Saltley Academy, Birmingham
Open to guests 09:30 & 11:00
23rd April and in school until 17th July 2015
Saltley Academy became our third partner school in September 2014. The school was re-launching, looking for ways to improve the cultural offer they give their students and looking for ways to make their teaching more creative and engaging.
Each of our Partner Schools were keen to find creative responses to the Department of Eduction’s requirement that they teach Modern British Values to their students and this project was our answer in Saltley Academy.
A new edition of The Steps Series felt like a suitably high profile, impactful and playful way to engage with this material. St. George seemed like an interesting route into this challenge, he wasn’t born in England and never visited the country yet is our patron saint – he is also the patron saint of other countries, regions and cities. As we share lots of our British values with other countries this seemed a neat parallel to draw and St. George’s Day was clearly the ideal day to open the piece to the public.
Each of eight Year 7 classes took responsibility for a different moment in British history that helps us to consider the evolution of Modern British Values. The Government defines the five British Values that need to be taught by schools as: equality, freedom of speech, tolerance, the rule of law and community. The eight scenes were:
Scene 1: Signing the Magna Carta.
Scene 2: Discovering the Gunpowder Plot.
Scene 3: Suffragettes at the Derby.
Scene 4: Ramblers demand the right to roam.
Scene 5: Sheltering in an Underground Station during the Blitz.
Scene 6: Playing village cricket.
Scene 7: Celebrating the Queen’s Jubilee.
Scene 8: Slaying the Dragon.
Photo Credits: Ming De Nasty
Credits
Devised by Year 7, Saltley Academy
With: Simon Ford, Denise Stanton, Jack Trow and James Yarker
Graphic Design: Simon Ford
Activity sheets: Year 7 with Denise Stanton and Mr. Bentley
Photos by: Graeme Braidwood and Ming De Nasty
Produced by Mr. Weir and Andrew Fox
Commissioned by Saltley Academy
There were St Georges day celebrations of a different kind at one of the Birmingham schools caught up in the so-called Trojan Horse affair. This time last year, Saltley was failing and placed in special measures,. It’s now run as an academy, and pupils spent St George’s Day showing off a project to explain and promote British Values.
Posted by BBC Midlands Today on Thursday, 23 April 2015
