Since 2017, Artis have been working with Parklands Primary School to deliver holistic performing arts sessions in their Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 classes. Just like Artis, Parklands firmly believes in the transformative power of the performing arts to change lives. Artis has become an important part of their school curriculum, ensuring that the children integrate the performing arts throughout their learning.

Parklands is based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, in an area that is amongst the highest 5% most deprived in the UK. A large proportion of the children at Parklands come from families who were struggling financially, and high levels of crime and dysfunction within the community was having a detrimental effect on the children’s wellbeing within school. As a result, many of the children suffered from low self-esteem, which impacted attainment and engagement in class and was affecting development in language. The school hoped that the performing arts experiences Artis provides would help to instil confidence within the children, as well as use cross-curricular approaches to them to develop their vocabulary, creativity, and communication skills.

Within weeks of beginning weekly Artis sessions, Parklands noted that engagement levels during the drama, movement and music activities were exceptional, much higher than any classroom based activity. Each pupil was developing and learning in every session, including those with special educational needs. Chris Dyson, former headteacher at Parklands, noted that:

‘All children, including those with significant and even profound needs, could access Artis sessions and were engaging in ways that were not seen in any other aspect of the school day. It has helped build their vocabulary, speaking confidence and their listening and attention.’

Alongside the children’s development, the school staff have also benefitted from being involved in the Artis sessions. Teachers have noted how they feel differently about what teaching can look like, and ways they can implement different approaches in the classroom. Parklands have committed to embracing artistic methods in other areas of the curriculum, including within core subjects like English. This has strengthened the skills children have been building within Artis sessions, as well as ensuring that no pupil is left out of learning through the use of varied, multi-sensory teaching methods. Claire Weatherby, class teacher at the school, said:

‘Our Artis specialist is just fab; we are always keen to try to match what we are doing in class to her lessons which the children think is wonderful.’

Artis has had a great impact on the pupils at Parklands over the past five years and has become a valued and important part of school life. Children at Parklands now have access to high-quality performing arts experiences both in Artis sessions and in their wider school curriculum, something which they may not have had the opportunity to partake in previously. As Artis’s relationship with Parklands continues to grow year on year, it appears that the magic of performing arts continues to have a profound influence on the entire school community.