From HEAD to TOE is a new and exciting research project, which marks a different way of us working within education – in a different learning environment, a different area of the curriculum and through a different relationship with teachers. 

During phase 1 of our project, from 2021 – 2023, we worked with year 3 and 4 pupils from 5 Primary Schools across Lancashire in English and Maths time, to use creativity, dance and movement to explore different learning strategies for concentration, engagement, memory and recall. We were interested in looking at methods which go beyond the traditional forms and look into how the body and environment can play its part. Through our tried and tested strategies, we were able to encourage pupils to better understand their own learning styles and preferences, to be inquisitive and creative.  

We worked collaboratively with class teachers and senior leaders to shape this project to the school’s needs, to the pupils’ needs and to allow space for the teachers’ own development. INSET and additional PPA time allowed space for teachers to reflect on practice, evaluate progress and for self-enquiry and to explore how we best embed the learning in future school life.  

As we move inot the second phase of our project, we are beginning to share this practice through short term CPD programmes in schools across Lancashire as well as branching out into stratgeies to instill executive functioning and metacognition in pupils alongside deeper Teacher CPD programmes that support their own self-regulation, embodied teaching and mental health and. resilience for teaching in our ever-evolving education settings.

Through our approaches, we are noticing that pupils’ autonomy is developing, they are finding new ways to access learning and teachers are noticing improved retention of knowledge by exploring it more physically and creatively. Our journey so far has allowed us to explore key curriculum topics within English and Maths, including place value, fractions, narrative writing and word class and grammar but have also established great transferbale approaches into all other areas of the Primary curriculum.

You can hear more about the project from our artists in our two blogs here and here!

Phase 1 was generously funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation