The Welcome Gait

A Curriculum for Excellence Project

Cross-curricular
Project focus

The Welcome Gait Project was jointly funded by the Scottish Arts Council Cultural Co-ordinator Project Fund and Education Social Work services at Glasgow City Council.

Cross-curricular

Primary and secondary school pupils across Glasgow examined global issues and slavery with their teachers working in partnership with professional artists to use cross-curricular teaching methods.

The professional artists helped to engage the pupils and offered them insights and experiences which contributed to the Curriculum for Excellence learning outcomes, which are difficult for teachers to provide in the course of a normal teaching day. The teachers themselves had the opportunity to work with the professional artists and develop their own skills.

The culmination of the project was a performance day held at The Arches Theatre, Glasgow, which clearly engaged pupils in the four capacities of the Curriculum for Excellence using music, dance, drama and art to highlight their work.

"What made this really interesting was the way the ideas and images became layered as we went along. Pupils were very keen to include part of the visual culture that was lost." Siabahn McMahon, art and design teacher.

Project focus

Hyndland Learning Community - The Rainforest

The project in the Hyndland Learning Community included all the P7 pupils in each of the associate primary schools. The overall theme of the work was The Amazon Rainforest. Pupils participated in workshops with a textile artist which resulted in a series of large wall hangings depicting forest life.

At Hyndland Secondary School the geography, science and art departments worked together to examine themes of rainforest climate change, photosynthesis, and the work of Henri Rousseau. Using traditional glass tiles and techniques pupils from S2 produced a mosaic mural and a felt banner to express the issues raised in their discussions.

"The collaboration of the art and design and geography departments, combined with the skill, dedication and brilliance of the pupils have produced a visual display that will be admired by all who enter our school" John Docherty, geography teacher

The music department worked with the school's junior wind band and brass ensemble to produce music inspired by the rainforest and climate change.  

"Conventional instruments and playing techniques have also, to a large extent, been put aside and this has allowed for greater freedom in the development of music. Perhaps the most exciting thing is that no-one knew, until that day, exactly what the finished result would sound like!" Andrew Gordon, PT Music

Conventional props likes chairs, music stands and sheet music were abandoned in the creation of the various soundscapes.  Conventional instruments and playing techniques were also largely put aside to allow for greater freedom in the development of music.

Schools involved:

• Hillpark Secondary School
• Hyndland Secondary School and associate Primary Schools
• Lochend Community High school
• St Mungo's Academy