jump to content

Yorkshire Museums, Libraries and Archives Council

site map

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Autumn 2004

Introduction

Pupil in the Yorkshire Sculpture Park

© bjp-images.co.uk

A trainee from Leeds University's Art and Design PGCE course worked alongside staff from Yorkshire Sculpture Park near Wakefield.

One of the participating trainees, Rosie, was placed with a school in York and the placement was set to take place in advance of a ten-week period in the school. Meanwhile the member of staff at Yorkshire Sculpture Park acting as mentor had benefited from the project's first training day.

Planning

In advance of a number of placements YMLAC and the University of Leeds held detailed discussions on the shared aims and objectives for the placements and strategies for quality assurance, training, evaluation and dissemination. See the document - Yorkshire Sculpture Park - Model for Establishing Placements in Mlas [34.0kb].

The trainees' tutor from Leeds University held discussions with the mentor to set out an appropriate programme of activity for the week long placement of the trainee within their organisation. See the document Yorkshire Sculpture Park - Programme of Activities [54.5kb].

We also conducted a briefing meeting for the tutor and participating trainees to introduce the project to them and set out the issues and the aims and objectives for their placements. Rosie chose to spend her placement devising a day long programme of activities for school children visiting the sculpture park. See the document: Yorkshire Sculpture Park - Programme of Activities [54.5kb]. 

Placement

During Rosie's week-long placement at Yorkshire Sculpture Park a meeting took place where once again we met with them and their university tutor and mentor to measure progress and offer support. After the Easter break Rosie began her school based placement and devised a unit of work which included planning a visit back to Yorkshire Sculpture Park with pupils from the school. See the Yorkshire Sculpture Park - Unit of Work [68.5kb]. 

"Organising such a complex trip in such a supportive and enthusiastic setting might encourage me to organise out of school learning in the future. I am still very enthusiastic about the placement. I have learnt about how the education service in the museums works, and how to organise a major outing. The experience for the children was of a much better quality than anything I could have put together outside the placement."

"...it has opened up a rich resource. I see mlas less of a daunting task now when planning units of work. In fact I would be inclined to find ways of incorporating (them) where possible."

Rosie's teaching was assessed by her university tutor during the day of the school visit. See: Yorkshire Sculpture Park - Placement Summary [23.0kb]. 

Outcomes

Shortly after the visit Rosie successfully interviewed for a post in a secondary school in Yorkshire.

"I can only say that it was an added bonus to my application and subsequent interview. It certainly was not detrimental to my employment opportunities, but instead enhanced my employability. The Head of Art is very keen for me to take further my interest in using mlas in delivering the school curriculum."

She has also maintained a lasting relationship with the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

"Great things have come about from my placement at YSP - I'll be taking my third (paid!) workshop on Friday...an excellent way to earn a crust over the summer, but also excellent experience working with KS1/2 pupils."

At the end of her course Rosie was invited to showcase her placement along with other trainees at a dissemination event organised by the University of Leeds. The event was attended by museum, library and archive staff, teachers and students. Rosie wrote a short description of her placement experience for the magazine AnD which targets trainee and newly qualified Art and Design teachers. Read the article: Yorkshire Sculpture Park - Art and Design Article [84.4kb].

Rosie's placement also attracted the interest of the TTA who track and support teachers early in their career and was written up and published on their website. Read the article: Yorkshire Sculpture Park - TTA Article [52.2kb].

Next Case Study: Yorkshire Museum