Connections
Connections…is a simple, flexible and sustainable approach to our work with education providers. For many schools and partners, working with The Forge will begin with a simple Artist in Residence connection. It will be the starting point of your journey to discover a new creative way of working and learning. It is important that our schemes are accessible as and when you need them. To download a full information pack relevant to your educational setting click the below:
Mixed-age educational providers
Nursery School Information Pack
Infant School Information Pack
Primary/ PRU/ Special School Information Pack
Secondary/PRU/ Special School Information Pack
For a Connections Booking Form please click here
Read some comments below from pupils and teachers who participated in ‘Connections’ last term.
| “We created a poem …it was extraordinary. Poetry’s easier than you think , learning about alliteration and adjectives. We made a finished product, I didn’t think we would and when we closed our eyes and heard our poem, it felt real!” Pupil from Shotton Hall Junior School. |
“Connections offers school the opportunity to work with high quality artists who have been specially selected. We would definitely recommend Connections – the process of registering is easy and it’s great for Artsmark support.” Teacher from Langley Park Primary School |
Scroll down to read about each of the five areas of our Connections programme.
Plug & Play - Is your school performing at a local dance festival this year or prioritising dance across your curriculum or as an after school club? The Forge can support you to make your dance the best of the season through our Plug and Play programme. Sign up now to have a professional dancer placed in your school to help you develop your piece. The dancer can work with staff, the children or a combination of both providing expertise, mentoring and ideas. On booking, your dancer will contact you to discuss with you how to get the most from the project. You will have access to six hours of the dancer, which can delivered flexibly according to your needs, your sessions may be blocked over a series of days or delivered weekly – the choice is yours.
Artist in Residence – Art Form - Schools tell us that having artists in residence bring new skills and an added dimension to school life. The Forge can work in partnership with you to place artists in your school for a day, week, month or year! We’ll work with you to make sure your artist in residence partnership contributes to achieving school aims and brings new skills to share with you. Whether you’re applying for Artsmark, have young people starting on their Arts Award journey, or exploring the contribution the arts can make to your school for the first time, The Forge can help you! When you’ve identified your art form or theme, complete the booking form and The Forge will do the rest! If you want to discuss before you decide please call Fiona Melvin or Nicola Spruce at The Forge.
The Forge’s programmes can be directly adapted to contribute to specific themes of work that you may be delivering as part of Geography, History or Science for example. If you don’t see something for your school contact Fiona Melvin to discuss further or download our curriculum guide here.
Arts Award - The Forge is an Artsaward Centre and we have experience of supporting young people to achieve their Artsaward. We provide young people with access to Arts Award through our programmes of work and we can provide support and guidance to young people, their teachers and youth workers in achieving Arts Award. The Forge is running Bronze and Silver Arts Award adviser training on the 23rd February 2012. To book, please visit: www.artsaward.org.uk. Contact us for more details or for further details click here.
Artsmark - The Forge is the recommended Arts Council England Artsmark trainer for Durham and Sunderland schools and since the application process for round 12 opened last year we have provided support and guidance to over 60 schools hoping to achieve Artsmark or Artsmark Gold. If you didn’t have the opportunity this round, why not consider an application for Round 13? Curriculum provision, access to Arts Award and arts enrichment opportunities you provide all contribute to Artsmark. Partnerships with artists and arts organisations are also part of the criteria, which is where a partnership with The Forge can help you achieve a successful application.
Artist in Residence – Cultural Diversity - Just like the Artist in Residence – (Art Form) but with a global twist! Learn about other cultures through African Drumming, Visual Arts and Drama.
