The Arts Council of Wales in partnership with Welsh Government are pleased to announce the continuation of Cynefin: culturally and ethnically diverse Wales.
We aim to expand the network of schools across Wales that will be supported to devise and deliver creative collaborative projects relating to:
- understanding the history and development of Wales as a culturally and ethnically diverse society
- exploring the experiences and contributions of culturally and ethnically diverse people in Wales, past and present
- gaining awareness of the people, cultures and communities that make up contemporary Wales
- exploring identity in relation to growing up in contemporary Wales
- complementing existing anti-racist approaches and practices
- working alongside Creative Professionals in a learning environment to enhance the quality of teaching and learning
What we're looking for
We are inviting schools from across Wales to be a part of our latest creative learning offer that will connect schools with inspirational Creative Professionals. Where possible, we hope to work with Creative Professionals from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds to add authenticity to this work.
Background
Cynefin: culturally and ethnically diverse Wales draws upon the strengths of the Lead Creative Schools Scheme that has helped schools explore new ideas and approaches to teaching and learning over the last 8 years.
At the heart of the scheme is co-construction, co-delivery and learner agency. It is an enquiry-based approach that uses arts interventions and creative pedagogy to explore themes, issues and challenges across all areas of learning.
What will the offer entail
- Schools will work in collaboration with a designated Creative Professional to plan a creative learning project that explores elements of Cynefin: culturally and ethnically diverse Wales
- Successful schools will be required to send the lead teacher to a one-day online training course delivered by the Arts Council of Wales, to ensure that they are fully prepared for the project. The training dates are shown in the timeline below.
- Schools will work alongside their designated Creative Professional and other creative practitioners to deliver these projects to a single class of learners. A class of learners may be a cohort of learners that have been pulled together from across the school (it should be no more than 30 learners)
- As a school, you will appoint a senior leader to oversee the strategic delivery of the project to complement anti racist approaches and affect whole school change
- As a school, you will reflect throughout the course of the project and conduct a final evaluation. There will also be opportunities for you to share your findings with other teaching professionals and creatives across Wales
Funding and support
Each school will receive 16 days support from a Creative Professional employed by the Arts Council of Wales.
In addition to this, each school will receive a grant of £2000 to fund additional creative practitioners, resources and related trips to support the project.
The designated teacher will attend a one-day online training course delivered by the Arts Council of Wales and will engage in professional learning opportunities.
Eligibility
The scheme is open to all local authority maintained and voluntary-aided primary and secondary schools, including special schools and specialist teaching facilities. Schools who are currently receiving funding as a Lead Creative School and/or have been a Cynefin school previously are ineligible to apply.
How to apply
Please ensure you have read the Frequently Asked Questions before completing the application form.
An application form for Cynefin: culturally and ethnically diverse Wales can be found below.
This application should be completed by the teacher who will be designated to run the project.
Applications close at 12:00 (midday), Tuesday 14th November, 2023.
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14 November 2023 |
Application deadline |
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w/c 15 January 2024 |
Training for Lead Teachers Schools must attend as a condition of grant |
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w/c 22 January 2024 |
Creative Professionals matched to schools |
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From 29 January |
Project planning |
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8th March |
Planning Form deadline |
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w/c 11th & 18th March |
Quality assurance planning conversation with Project Lead |
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18th March – 6th June |
Delivery of project activity |
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w/c 10th & 17th June |
National sharing events |
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27th June |
Evaluation Deadline |
How to find out more
Should you wish to apply we strongly suggest that you attend one of our online briefing sessions as detailed below. This will be an opportunity to find out more about the offer and ask any questions.
If you have any further queries, please contact one of the creative learning team as detailed below
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Daniel.trivedy@arts.wales Tel: 07710026085 |
Gwenfair.hughes@arts.wales Tel: 01492539754 |
Shaun.featherstone@arts.wales Tel: 07710026084 |
Absolutely not. Creativity is an essential skill for life aligned with the 4 Core Purposes and cuts across all AoLEs. Creative learning pedagogy is relevant and useful in devising innovative, authentic and engaging experiences for all learners and teaching practitioners.
You should appoint an experienced member of teaching staff whose class (or learners) will be taking part. That person should also be easy to contact and available throughout the school working week, be very flexible, and be a keen advocate for driving forward change in relation to diversifying the curriculum.
This opportunity should not be given to a teacher whose class (or learners) are not taking part. We also caution against giving this opportunity to a teaching colleague who is new to your school. It is not suitable for an NQT.
The Arts Council of Wales will match each school with a creative professional. This person will work in close collaboration with the designated lead teacher to research, co construct and deliver the project. They will help you investigate and understand the history and development of Wales as a culturally and ethnically diverse society; and explore the experiences and contributions of culturally and ethnically diverse people in Wales, past and present. In most cases this person will be from a culturally and ethnically diverse background.
The creative practitioners work in addition to your creative professional to support the delivery of your project. In most cases these persons will be from a culturally and ethnically diverse background.
Your creative professional will help you find suitable Creative Practitioners. They are paid from your school’s £2000 Cynefin grant and you will need to ensure they are paid promptly and fairly once they have completed their work.
Yes, we do. You have the option to use up to but not exceeding £300 from your school’s £2000 Cynefin grant towards this.
Yes, you do. This is a condition of your grant acceptance. It’s to ensure you get the most out of your experience and your school fully benefits from this opportunity.
No. Please do not apply if you want to site this project in more than one class or across an entire year group. This will be challenged at the planning and approval stage by us. If this presents a barrier to you applying (for example : if you are a very small school, a secondary and so on) we highly recommend contacting us for advice before submitting your application
No, in fact the exact opposite. The Cynefin grant should not fund a pre-existing idea or a project that has already begun (or is planned). Your project should be completely new and evolve organically from a ‘blank piece of paper’ in terms of focus and direction. Your creative professional will work with you to explore ideas and themes which take account of and is informed by authentic pupil voice and relevant school development priorities.
The Cynefin grant supports schools to explore diversifying their curriculum through creativity and creative learning pedagogy. It is in step with the Curriculum for Wales statement of what matters code (section 2.3.5 ).
Absolutely. You will be assigned a Project Lead from within the Creative learning team at the Arts Council of Wales as well as your own Creative Professional. Your project lead will also be responsible for quality assurance of your project and approves your initial planning and budget submission. All our Creative Professionals on the Cynefin programme are experienced and skilled creative practitioners.
Schools will need to ensure that they have registered on our online portal before completing an application form. Once you have registered on the online portal you will be able to access the application forms. We recommend that you register your school on our portal at least 5 working days before you wish to start your application. To register on the portal, click here to create your account.
Arts Council of Wales is committed to making information available in large print, easy read, braille, audio and will endeavour to provide information in languages other than Welsh, English or British Sign Language on request.
We operate an Equal Opportunities Recruitment Policy and welcome applications from all sections of the community in Welsh or English.