Tudor Tales was a year 4 project in which 3 schools used the Triad funding in their collaborative network for teacher release for planning and sharing practice. This led to a joint storytelling project culminating with the schools coming together on one site to celebrate their learning. Professional story tellers, history groups, dance groups and model making groups were also involved. This video shows the celebration day.

Victorian Tales was a year 5 project in which 3 schools used the Triad funding in their collaborative network for teacher release for planning and sharing practice. This led to a joint storytelling project culminating with the schools coming together on one site to celebrate their learning. Professional story tellers, history groups, dance groups and model making groups were also involved. This video shows the celebration day.

A filmed record of a conference held to disseminate the results of projects, financed through standards fund, which enabled schools to improve the learning of students with special educational needs through varying teaching styles using technology. Bleakhouse Junior, Cronehills Primary, Devonshire Infants, Oakham Primary, The Meadows and Yew Tree Primary took part and in many instances made video and video editing a central theme of the learning. As the title suggests ‘It's not about the technology' and here teachers expand upon the improved learning which took place.

In the school year 2003 -2004 WMnet, the regional broadband consortium, created Crossover “a year 6 Design and Technology activity led by Professor Clare Benson ( University of Central England ). Groups of learners in 14 West Midlands ' primary schools, one from each LEA, collaborated in the building of bridges and buggies to cross them.” The collaboration was through electronic means and the schools eventually met at Enginuity, in Ironbridge, to measure their success. This video was created around Ironbridge to set the challenge for teachers and pupils and also to provide some insight to some of the potential solutions. It can still be used as such.

A very special event. The culmination of all the hard work by children, teachers and WMnet co-ordinators was a huge celebration at Enginuity in Ironbridge where teams of 6 from all 14 schools met their partners for the first time and put finishing touches to their models before the judging and testing took place. The atmosphere was something special and the joy of learning and success is apparent.

For more information about Crossover 2 visit the WMnet site

Congratulations to the Class of 2004

Perryfields High School Prom

Down Memory Lane now for the students who left school in 2004. This event was organised by the PTA and celebrated by staff and pupils alike.

Bass Museum ( 2004 )

With the closing of the M&B brewery on Cape Hill in Smethwick another part of history disappeared. Educational visits to living museums offer our children the chance to understand what life was really like before electricity made mundane tasks easier. They are also led to some understanding of how the areas they live in developed. Oh yes how big is a shire horse?

Learning through Talking at Harvills Hawthorns Primary School

The Wednesbury Learning Community promoted learning through ‘pupil voices' and hosted an event at which the schools in the community celebrated and shared their experiences. As a result this video was created to show what had been happening at Harvills. The confidence developed is evident throughout and please not the absence of teachers.

Following on the success of the previous event, You Can Do It, Community Hubs was commissioned to record this celebration which took place at Old Park Primary School . Pupils and teachers from the primary schools in the Wednesbury Learning Community shared the projects and learning styles they had been engaged with. Here again it's the pupils who have the voice.

This annual event takes place in the council chamber at the council house in Oldbury. Each year it is sponsored and organised by the planning department of Sandwell MBC. The Urban Regeneration Unit leads on Agenda 21 issues and the focus of each of the children's parliaments has been some aspect of this work. In 2006 the focus was on the environment with primary schools sharing their concerns and ideas within the context of the Sandwell Sustainable Schools Charter Award. Community Hubs are proud to have been involved with these events since their inception.

To find out more about the award click here .

Each year it is sponsored and organised by the planning department of Sandwell MBC. The Urban Regeneration Unit leads on Agenda 21 issues and the focus of each of the children's parliaments has been some aspect of this work. In 2007 the focus was on the environment with primary schools sharing their concerns and ideas within the context of the Sandwell Sustainable Schools Charter Award. Community Hubs are proud to have been involved with these events since their inception.

To find out more about the award click here .

Making an Animation

Creating animations is an exciting vehicle for developing responsible team work alongside speaking and listening skills through participation in an activity with an eminently shareable outcome. The following animations are part of a  case study developed in the Test Bed in Sandwell (The South East Smethwick Partnership) of the creativity work a group of schools carried out in their individual schools and together in the spring and summer terms of 2006

Chocolism is Rife

Parents can make animations too. This group of parents discovered what their children were doing in school and cam along and made their own! This one about food, both good and bad.

Endangered Species

Shireland Hall Primary School

Learn about elephants and what occasionally happens to them. Oh yes and there’s some fancy titling at the end as well.

Fruit Breakout

The parents who created this animation think fruit is cool to eat and so do their children. It’s good for you so watch and don’t let the burgers trap you!

Full Circuit

Shireland Hall Primary School

Here is some science. These pupils have learned how to safely make a light bulb light up. They’re also a tidy group.

Monkeys, Fish and Rabbit

Learn about foods that are good to eat. They will help to keep you healthy. Do you know which vegetable is good for your eyesight?

The Bearwood Olympics

Bearwood Primary School

The enjoyment that was had in creating this animation is obvious. The Olympics are always fun so enjoy these from Bearwood

The Three Little Pigs

Bearwood Primary School

This collaboration between years 5 and 2 tells the well known story. It ’s all their own work including the backgrounds.

Pushes and Pulls
Shireland Hall Primary School

Do you know your pushes from your pulls? This animation will help you understand the difference. There’s also some cool credits at the end.

Splash
Bearwood Primary School

It’s a mystery story. What is the eerie sound? Maybe you’ve got some ideas but you’ll have to watch this animation from 2C to find out the answer.

The Water Cycle
Bearwood Primary School

Have you ever wondered where the rain comes from? This animation explains in simple detail how water is naturally cycled. It’s that bit of science we all remember but don’t often think about.

The Hungry Lion
Victoria Park Primary School

Life in the wild is tough, even for the king of the jungle. But then I’m glad I’m not a zebra! Should this be ‘X’ rated?

Wrestling
Crockett’s Lane Primary School

There’s lots of energy in this animation. It’s a good job they’re only plasticine models, real bodies couldn’t take the punishment. There are too many stretcher cases in this for the squeamish!

A project funded by the Housing Market Renewal Area (HMRA) enabled several schools to produce their own videos about antisocial behaviour issues and how improving the environment would reduce the risks. With support from Broadband Sandwell and Sandwell Housing's Education Liaison Officer schools storyboarded, shot, edited and produced these movies. ‘All their own work' would be an apt title

Click to view : Crockett's Lane l Shireland Hall l St. Matthew's l Victoria Park l