The Turves Green Titans are looking for a creative practitioner to work with us on a Robot Wars Project.

Turves Green Boys’ School, Birmingham, B31 4BS
- A Specialist Technology College -

Creative Partnerships Change School Programme 2010-2011

The Turves Green Titans are looking for a creative practitioner to work with us on a Robot Wars Project.

We are a group of 7 students from year 8, 9&10 who are the steering group on a project to start an after school club based on the Robot Wars. The club aims to engage pupils who normally don’t take part in clubs ( and have fun while learning). We also think there might be potential to link to science & technology subjects. The group size we are planning to work with is 20 pupils of different ages.

But for now we are looking for a person who can help us make this happen and can work with us to design, build & compete robots to get started!

We have a big vision to maybe start involving other schools in the long-term and support them in setting up a similar club! We also want the club to carry on once the original support from Creative Partnerships has finished, so sustainability is important.

We are looking for an exceptional practitioner who:
-can help us make the robots
- can work with a group of about 20 boys
- takes young people seriously
- can enable us to make the robots & and not do it for us
- is committed to work with young people
- has good imagination
- has experience in engineering (or building robots or similar)
- we can trust
- is ambitious with us- not for themselves
- does not take shortcuts
- is interested in working with recycled materials.
If you have worked with children before that would be ideal, but if you feel passionate about our idea, please get in touch.

To apply please send:
- a CV (no more than two pages)
- two references
- a short description (less than one side of A4) of how you might work with us
- any portfolio, CD, DVD, webpage reference to showcase your previous work
- the date of your recent CRB check ( if you have not been CRB checked an indication that you will be happy to be CRB checked)
- confirmation of Public Liability
- an indication of your fees

To our Creative Agent: Iris Bertz ibertz@gmail.com, for questions: 0121 439 6873

Wednesday 3rd Nov – Deadline for Applications 5pm
Please send all documents in the DOC or PDF format, no docx please.



The Turves Green Titans meet every Thursday after school: 3-4 pm

We would like the practitioner to be there from 2.30 pm so he or she can set up in time. And to stay till 4.30 for reflection and planning.
We envisage the practitioner to come in weekly up to Christmas and then maybe at longer interval. But we would like to decide that together with the chosen person.

We are also planning to do a small number of whole or half days to set up the project.


Proposed Dates for Practitioners – Autumn Term 2010

Wednesday 3rd Nov – Deadline for Applications 5pm

Friday 12th Nov – Interviews ( Morning)

Thursday 18th Nov – Planning Meeting 2.30-4.30pm

Thursday 25th Nov – Full Day Workshop 9.00-3.30pm

Then weekly workshops up to Christmas.


So please apply- blow us way with your ideas!!!



Creative Partnerships Change School Programme 2010-2011

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 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?







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