22 June 2016 weekly update

Dear Colleagues

Kent children INSPIRED on their way to celebrate the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games

INSPIRE has been the KCC managed Kent Schools’ Education Olympics Legacy Programme to ensure that we maintain the momentum from the London 2012 Games, and to maximise the clear benefits that this brought to education. INSPIRE has been delivered in two phases - phase 1 led up to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games (April 2013 to July 2014) and phase 2 has lead up to the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games (July 2015 to July 2016).

INSPIRE linked directly to the stated ambition of the London 2012 Games to ‘Inspire a Generation’. In phase 1 over 200 schools received an inspirational visit from our team of inspirational Olympian and Paralympian role models; more than 1000 young leaders in schools across the county ranging 3 years old to 18 experienced working collaboratively with Kent’s world class artists and cultural organisations to in turn inspire their peers to create high quality work in a range of artforms; and our bespoke Olympian and Paralympian led personal development programme ‘INSPIRE to Achieve and Celebrate’ was cited as good practice by Ofsted, and received phenomenal feedback from teachers and children alike.

INSPIRED Ways to Rio is a programme delivered in Kent schools, supported by former Olympians and Paralympians, the County’s arts organisations, KCC and of course school pupils themselves.

Managed by Kent County Council, this exciting programme has encouraged children and young people to increase their participation in physical activity and sport, the arts, and personal development throughout this academic year 2015/16. Funded by the Schools’ Funding Forum and KCC, the programme has contributed to children’s wellbeing in an innovative, fun and supportive way, leading up to the Rio Olympic Games this summer.

Using the framework of Public Health England’s ‘Ways to Wellbeing’, this programme has worked with schools to Be Active, Keep Learning, Give, Connect, Take Notice, and Take Care of the Planet, with each school supported to create a bespoke programme of activity since the school year started last September.

A fortnight in July sees the culmination of each of the schools’ collaborations around the arts and culture theme, through INSPIRE Carnivals. These events will be taking place across the County, each one inspired by young people working with the artists from our INSPIRE arts organisations. The carnivals will create a cultural patchwork ranging from dance exhibitions at individual school sports days, to installation of large scale art works in Kent Galleries, to outdoor celebrations bringing children together from across their district.

First to kick off are the participating Ashford schools on June 21, where an outdoor world music festival will hear performances of a range of international pieces, as well as workshops for the participating children from schools across Ashford district.

30 June sees Tonbridge and Malling’s turn, witnessing an event exploring the theme of ‘Light’ through a range of art forms, curated with the young artists by Outdoor Studios. Tim Prendergast, New Zealand Paralympian gold medalist, who has been working with Kent schools on personal development through the Kent 2012 Legacy programme since the London Games, will be on hand to be part of the event.

The next Kent schools’ INSPIRE Carnival will be Thanet, on Tuesday July 5, one month before the Rio Olympic Games will be launched. Canterbury’s Animate Arts have worked with these schools to stage what will be an outdoor celebration inspired by the opening ceremonies of Olympic and Paralympic Games, featuring a procession of cardboard instruments and carnival artefacts and costumes from all the Thanet participating schools. There will also be a picnic for all those attending this event, which will be at Chatham and Clarendon Grammar School, Ramsgate. Chris Cook, former GB Olympian, who has been working with Kent schools on personal development through the Kent 2012 Legacy programme since the 2012 London Games, will be on hand to encourage the young performers.

Swale schools, in the meantime, on various days between Monday 4 and Friday 15 July will be using recycled materials to transform their school grounds, creating a series of Rio-inspired installations at their own individual school’s sports days. A number of the installations will then form part of Promenade at Isle of Sheppey across the weekend of 16 and 17 July.

Monday 4 July sees Dartford schools evoking the freedom and self-expression at the heart of carnival with a programme designed to energise every participating school’s final few weeks of term leading up to the Rio Games, including a number of the participating Primary school pupils taking part in Samba band workshops. The Dartford schools have worked with The Company, developing theatrical and performance responses to the colour and excitement of the Rio Games.

On Friday 8 July Tunbridge Wells schools will be celebrating the culmination of a year’s worth of cultural Olympian inspiration. Ashford based Jasmin Vardimon Dance Company has inspired child-choreographed performances from every year group at Pembury Primary. These will be presented after a noisy, colourful parade featuring percussion from instruments made from recycled materials, and huge willow and paper parrots made with Jo Dyer from Animate Arts.

On Saturday 9 July Shepway schools will be performing their own Ways to Rio carnival as part of the renowned Charivari Day Festival staged by Folkestone’s Strange Cargo, and on Monday 11 the Gravesham schools’ INSPIRE Carnival will be delivered through performance and film exploring the energy and physical challenges of the Games, and curated by the young arts leaders with support from Brighton based Flexer & Sandiland.

Wednesday 13 July is the Sevenoaks’ schools turn, with their launch of the big build of their Favela arts installation, with over 600 miniature Rio homes made entirely from paper and card which celebrate the determination and spirit of the Rio Favela communities.

On Friday 15 July the Dover schools’ INSPIRE Carnival will see a showcase day of noise, colour, flamboyance, Olympic and Paralympic values, and an animated film telling the story of a former Olympian rower's Way to Rio, all put together by the young people under the guidance of Dover Arts Development who were part of London 2012’s official Cultural Olympiad programme.

And in Canterbury on Tuesday 19 July, there will be an arts festival at Simon Langton Grammar School for Girls as part of their annual Artsfest, featuring both carnival costumes and artworks. They have worked with the city’s Sidney Cooper Gallery in conceiving and delivering their own take on Carnival.

We are delighted that the International Olympic Committee has chosen to showcase Kent’s bespoke Olympic and Paralympic schools’ programme for future host and participating countries. It is testament to the quality of Kent schools’ leadership on this unique programme and thank you to all the schools that have participated and the benefits this has brought to children and young people.

Patrick Leeson, Corporate Director Education and Young People’s Services

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