Between September 2006 and March 2007 MLA South East worked together with advisers from the Oxfordshire Education Effectiveness Service and the Training and Development Agency to broker local partnerships between museums and teachers exploring how museum learning could impact on pupils at Extended Schools. Three pilot projects were set up with six museums, the county Music Service, Headington Library and nine schools.

Pupils across Key Stage 1 and 2 from schools with a high level of disadvantage across the main indicators of deprivation were identified including one school in a community that registers in the top 10% of most deprived in England. A significantly high proportion of the children had special needs and included cared for children, asylum seekers, refugees and children with English as a second language. Local information indicated a need to support community and cultural integration.

The project contributed to three local priority outcomes:

• Improving the life chances of children and young people
• Promoting lifelong learning, training and skills development
• Strengthening communities and involving people.

Key objectives were to:

• Raise aspirations and attainment amongst pupils and parents involved
• Ensure all pupils, staff and parents involved enjoy and achieve
• Develop, increase and share skills of the partners
• Raise awareness of how museums can contribute to extended schools in schools and museums and increase the links between schools and museums
• Begin to embed cultural activities in school curriculum planning through learning outside of the classroom

Three difference projects were implemented:

Project 1: The Museum of Oxford worked with a group of boys with literacy that was one or two levels below the expected average at KS1, many from difficult backgrounds who had shown challenging behaviour in the classroom. Handling objects, including replica civil war armour were chosen to appeal to the boys and encourage their participation.

A creative writing specialist was employed to train both museum and school staff and to support project delivery. The project included two out of school workshops which parents were invited to attend and two after school club sessions. A wide range of learning tools were used including storytelling, visual aids, storyboards, portraiture, smell boxes, walks and costume.

An early evening reception was held at the museum to open a display of the children’s work. Pupils and parents from the whole school were invited to attend this celebration where children were presented with a certificate and badge.

Project 2: Five Key Stage 2 pupils were selected from each of seven local schools to explore sequence and symmetry as a maths and art concept through:

• Nature at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History (OUM)
• Anthropology at the Pitt Rivers
• Technology and engineering at the Museum for History and Science
• Art at the Ashmolean Museum

Seven sessions were held at the university museums and in the art block at Oxford Community School (OCS). The Head of Art worked with education staff from OUM to develop the sessions and learning materials. Seven teaching assistants from the partnership of schools worked with the pupils throughout the project.

Following best practice in outreach to new audiences, museum staff visited OCS to meet the pupils, introduce the museums and proposed activity. This was followed by pupils attending sessions in the participating museums. Each pupil was given a sketch book on the theme of ‘Symmetry and Sequence’ with examples and space for their own museum research, drawings and study notes. Following each museum visit, pupils spent a session in the art block at OCS to recreate images based on their experience.

A final high profile event for family, friends, governors, pupils and staff was held.

Project 3: The range of activities took place over five months and included a visit to the Oxfordshire Museum (TOM) with a sculpture workshop related to the exhibition, African drumming and Indian dance sessions at school, African and Indian art and a visit to the library with storytelling.

Workshops were led by specialist tutors, the class teacher and museum and library staff. Sessions took place both in and out of school hours and parents were invited to join their children in the after school activities. The work was shared through a series of concerts, displays and a final exhibition for parents and other classes to see.

The Children and Young People’s Plan year 1 review reported successful outcomes including the class working more as a team; children recognizing each other’s talents and having the confidence to perform in front of others. Another school targeted 14 boys and one girl, all with behavioural difficulties. It was noted that these children had become more focused and parents more involved in learning.

A recent report from one school stated ‘that almost all the pupils who had taken part had improved their Key Stage results by one or two grades with only two staying at the same level.’ Although it was acknowledged the project could only have contributed to this improvement it was noted that two months later those involved were still talking about the work.

Critical success factors included:

• Appropriate training for staff to ensure they provided high quality teaching and support to young people and their parents
• All those involved having high expectations of the young people, which resulted in high quality work, improved confidence and support for each other
• The involvement of teaching assistants who provided continuity across schools and helped embed learning into their own organisations, as well as building a pool of advocates for museum partnerships with schools
• Involvement of the Extended School’s Coordinator, which greatly assisted the partnership arrangements between the schools and museums