Designs on primary schools

Summary

This case study traces the development of a new relationship between the Design Museum and an inner-city primary school. Both Deutsche Bank and the Design Museum were keen to expand their primary programme, while the school hoped that forging a link with the museum would help it to enthuse pupils and raise their attainment across the curriculum. The project began with the school's design and technology coordinator (a year 1 teacher) attending a professional development day at the museum. She then took her class on a visit to the museum, where they explored an exhibition and took part in a workshop on chair design.

From the teacher's point of view, the professional development offered by the museum gave her a range of new ideas for design and technology across the school, as well as an opportunity to see the museum and meet the education team. Visiting the museum improved the pupils' understanding of design and increased their enthusiasm for related topic work back in the classroom. As a result, the quality of their work improved in literacy, mathematics, science and art and design, as well as design and technology.

Evaluating this project helped the Design Museum to shape its new primary programme. The workshop proved very challenging for the year 1 class and, as a result, the museum decided to focus on meeting the needs of key stage 2 pupils in the future. Deutsche Bank's support for expanding the primary programme, along with the security provided by three-year funding, has enabled the museum to plan new initiatives in this way.

He's really fired up. He can't wait to get to school these days!

We had to extend parents' evening due to interest in the project.