Elaine Sutton worked with us as a consultant to support our work in designing our curriculum with a particular focus on creativity. Elaine consulted with me in order to contextualise her work and to plan an INSET programme. She then led two twilight training sessions on Curriculum Design and the role of Drama within a Creative Curriculum. Elaine provided:
experience drawn from her recent excellent classroom teaching
knowledge of statutory responsibility within curriculum planning
a range of useful planning tools
enjoyment and enthusiasm for drama teaching
The training affirmed the schools commitment to further curriculum review, based around the National Curriculum and to step away from a reliance based around QCA units.
Peter Fenton Headteacher Daisyfield Primary School, Blackburn
We like Bubbles Music because:
It is differentiated and reinforces the Speaking and Listening / Thinking skills we want to develop across the school.
The warm-up games are fun.
It links in well to the resources we already have for music, especially Music Express.
Cross-Curricular and Multicultural links are clearly made.
You don’t need specialist knowledge to deliver it.
It links in well to our creative curriculum.
The songs are catchy and are placed in a context.
Our HLTA’s like it for the structure it provides for PPA Music sessions.
It provides excellent value for money!
The Staff
St Alban's R.C. School Blackburn
As a staff we have found the process of designing our curriculum with UNIPACE a personalised and enjoyable process. The curriculum we are mapping matches the ethos of our Catholic School, meet the needs of our children and the staff can't wait to get started. A testament to her ability to motivate and inspire is how much staff have looked forward to our twilight training sessions with Elaine.
As a new Head teacher, the process Elaine has taken us through in our curriculum design has been incredibly useful in helping me to get to know the school and enabled me to share my vision with the staff and governors.
As a DHT previously in another school, I worked with UNIPACE to provide a Creative Curriculum and I think it speaks volumes that booking UNIPACE for St. Alban's was my first decision as head teacher of the school.
Annie Owens
Headteacher St. Alban's R.C. Primary School
Elaine was dynamic and inspirational! The children loved working with such a talented musician.The results of their day together were stunning - I was lost for words at the end of the performance. The song the children wrote was used the next day in assembly and has since become a school favourite. Many thanks, Elaine.
Jane Stewart
AG&T Co-ordinator St. Andrew's CE Primary School Preston
As a newly qualified teacher I was privileged to work under Elaine's guidance when implementing the creative curriculum in my classroom. She gave me the confidence to take ownership of what I taught and as a result I believe the children were given exciting learning experiences. Thanks Elaine
Debbie Clucas
Class teacher Intack Primary School Blackburn
Unipace resources provide an excellent foundation for developing new teaching strategies... and would be of most help to those teachers who are beginning to develop their creative curriculum and want some concrete ideas to help them. They will certainly inspire children and motivation will be high.
Julie Puxley
Reviewer Teach Primary! magazine
We asked Elaine to support us in a move towards a more creative curriculum. After a consultation we arranged a series of 3 twilight INSET sessions, the first being "What is Creativity?" This was a lively, interactive session and the 2 hours passed quickly. Some staff have said that even though it was quarter to six, they didn't want the session to finish! Delivery was enthusiastic and the content made us all think about the curriculum we are delivering. We are looking forward to the next two sessions (music and drama).
Rachel Clements
Deputy Head Ansdell Primary School Lytham St Annes
I am so glad I got picked for the G&T drama workshop. It was such a lot of fun and I really liked the teacher.
Clare
Year 5 Pupil
I think Unipace workshops are great! They encourage young musicians like me. I really enjoyed it and learnt a lot more about music.
Georgia
Year 6 Pupil
Elaine ran two workshops in our school for children identified as having particular gifts in music. These were attended by children from our own school and those from our cluster. The sessions were extremely well planned and really extended the learning of these able children. They particularly enjoyed the chance to compose a piece of music within a group and then see the results of their work. The follow up INSET that Elaine provided also contained a lot of excellent resources for supporting AGT children in music. Thank you!
Paul Bowden
Headteacher Slyne-with-Hest St Luke's CE Primary School Lancaster
Elaine recently held a drama workshop for able children from a cluster of local schools. This event was a great success, it enthused the children and really challenged them in original and novel ways. Great feedback from the children and highly recommended.
Brenda Golds
Headteacher Asmall Primary School Ormskirk
Elaine is highly experienced in the preparation of Artsmark applications. She has worked with a large number of schools and holds a good knowledge of exactly what is needed to meet the requirements at each level. She worked with us from the early stages up to submission of the application and her suggestions were always both pertinent and manageable.
Chris Hoddle
Headteacher Belmont Primary School Bolton
Having found myself returning to teaching after a break, I was in need of some refreshment of my classroom management skills. Elaine put me back in control of my class with some simple behaviour management techniques and a belief in myself that I could do it. Elaine is a very knowledgeable and experienced educator.
Rachel Singleton
Teacher Intack Primary School Blackburn
Elaine's help meant that developing our creative curriculum became an exciting opportunity rather than an over- facing task for our school. Her knowledge and experience allowed us to create a curriculum that was right for our school and, more importantly, our children.Already we can see a positive impact.
Joanne Ramsbottom
North West Primary Headteacher of the Year 2008 Farington Primary School Leyland
The AGT workshop was presented with such enthusiasm and challenge that the pupils were bowled over! The pupils would not stop talking about the fact that they had cut a CD with their ideas and vocals on it! The whole school and staff were amazed at what could be produced in a relatively short space of time. We all thought that it was great!
Mark Noblett
Assistant Headteacher Queen’s Drive Primary School Preston
Elaine Sutton came along to our After School Club to carry out a drama work shop. We were very impressed with her knowledge and professionalism. Elaine had many activities for all the children to do, who were aged from 4 to 11 years. There was not one child who did not join in or say they were bored. I would highly recommend Unipace to anyone!
Michelle Summerfield
Manager Oak Tree After School Club Cheadle Hulme
In my role as Mathematics Consultant, I have used the services provided by Ms Sutton. Her training in improving teacher presence and communication skills has proved to be of great value in developing both new and established teaching staff.
Tina Foster
Secondary Mathematics Consultant
The completing of the Artsmark forms can be quite a lengthy, time-consuming process. We were grateful for the expert advice and assistance that Elaine offered to us. Her wide knowledge of the processes involved, her own real teaching experience, together with her infectious enthusiasm made the whole process much easier.
Christine Wilkinson
Music and Drama Coordinator Haslingden Primary School
Elaine Sutton worked with a group of pupils who were given the unique opportunity to work on sound design software on the PC and produce their own musical effects. All the pupils thoroughly enjoyed the day and the evaluations were very positive. Thank you, Unipace and thank you, Elaine, for a great day.
Geoff Kay
Business College Director Broughton Business and Enterprise College Preston
