Year 4 students at Lodge Primary School worked in partnership with Greets Green Learning Network and Sandwell Housing Partnerships to make a digital video that would show their environment and explain how they would like to see it changed. The resulting DVD was exchanged with a Dutch School that was in the same regeneration situation, and it was also shown to the Greets Green Partnership Board and Sandwell Councillors.

The project complied with national curriculum guidelines and provided consultation material for the regeneration of the area through the Greets Green Partnership.

The real life consultation and links with Holland helped to motivate the students and the collaborative nature of the project provided opportunities for the “hidden curriculum” to be enhanced.

Students worked in small groups to record what they considered the important features in their area. They then all learned to use a video camera, down load and edit material. Each student was able to input text onto the pictures and add music from the Internet. The resulting DVD was shown to the whole school and parents at an assembly. Each student contributed to the event even though English was a second language for many. The process was made possible by having a resourceful teacher, and a trainee teacher who worked along side students to help them learn ICT techniques.

Summary of Benefits and Transferability

All the students enhanced their ICT skills by being able to use a digital camera, down load material and edit it. They can down load and use music from the Internet, as well as add text to images. In order for these skills to be achieved the students had to learn to co-operate negotiate and compromise where necessary. The project provided a novel way of addressing geography, history, literacy, citizenship and ICT. The process used led to the development of greater self-esteem and self confidence as well as the development of language.

Students were made more aware of their own environment and the school plans to use the video in the reception class to stimulate conversation.
The ideas that resulted from the project will go before councillors and the Board of Greets Green Partnership [regeneration partnership for the area.].This means that they have developed a novel way of consulting young people about how they would like to see their area regenerated.

The project is an example of partnership working which is encourage in Sandwell and is a result of the schools involvement with Greets Green Community Learning Network, Sandwell Housing Strategy, and the Education Microtechnology Unit (EMU). The process developed by this team provided staff development opportunities as well as “kick starting” new ways of teaching and learning which can be transferred to a host of topic areas.