Lead Creative Schools scheme
The Lead Creative School scheme is one of the key building blocks of Creative
Learning through the Arts - an action plan for Wales. Published in March 2015, the
plan is jointly funded by the Arts Council of Wales and Welsh Government. It is a
major schools improvement initiative that is being taken forward in partnership with
the four Regional Education Consortia. At its launch, the Minister for Education and
Skills and the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism reaffirmed the
important role that arts and creativity play in helping to invigorate and support
learning in our schools.
The scheme uses well-developed teaching and learning techniques that are
specifically designed to be practical and relevant to real-life curriculum demands.
These techniques are informed by extensive research from around the world into
what makes a high-performing school.
Lead Creative Schools nurture and develop the creativity of learners so that they
achieve their potential, grow as well rounded individuals and are prepared with skills
for life. We want to make sure that in a rapidly changing world, children and young
people in Wales are able to meet the needs of the economy and to thrive within the
increasingly competitive environment of day-to-day life.
We believe that creativity is not a skill bound within the arts, but a wider ability
to question, make connections, and take an innovative and imaginative
approach to problem solving. These are skills that are demanded by today’s
employers. We also believe that connecting children and young people with a rich
and diverse cultural offer – linking them to the work of the artists, creative
professionals and organisations in the arts, cultural, heritage and creative sectors - is
of crucial importance in broadening horizons and opening up opportunities.
The scheme supports work with schools over a period of two years, to explore how
creative teaching and learning can enhance their practice and bring about
sustainable change in approaches to teaching and learning. Schools recruited to the
scheme have demonstrated a commitment to valuing the development of the
creative skills of learners and to using creativity to support their vision and help
deliver their school development priorities.
Each participating school will decide on a specific focus for their Lead Creative School
project which links with their school development priorities. The focus is on
improving literacy, numeracy and reducing the impact of poverty on achievement
through an innovative, often cross curricular, participative and engaging approach.
The Lead Creative Schools Scheme approach is distinctive:
 it starts with the School Development Plan – linking project and programme
development closely with priorities identified by the participating school;
 it makes time for proper in-depth planning to ensure projects are relevant and
based on the needs of the schools and the learners;
 it facilitates processes where young people, teachers and creative professionals
can work together as co-constructors of learning;
 it provides opportunities for learners to take responsibility for their learning;

the scheme finds creative approaches to literacy, numeracy and to reducing the
attainment gap between learners eligible for free school meals (eFSM) and their
peers;
The Lead Creative School scheme provides grant funding of between £5,000 and
£14,500 each year for two years to the successful schools.
ERW region – schools involved in year 1 of the Lead Creative Schools scheme
31 successful applications in ERW in year 1 involving 44 schools (some applications
involved a cluster of schools) – highest number of schools of the four regions in
Wales
Ceredigion – 1 cluster of schools – Bro Teifi family
Carmarthenshire – 9 schools/clusters of schools – 1 special, 3 secondary, 5 primary
Pembrokeshire – 5 schools – 1 special, 2 secondary, 2 primary
NPT – 1 primary school
Swansea – 8 schools/clusters of schools - 1 special, 4 secondary, 3 primary
Powys – 7 schools/clusters of schools - 1 special, 4 secondary, 2 primary
Current progress - year 1 timeline:
School Coordinators and teachers from each school have attended one of ten two-day
training courses. The Creative Agent and School coordinator identify an area of priority from
the School Development Plan and formulate a project/enquiry focus. Creative Agents are
funded by the Arts Council of Wales and work closely with the Lead Creative School
coordinator and senior members of staff as well as the class teacher involved (having also
gained the pupils own input into the planning and their experience of learning).
Creative Agents working with schools in the ERW region include authors, gallery learning
educators, poets, dance specialists, theatre directors, artists, digital practitioners and all have
extensive experience of educational collaboration.
Schools are now working with their Creative Agents to design projects and select Creative
Practitioners. Project planning forms are due in on the 18th Dec, approval of which will
release the first grant funding. The Creative Practitioners come from a wide variety of
creative backgrounds and industries - in the ERW region they include an architect, digital
artists, authors, poets, film animators, storytellers as well as visual and performance artists.
Once selected and approved the projects will be ready to take place in the spring term.
Year 2 briefings:
Year 2 briefings are being held in all regions to inform schools of the Lead Creative School
scheme and encourage new schools to apply – Challenge Advisors have also been informed
and information is available on the ERW website and the Arts Council for Wales website.
The timeline is in place and preparations are being made for assessing year 2 school
applications, training round 2 Creative Agents, Lead Creative School coordinators and
Creative Practitioners.
OECD research study:
The Lead Creative School scheme has been invited to participate in an international
OECD study looking at the impacts of creative learning techniques, involving pupils
participating in a LCS maths/numeracy project in either Year 4 or Year 9.
This research reflects the growing international recognition of the importance in
developing the creative skills of our learners – and in doing so increasing their skills
in collaboration, imagination, problem solving, communication, resilience and
refection.
For more information about the Lead Creative School Scheme in the ERW region
please contact Sophie Hadaway – Regional Lead Phone: 07710 026079
Or visit the Arts Council of Wales website:
artscouncilofwales.org.uk