Benton Dene School Resources
Creative Classrooms - Benton Dene Special School planning resources
This film was made with Benton Dene Special School and it focusses on how the teachers plan and adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of their SEN pupils. This would have been the first film in a two-part series sadly due to COVID-19 the children were unable to continue with their performance and we, therefore, couldn't film the final production.
Planning & adapting the curriculum film
Curiosity and engagement resources
At Benton Dene Special School access to the creative arts is seen as an entitlement and creativity oozes out of every learning environment. Here we take a closer look at how they build and develop curiosity and engagement.
Leadership resources
Subject leaders work together to tap into the multi-sensory nature of the creative arts and carefully build in progression. Find out more by downloading the PDF below:
Student ownership
Through the creative process students are given choices and encouraged to make their own decisions about both what they should learn and how they should learn it. Pupils are supported to make the right kinds of choices within a safe nd secure environment tailored to their needs. Click the link below to find out more:
Problem solving
The staff at Benton Dene Special School work hard to build upon their students problem solving skills whilst at the same time improving their confidence.
Confidence
This next PDF looks at how creativity helps children to solve problems and overcome challenges.
Divergent thinking
Teachers embrace new ways of thinking and learning allowing them to see the links between unrelated ideas and concepts.
Collaborative learning and planning
The teachers at Benton Dene Special School have embraced their co-learning environment and work hard to support each other in all aspects of creative learning.
Connecting to a wider curriculum
Benton Dene Special School has also structured the curriculum on a wider level. For example using Talk for Writing in literacy has impacted the student’s story invention skills, feeding into the show’s early planning ideas. In addition student led enquiry-based learning is taking off within classrooms in other subjects - all this, alongside the outward-bound areas of Challenge and Development which are working together to foster confidence in student’s own ideas and creativity.
What's next for Benton Dene Special School?
After speaking to the team we have created a list of steps that will help to take them forward.
- Due to logistics and the need for familiarity for their students, the show is performed within the school. Subject leaders are however, currently discussing how they could facilitate a performance elsewhere.
- Continuing to increase student choice and ownership.
- Pursuing innovative teaching strategies for Art, DT, Drama Music.
- Harnessing the enthusiasm of younger students who can’t wait until it is their turn to be involved in the next theatrical production!
