EXCITED three and four year olds are planning a very special party that will celebrate a clutch of special achievements and launch Shaw Trust Palmer Gardens' involvement in a trail-blazing research project to transform learning.
Your photographers are invited to St Thomas' Pre-school special celebration party at Shaw Trust's Palmer Gardens, when artist Catherine Lamont-Robinson will join excited children, staff, the Shaw Trust team and Town Crier Trevor Hicks.
When: on Friday April 25th, 2008.
What time: 10.30am is when the celebration cake will be cut.
Where:
EXCITED three and four year olds are planning a very special party that will celebrate a clutch of special achievements and launch Shaw Trust Palmer Gardens' involvement in a trail-blazing research project to transform learning.
"We often take small groups to
"The staff are so friendly and welcoming and there is so much to see and stimulate the children. They are particularly looking forward to meeting the rare great crested newts!"
"We are delighted to be part of such an important project. The centre and its garden, which is open to the public, is part of the community and we are particularly eager to encourage schools to use the facilities," said Mark Bradbury, Manager at
Mark's Gardens Supervisor, and Trowbridge Town Crier, Trevor Heeks is donning his ceremonial uniform to welcome the youngsters, whose April 25th party will include a puzzle trail, with sunflower growing kits as prizes, leading to a summer-long competition to produce the tallest plant.
Salisbury-based artist Catherine Lamont and Jan and her team will make regular visits to Palmer Gardens, as part of their interactive journey on the '5x5x5=creativity' project.
"Working in a beautiful open space will be inspirational for us all. I am so excited to be involved with the project, which aims to transform the way children learn, and where the individual is totally valued," said Catherine, who also works with children with sensory impairment and in medical schools, to encourage creativity in students.
'5x5x5=creativity', which was inspired by a 40 year-old Italian approach in Reggio Emilia, was launched here in 2000, covers the two to seven years age group, and has now worked with 55 schools, pre-schools and cultural settings, with 25 artists from different art forms.
The Bath-based research organisation, which is 'researching children, researching the world', promotes child-informed learning and works with artists to help encourage children to become creative, questioning, curious and eager to learn.
"By very careful observation, we find out what children are fascinated in, what they are curious about, and then we follow those leads. It is a free flowing negotiated curriculum rather than a prescribed one and children are encouraged to explore and ask questions, rather than being given answers, which stifles their creative powers. Instead, they are empowered and develop creative skills that will equip them for lifelong learning," explained the charity's Director of Research Penny Hay.
"We are keen to use our research results to contribute to an international, critical debate about education in a social democracy, and ultimately to build an educational culture that can change lives."
Wiltshire County Council was one of the first education authorities to embrace the research and has funded schools' participation for the past five years. Jan Burch, from the 39 year-old Pre-School group with 45 two to five year olds on its books, says she was delighted they were chosen to take part.
"The project does everything I've always believed in. It just makes so much sense," she said.
"Children learn by being able to explore, by being empowered, by being creative, by experimenting and being allowed to make mistakes, because unless they do, they can't learn to put it right."
Veronica Sandall, an Advisory Teacher for West Wilts and Central and a '5x5x5' project mentor, added: "The research is about finding out how children learn, and following their lead. It works more freely than traditional planning formats and it is always exciting to see just what children are able to learn if we allow them the opportunities of and creative resources including time and space.
"Creativity covers everything from gardening to painting to cooking, and has a positive impact on all aspects of a child's learning, which is why it was so exciting when Mark agreed to let
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. For further details, please contact Marketing Communications Manager Tony Noble on 07971 794404 or PR Officer Becky Gammon on 07779 784901. Or you can email: crucialpr@shaw-trust.org.uk
2. Shaw Trust is a national charity which helps people who live with a disability or who are disadvantaged, find work and achieve independence. We do this not only by delivering government programmes, but also through our own self-funded initiatives, and by campaigning to change attitudes at all levels.
3. Across the
4. For more information about 5x5x5=creativity, please log onto their website www.5x5x5creativity.org.uk or contact Lucinda Roberts on 07971 167531.
