Creative Practitioner-Music

Turves Green Boys’ School
- A Specialist Technology College -

Creative Partnerships Change School Programme 2009-2010

Background
Creative Partnerships is the Government’s flagship creative learning programme, designed to develop the skills of young people across England, raising their aspirations and equipping them for their futures. We foster innovative, long-term partnerships between schools and creative professionals, including architects, scientists, multimedia developers and artists. These partnerships inspire young people, teachers and creative professionals to challenge how they work and experiment with new ideas.

Young people develop the skills they need to perform well not only in exams and extra-curricular activities, but also in the workplace and wider society.

Context
The school is a relatively small technology and humanities college with approximately 650 boys serving the Longbridge district of Birmingham. A small number of the pupils are from minority ethnic communities and standards on entry are broadly average. About one fifth of pupils, an average proportion, are on the special needs register. The school was one of the first to be designated a specialist technology college in 1995. There are extensive links with other schools within the south western districts of Birmingham and shared sports facilities with the adjacent girls' school.
The school became part of the Change Schools programme in September 2008. The Change Schools programme builds on Creative Partnerships current practice to bring about sustainable change in approaches to teaching and learning. We have made a firm commitment to putting creativity at the heart of our improvement plans and to educating children and young people for a creative future.

Focus, Aims and Requirements
The Change Schools programme focuses on generating long-term dialogue about creative teaching and learning, and how the school can become a more effective creative learning environment. Our focus is to explore in depth how we can develop the conditions where creativity can thrive. Can we through engaging with outside professionals, raise achievement and make teaching and learning more exciting and relevant to life after school?

For our first project this year, we are looking for a musician or a group of musician to work with our Year 10 BTEC Music group on ‘Working as a Musical Ensemble’. We are looking for somebody who understands collaborative learning, and acts in supporting the students on their journey of discovery on all aspects of the project.

The project aims to encompass all aspects of leading in working within a musical ensemble including;
- Understanding different musical ensembles and the roles within them
- Knowing how to devise, plan and prepare for a performance as part of an ensemble
- Being able to present an ensemble performance
- We would like to see a performance at the end of the project.

The Key aims of the project are to;
- Give pupils and staff the opportunity to learn and build a project together.
- Enable staff and pupils to explore new ideas and take ownership of their work.
- Increase opportunities for pupils and staff to explore what it means to be an independent learner yet develop their ability to work as a team

Selection and application:
As well as someone who can commit to the dates we’re looking for exceptional creative practitioners who have;
- An understanding of or an interest in how people learn
- A commitment to genuine collaboration
- An ability to reflect and communicate
- A willingness to learn and share skills
- A sense of humour
- Have an enhanced CRB clearance less than 18months old and Public Liability Insurance of 5 million

Project outline:
The project will be running the following dates;

23rd February 10.00 - 13.15
2nd March 12.00 - 15.15
9th March 10.00 - 13.15
16th March 12.00 - 15.15
23rd March 10.00 - 13.15
30th March 12.00 - 15.15

Practitioners must be able to commit to these dates and in addition, there will be two days planning over the running of the project and two days planning & reflection in school, 1 day for preparation and attending the final event.

Fee: £1,990 + up to £ 500 materials budget

6 session @ £ 150 £900
2 project planning days @£200 £400
2 days planning & reflecting in school @ £230 £460
1 day event planning & attendance £230


Selection will take place on Tuesday 12th January from 12.00 and will involve;
- Delivery of a 30 minute ‘hands-on’ workshop to the 21 Year 10 students
- A formal interview with a panel comprising both students and teachers

Fee for attending session and interview will be £50


To apply, please provide
- a CV (no more than two pages)
- two references
- a short description (up to one side of A4) of how you might work with us
- any portfolio, CD, DVD, webpage reference or any kind of appropriate presentation to showcase your previous work
- the date of your recent CRB check
- confirmation that you have public liability up to 5 million

Please send all documents in DOC or PDF format, no docx please.
If you cannot attend the project or interview dates, please do not apply.

Deadline: by 5pm on Friday 11th December 2009

Interview date: Tuesday 12th January 2010

All applications to be emailed to:
Alan Inglis, CP Co-coordinator: inglis.al@googlemail.com

For questions please contact Iris Bertz, Creative Agent: ibertz@gmail.com


This project is part of a Change School project supported by Creative Partnerships
www.creative-partnerships.com and Bright Space www.brightspace.org.uk