The Wider World Project, supported by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, is a 3-year project (2024 – 2027) being delivered in four local schools: Shrubland Street Community Primary School and Sydenham Primary School in Leamington Spa and the Brittain Lane and Deansway Campuses of Evergreen School in Warwick for children and young people with Special Educational Needs.

The project supports the delivery of the PSHE curriculum citizenship module. Children are supported to explore elements of citizenship identified by each school, focusing on promoting inclusivity, addressing inequalities and empowering children to discover their voice and agency as creative, active citizens.

Creative workshops are delivered across 3 terms each year, celebrating difference through creative movement, helping to challenge discrimination and prejudice and to empower active citizenship. Importantly, the project is delivered within school time to remove financial and other barriers to access.

Our partner schools are seeing the positive impact that an arts based learning approach can have on children’s development.

All four schools come together annually for a participant performance in a local venue. This showcase is an opportunity for them to be inspired by a performance by Motionhouse’s professional dancers.

The Wider World Project also includes more elements of Continued Professional Development for teachers, so that they can develop their confidence and creative thinking when delivering dance in schools.

Hannah Lockyer, Head of Creative Learning at Motionhouse said: “The makes a huge difference to us and to our partner schools, empowering the children taking part by supporting their social and educational development.”

Louise Richards, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Motionhouse said: “We feel very privileged to benefit from a grant that allows us to deepen our skills and practice, giving us further understanding of the impact that this type of longer-term engagement can have. It is something that we have never had the opportunity to undertake within a school environment before.”

The project builds on the successful model we have developed for our Moving Stories project, which we have been delivering since 2017 in local schools. Moving Stories sees us go into schools over 10-12 weeks, delivering workshops around a cross-curricular theme, building towards a performance for peers and families and a professional performance from Motionhouse dancers in the school.

On behalf of everyone taking part in the project, huge thanks to the Paul Hamlyn Foundation for their support.