Increasing confidence and communication through the arts
Peterhouse School in Southport is a non-maintained specialist school for pupils aged 5 to 19 on the Autism Spectrum. Thomas Forster, their Head of Expressive Arts and Artsmark lead, tells us how Artsmark has helped to transform their pupils’ confidence:
Artsmark has been a key motivator in helping us strengthen our art provision at Peterhouse. As a specialist school for pupils with Autism, the arts help increase our pupils’ confidence, motivating them to strive for independence, as well as being a tool to develop their communication skills and self-expression. Having high expectations and a focus on the “can do”, we have found that pupils respond in a very positive manner to creativity, whether developing or performing a piece of music, drawing in the style of a famous artist or using creative approaches in design and technology to make a wall clock. Not only do we celebrate the finished product, but more importantly the process and learning involved in reaching the end goal, develops their self-occupancy skills and interests for adult life.
Our school undertakes whole school projects in the arts, creating a sense of belonging and that of being part of a community. We have one-to-one sessions for pupils who benefit from more focused intervention, helping to stretch and challenge those who want to develop their skills in a particular art form, potentially with a view of continuing at further education.
Overcoming significant barriers through the arts
The arts also help to create a bridge over barriers such as a young person not being able to leave their house. An example of which is Isaac who has not been able to access educational settings for a significant amount of time due to his social anxieties. Our staff have worked with him at home to help build his confidence through music, specifically learning to play the guitar. This has encouraged Isaac to access school for bespoke timetabled sessions, one of which is Band Club.
Isaac says, “I started playing guitar in the summer of 2023. I picked up my uncle’s guitar in the shed and started making up finger picking patterns. I am a big Beatles fan and wanted to learn ‘A ticket to ride’ and looked it up online. When my teachers realised I was improving, they said I should come into school and try different guitars and amps. I feel a lot more confident and have also joined Band Club with some other students. It’s good because I am choosing my own topics and bands to base my work on. I want to learn more about blues music and am starting to learn music theory.”
Isaac is now a valued member of his local church band and is working towards his ABRSM grade 1 in music theory in school. We are so proud of how far he’s come, thanks to the power of music.
I feel a lot more confident and have also joined Band Club with some other students. It’s good because I am choosing my own topics and bands to base my work on.
Building our pupils’ self-belief
In addition to our school clubs, taking part in external events and competitions helps to develop our pupils’ confidence and self-belief. Some examples which have had positive outcomes are:
Entering Now Festival 2024 in which pupils created a short animation and supporting video on the theme “trusted adults”. This was shown to the public as part of the festival and helped to promote our pupils’ voice. The video can be viewed here or click the image below.
Taking part in The World Reimagined’s national project that explored and raided awareness of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, pupils decorated a globe using a variety of artistic techniques based on the theme. This was publicly displayed in St George’s Hall, Liverpool as part of a national display. Some pupils were interviewed in which they talked confidently and proudly about their contribution to the project.
Competitions such as Arts Bytes, Dot Art and Sefton Young Artist of the Year, as well as holding public art exhibitions, giving pupils the opportunity to access the wider world through the arts, showing them that being an artist or working in the creative sector is a realistic life or career choice.
Our Artsmark journey continues…
As a long-standing Artsmark school, having held a Gold Artsmark award since 2018, arts, culture and creativity remains a key part of our school ethos. We have the drive and determination to aim for a Platinum Artsmark Award, which is helping to keep our arts provision fresh in its delivery, and we’re constantly looking for innovative ways our Artsmark journey can enhance the lives of our pupils to become successful adults with autism.
Find out more about Peterhouse School here.
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