Kiltonthorpe School , which is a Special school in Brotton, Cleveland, achieved Specialist Arts College status just over three years ago.

The students across all areas of the school have enjoyed a vast range of Art, ICT, Film and Dance opportunities , and the school community celebrate their achievements with a special event., on Wednesday 23rd November 2011 .

We invited all parents of Secondary and 6^th Form students to our afternoon Cinematic showing of the best of our Arts College work from the last three years, along with Governors and Friends of the school, including ex-students. .

Kiltonthorpe Film-maker and Animators Adam Reamswood and Ben Hopkinson presented an impressive show, supported by Lauren Henderson, Arts Facilitator.

The 40 minute programme of film clips, movies, animations and videos of activities, followed a packed morning where students attended workshops within school. Classes ranged from Physical Theatre and Stage combat , Circus skills, Photography, Drumming, Batik, Textiles, Art and Craft, Multi-sensory experience with Head massage and Face Painting.

It was a fabulous day, being able to share our successes with the students, staff, artists and practitioners who have featured highly in our Arts Programmes, over the years.

The event was planned by Director of Specialism, Kate Watson and organised by Neil Walker of Club Creative, (neil@club-creative.co.uk) with his team of student Event organisers.

Club Creative has been working with schools in Redcar & Cleveland, Stockton and soon Middlesbrough to provide practical arts based alternative education for the most challenging, disengaged students.

We have years of experience designing learning programmes for those students who for a variety of reasons are not engaging with the school curriculum. Often with a strong Enterprise focus, we will teach students new creative skills whilst working towards a final exhibition, performance or even selling their produce at market to the general public.

The results have been astonishing with students surprising their teachers, support workers and parents with their focus and commitment. We have noticed a marked improvement in concentration, communication skills and confidence in the students.

Our Alternative Provision programmes are designed first and foremost to engage students with creative learning. We can also work with the school to fit the programme into existing qualification frameworks.

Please get in touch to discuss your requirements.

Club Creative is working in partnership with the Main Project to provide a regular Saturday Club for children and young people with disabilities. The service is by referral through a social worker only and will provide breaks for families of children and young people with a wide range of disabilities.

Club Creative would like to invite creative practitioners from the following disciplines to register their interest in providing 2hr sessions. The aim will be to engage the group effectively with creative activity and in the longer term to teach new creative skills and techniques. The most important requirement however will be to provide quality, engaging, participative creative sessions for a pan disability group.

Creative areas are as follows: Drama, Visual Arts, Film Making, Circus Skills, Drumming/percussion.

Because the exact nature and requirements of the group is unknown at this stage, it is likely that we will initially provide a range of taster sessions. Once we have feedback from the group, we will then book in up to 6 weeks of sessions in one particular activity.

The start date and location are currently still TBC but the Main Project are working hard to get everything confirmed and it is hoped that the Saturday Clubs will start within the next month. The location will be in the Teesside area. It is thought the clubs will run from 11am – 3pm, to include two different 2hr sessions.

If you are interested in being involved please register your interest here and include your name, details of past experience, the nature of the workshop you would offer, and of course your contact details.

As well as a fee for delivery, there will be training opportunities in how to deal with disabilities offered through the Main Project.

Club Creative continues to work with The MAIN Project across the Tees Valley to provide engaging, stimulating workshops for young people with autism. Circus Skills have already proven a hit and last night we tried a drumming and percussion workshop which was received very well indeed. More sessions are planned along with a singing workshop for a young man with a gifted voice tomorrow night.

If you know of a young person with autism who you think would benefit from some creative activity please get in touch here. You can visit The MAIN Project’s website here.

Watch this space for more developments.

It seems like a while since I updated, so here’s a selection of what we have going on over the next few weeks:

Drama Skills after school club at Junction Farm Primary, Eaglescliffe got off to a great start with 21 children attending.

Cartoon Workshop after school club starts today!

Layfield Primary in Yarm are extended their Drama Club to run until the summer holidays. The Mural design club resumes in June.

Kirklevington Primary are starting African Mask making and Stage Combat after school sessions for parents and children in the next couple of weeks which is really exciting.

There are lots of amazing plans with The MAIN Project to provide creative activity for children with autism. Can’t say much at the moment but watch this space!

We are already planning Summer Schools with schools in Malton and Pickering, Kilton Thorpe Special School, Stockton and Redcar & Cleveland. Many of these activities can be accessed with the ME TOO Voucher scheme available to many families. This new scheme was piloted by Extended Schools in certain areas last year and is being rolled out nationwide from April 2010. They are available to primary and secondary pupils who would normally qualify for free school meals and other benefits.

There will be Whit Week activity in FIley, Eastfield, Scarborough and Redcar and Cleveland schools and hopefully Hartlepool as well.

There’s loads more stuff happening but I’ve run out of time so keep clicking back and remember – if you want creative activity in your school or community, just get in touch.

Weekly sessions have been running at Redcar Youth centre. Whilst the larger group as a whole have not engaged as much as hoped at this stage, we believe they will get more involved when filming begins next week. However, one youth worker had this to say about a young person with Aspergers: “One young person is getting the benefits of one to one work with James at the moment but that is fantastic for that young man as he has trouble engaging with people usually and this has helped him begin to engage with more individuals within the group.  He is actually initiating conversations with people now rather than being a passive member of the group! He has absolutely blossomed because of the work done on the one to one basis and its in no small part due to the work of James and his consistently patient and nurturing methods of working.” A fantastic outcome.

We continue to work with The MAIN Project, who help young people with autism and their families. The Circus skills taster workshops went down very well and we are now providing a Circus Skills practitioner and a Visual Artist for the Family Fun Day at Beverley School in Middlesbrough. Taking place on 17th Feb the day is designed as a drop in so the activities will be structured to accommodate this. We look forward to working closely with The MAIN Project in the future.

What happened there then? Half way through January and I haven’t made an update. Well fear not, I haven’t been snoozing but planning loads of Club Creative activity across the North East of England. Where to start? A funded programme of drama and dance activities in four Scarborough secondary schools through Extended Schools to start in early 2010. A large scale outdoor art installation in Normanby Primary school. Circus Skills and Drama Club in Preston Farm Primary. A short film project with Special Educational Needs young people with Redcar & Cleveland Youth Services. Musical Theatre after school club for primary schools at Conyers School Yarm from February. Drama Club and Graffiti workshops at Layfield Primary Eaglescliffe, Drama Clubs at South Milford and Brotherton primary schools, North Yorkshire. Taster sessions including Circus skills for The Main Project in Tees Valley which works with young people with autism. Loads more I’ve forgotten and loads more in the pipeline so watch this space. If you want creative activity in your school youth centre, community hall, arts centre or wherever – just get in touch!

Phew…