Literature review What is meant by creativity in the National Curriculum

Developing pupils’ creativity through the new National Curriculum 2014 Creativity and the National Curriculum are not opposing terms. In 2002, Ofsted published a report, The Curriculum in Successful Primary Schools, whose findings confirmed two things about the value of creativity in the curriculum: Developing pupils’ ability to think and behave creatively brings vitality to learning, provides the motivation to tackle bigger challenges and increases pupils’ confidence and self-esteem. Where creativity has an important place in the curriculum, pupils generally have very positive attitudes to learning and enjoy coming to school What do we mean by creativity? It is helpful to think of creativity in terms of what pupils are actually doing when they are learning in this way. A report by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) in 2003 described the characteristics of creativity as follows: Questioning and challenging: asking questions such as ‘Why does it happen this way?’ or ‘What if we tried it that way?’ and showing independent thinking. Making connections, seeing relationships and applying knowledge and experience in a new context. Envisaging what might be: seeing new possibilities, looking at things in different ways and asking ‘What if?’ or ‘What else?’ Exploring ideas, keeping options open: exploring, experimenting, trying fresh approaches, anticipating and overcoming difficulties. Reflecting critically on ideas, actions and outcomes Can the National Curriculum be a context for creativity? A publication by the National College for School Leadership (NCSL) in 2004, [1]Developing Creativity for Learning in the Primary School: A Practical Guide for School Leaders, NCSL 2004 in which the above characteristics are quoted, went on to say that: “Not only are these the signs of creativity, they are also the hallmarks of effective learning, particularly in situations where learners are involved in problem solving, investigation and enquiry. They are important skills in their own right, but they cannot exist in a vacuum: they need to be developed in the context of the knowledge and skills of the National Curriculum.”[ Advice for school leaders: embracing creativity in your curriculum The NCSL guide was based on the work of 22 primary schools in England, all of which combined a rich and challenging curriculum with high standards in the core subjects. The guide offers sound advice for school leaders on promoting creativity for learning through curriculum development, all of which applies equally today in the context of the new National Curriculum: Be clear about the freedom you have to design a curriculum that is distinctive to your school’s particular needs and circumstances. Define the limits of the changes you envisage: blue sky or small scale? You need to decide whether to tackle creativity for learning across the whole curriculum or restrict change initially to a few subjects, aspects or events. Begin from a position of everyone knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum as it is in the school now. Manage timetables to allow sustained periods for learning for part of the time, so that pupils can follow lines of enquiry and review, discuss and refine their work. Go for excellence through depth, by giving some aspects of the curriculum more emphasis than others. Consider the implications of your plans for medium- and short-term planning, class timetables and the pattern of the school day. Ensure that the vision of the curriculum that emerges is one to which you can all aspire. [

 (the above text is abstracted and quoted on www.curriculumsupport.co.uk) website.

^{http://www.curriculumsupport.co.uk/research/developing-pupils-creativity-through-the-new-national-curriculum-2014/}

Reviewing

Creativity through the structure of the curriculum, provides the motivation, increases pupil's confidence and self-esteem, develops a positive attitude to learning

Creativity = questioning and challenging, showing independent thinking, making connections, applying knowledge and experience, engaging, exploring ideas, fresh ideas, overcoming difficulties, reflecting etc...

• Problem solving
• Effective learning
• to be clear of the freedom within the curriculum
• define the limits(structure) creativity for learning across the whole school or within few subjects initially
• add excellence of depth by giving some subjects more emphasis
• class timetables and the pattern of the school day

Leaders should define the limits and creativity for learning across the whole school.’ It also makes you aware that problems that occur as a result of the New National Curriculum in Primary schools would come down to the creative thinking of the leaders in individual schools, but with said this also depends on budgets of schools which can often come from a higher management