Creativity Collaboratives Nottingham

Creativity Collaboratives is a national school-led programme, funded by The Arts Council over 3 years. There are 8 ‘Creativity Collaboratives’ around the country – groups of schools testing a range of innovative practices in teaching for creativity.

In Nottingham, 12 schools within the Nottingham Schools Trust (NST) have come together as a community of practice to explore this overarching question:

How can we improve the way our schools nurture children’s innate creative capacity and sustain their curiosity about the world?

We're doing this by:

1. Prioritising teachers’ professional learning about teaching for creativity

2. Creating effective communities of practice that include teachers, creative practitioners and cultural education partners

3. Building networks of events, support and school governance that sustain teaching for creativity

4. Building strong school connections to local cultures and heritage and supporting the development of children’s sense of place.

There are regular opportunities to connect with Prof Bill Lucas, and teachers from around the country within a national peer learning network. The ‘Creative Habits of Mind Wheel’ has been a useful tool through which to reflect on our own creative confidence and the residency programmes with creative practitioners.

Schools involved are: Cantrell Primary, Carrington Primary, Crabtree Farm Primary, Greenfields Community School, Hospital and Home Education Learning Centre, Milford Academy, Old Basford Primary, Southglade Primary, Southwold Primary, Rosehill School, Rufford Primary and Welbeck Primary.

Research on Creativity - approaches and inspiration

Creativity Exchange Ideas Hubs

Peter OConnor's New Zealand creativity resources

Michael Anderson's transformative learning and CREATE centre presentations on YouTube

Centre For Research In Arts, Creativity And Literacies

Researching Arts in Primary Schools

School Leaders' Work and Wellbeing

Time To Listen: Tracking Arts Learning and Engagement

Creative Habits of Learning

a diagram depicts the five habits of learning

Could your school find this model useful?

This widely used model of creativity was developed by Professor Bill Lucas and colleagues at the University of Winchester.

It can help creative professionals and teachers to:

have a shared language of creativity across the school community
create a dialogue in schools about the value of developing creative skills
consider how to build opportunities for creative skill development in learning
develop their practice
support reflection and goal setting with learners

Case Studies

Rosehill School, Year 1

Rosehill school pupils taking part in fabric art

With thanks to Jemima Corrie for writing this case study and Sarah Bailey for creating and sharing a short video documenting their residency with Usha Mahenthrialingam. Read more

Welbeck Primary, Year 1

Rosehill School, Year 1

welbeck primary children showing off some artwork

Visual Artist Katie Sandoval worked with children at Welbeck School. "It’s okay if your work looks different to the person sitting next to you, it doesn’t mean it’s wrong” Read more

Carrington Primary, Year 1

Carrington collaborated with Mo Languir to create a Lunar Garden The children ‘went on moon walks’, painted ‘moon rocks’, made clay aliens and bought items from home in for a time capsule. Read more

Southglade Primary, Year 1

Carrington Primary, Year 1

colourful card artwork by schoolchildren

Southglade Primary worked with artist Graham Elstone for their first Creativity Collaboratives residency, creating a sound installation histodisplay. Read more

Creativity Collaboratives Nottingham

Research on Creativity - approaches and inspiration

Year 2 Video Case Study

Creative Practitioners

Looking for a creative practitioner?

Creative Habits of Learning

Could your school find this model useful?

Case Studies

Rosehill School, Year 1

Rosehill School, Year 1

Rosehill School, Year 1

Welbeck Primary, Year 1

Rosehill School, Year 1

Rosehill School, Year 1

Carrington Primary, Year 1

Carrington Primary, Year 1

Carrington Primary, Year 1

Southglade Primary, Year 1

Carrington Primary, Year 1

Carrington Primary, Year 1

Creativity Collaboratives Nottingham

Research on Creativity - approaches and inspiration

Year 2 Video Case Study

Creative Practitioners

Looking for a creative practitioner?

Creative Habits of Learning

Could your school find this model useful?

Case Studies

Rosehill School, Year 1

Rosehill School, Year 1

Rosehill School, Year 1

Welbeck Primary, Year 1

Rosehill School, Year 1

Rosehill School, Year 1

Carrington Primary, Year 1

Carrington Primary, Year 1

Carrington Primary, Year 1

Southglade Primary, Year 1

Carrington Primary, Year 1

Carrington Primary, Year 1

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