background

In November 2018, linked to the Splash! project The Mighty Creatives launched a specialist regional arts and culture SEND teacher network for schools in the East Midlands.

The network aimed to bring together teachers from across the region to share practice, provide CPD, and to foster better connectivity to the arts and cultural sector across the region.

Network development to date:

Network meetings have been termly and we have worked with partners from across the region including Attenborough Arts, Nottingham Playhouse, Bamboozle, Lincoln Drill Hall, Deda and Hubbub. We have also commissioned individual creative practitioners to share elements of their practice and ideas with teachers, and have invited keynotes and presentations from schools. Network meetings were originally programmed to move around the region and focused on different art forms/creative mediums.

More recently we have moved these network meeting online, which has meant they are more accessible (in relation to travel) but there are less opportunities for practical sharing, play and exploration. It has also been more difficult to encourage networking between teachers.

To date 34 different SEND schools have engaged in this network. Over the next 3 years we would like to build on this and increase engagement from more schools and also to encourage more creative practitioners to join. There are currently approximately 140 SEND schools in the East Midlands.

brief

We are looking for someone to work with us to develop this regional network further to include:-

• CPD for teachers (and creative practitioners) – a mixture of opportunities to share best practice but also practical elements to allow teachers to explore their own creativity and play! We have feedback from teachers gathered at previous network events that can inform the design of these events.
• Opportunities for networking and peer learning – teacher to teacher but also supporting links between creative practitioners/partners and schools
• Inspiration! Sharing work that will inspire, excite and feed creativity.

We will hold at least 2 network events in the 2022/23 financial year – 1 x Autumn term 2022 and 1 x Spring term.

We are also keen to develop the network from a series of events to something more connected – to build more of a coherent community of practice; we would like members to feel more ownership over the network and see it as their ‘go to place’ for advice and support.

Over the next 6 months, and beyond, we would like to expand the network to include more creative practitioners and cultural organisations, to support richer conversations around practice and to help build more connections across the region.

criteria

Applications are invited from individuals within the arts, culture and education sectors with experience and understanding of cultural learning.

TMC is seeking to work with an individual or organisation that has:

Essential

• A good understanding of schools and the challenges in which they operate, including SEND schools and settings
• Experience of establishing and building confident and productive relationships with a range of stakeholders
• Good understanding and knowledge of cultural education
• Experience of developing and delivering training/network meetings with a range of stakeholders
• Knowledge and experience of working in/with the arts and cultural sector. We are particularly keen to work with someone with a good knowledge of Disability Arts and organisations/creative practitioners who specialise in working with SEND schools.

As an equal opportunities employer we are keen to receive applications from disabled practitioners and practitioners under-represented within the cultural sector.

fees and timescale

The fee available for this work is £2750 (calculated at £275 per day)

This is calculated as follows:-

• 5 x days network development and delivery
• 5 x days research and development

There is an additional budget available for the network events themselves.

The above fee is inclusive of any VAT and expenses. However, travel costs can be negotiated.

The initial contract period for this service specification is Sept 2022 – March 2023 (with opportunity for extension into 2023/24).

how to apply

If you are interested in applying, please submit a completed application form.

This should be sent to recruitment@themightycreatives.com by the deadline of 10am Monday 15^th August 2022 . 

We’re an accessible and equal opportunities employer, so please get in touch with recruitment@themightycreatives.com if you’d like to receive and return your application form in a different format.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to meet with us (via video call). Provisional dates for interviews are 23^rd/24^th August.

If you have any questions about this brief or network please contact Hazel Townsend  – hazel@themightycreatives.com or 07725 660525.