The most unlikely groups have performed remarkably disciplined and focused dance pieces in public.?.
Richard Whistler is Marketing Officer at Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Higher Education College t: 0113 219 3008 f: 0113 219 3030 w: http://www.nscd.ac.uk