Cranford Review 2019

the schools, students
and teachers network
Recognition for Cranford’s
Leading Edge Creative Arts and PSHCE Curriculum
On
29th March 2019
Angelina Idun visited
Cranford Community College to
look at excellence in Creative Arts
and PSHCE. She was extremely
impressed by the innovative work
to further enhance and develop
the curriculum offer for our
students.
She was fascinated to hear how
Luke Joyce’s experience and
connections in the music industry
as a member of a rock band has
brought new life and energy to the
music department. The tour of the
music area gave her a good insight
into how the department has been
transformed into an inspirational
learning environment that is well
used by students. The discussion
with Luke Joyce and Rory
O’Hare highlighted the focus on
helping students acquire some
of the skills the industry needs,
on giving students a real and
relevant learning experience and
an opportunity if they wished to
achieve alternative qualifications.
The student compositions were of
a very high quality and showed
the extent to which through this
subject students are being given
a voice and a chance to be totally
creative, writing lyrics for songs
and expressing themselves on the
issues that matter to them.
Angelina also spent time with
Barbara Lodge to take a detailed
look at the “real and gritty”
key stage 3 PSHCE curriculum
that she has designed and the
stimulating resources that have
been built up promoting active
learning, quality discussion,
independence and collaboration.
She was fortunate to see a
PSHCE lesson in action when
she visited with the delegation
from Colombia in November
2018 seeing a First Aid lesson
in process and witnessed firsthand
the buzz of the PSHCE
classroom. She also had a chance
to read some of the reflective
emails that students write at the
end of a session which powerfully
demonstrate the impact of the
PSHCE curriculum on students’
ability to keep themselves safe
and to address any concerns they
may have.
Other schools and academies
in the SSAT and Leading Edge
networks will be able to learn
about Cranford’s approach to the
creative curriculum and PSHCE
as well as other aspects of
excellent practice through blogs
and journal pieces.
Veronique Gerber
(Associate Headteacher)
2
“I really enjoy being able to
discuss important things, I have
learned how to listen to other
people even when I don’t agree
with them”. (year 8 student)
“I think that PSHCE is very
important to learn all the
skills we need through our lives
and not just for passing exams”.
(year 8 student)
“My favourite topic was equality,
I was shocked to see that there
are still so many inequalities
between men and women”.
(year 9 student)
“I feel that I can be more open about
being an LGBTQ+ ally in the world”.
(year 9 student)
“I like the chance we have to reflect
privately and ask Miss if we have
any questions we didn’t want to ask
in front of the class”. (year 9 student)
RSL overall has been an amazing experience. It offered
me opportunities to improve as a musician. Mr Joyce’s
expertise was highly appreciated and his wonderful
teaching helped substantially and inspired me to begin to
write my own music at home in my spare time. The facilities
available are amazing; The two studios, each fitted out
with professional software, the computer room and the live
drum kit has enabled, not just me but everyone around to
find their inner musician.
Zayia Berum (year 10)
RSL this year is an amazing experience and the teachers
and facilities they provided me with are extremely helpful
in allowing me to improve my musical skills. I’m thankful
for the support and help they have given me and I feel
I’ve grown more experienced because of it. I’ve been
given the opportunity to perform in front of the school
and for summer events which substantially improved my
confidence in front of an audience and allowed me to get
more creative with my own work. I’m extremely proud of
how far I’ve come since the start of the year and strive to
improve more next year.
Corben Smith (year 10)