Notting Hill Carnival Strategic Review - Intelligent Space

4.25 Carnival in the Curriculum: A Resource Pack for Schools - This resource pack is a good
practice guide produced by the Lambeth Schools Carnival Group – practitioners who work in
early years education. There is a section on the history of Carnival and how it developed in
Britain and an informative chapter entitled 'Carnival at the centre of the Curriculum’. A
comprehensive spider web diagram provides readers with notes of Carnival’s relevance in
religious and moral education, history, English, dance and drama, art, personal, social and
cultural education, maths, design and technology, music, geography, food technology, science
and information technology. The authors show how those subject areas could relate to the
national curriculum. Moreover, to aid teachers who may not know how to proceed, there is a
book list for further reading together with suggestions for activities on how to make costumes
and where to obtain the necessary materials and resources. Case studies from various primary
schools in the borough serve as best practice guides with numerous ideas for teaching children
about carnival in their own schools.
4.26 Perpetual Beauty was the first carnival band to run a course in carnival arts at Hackney
College where they were accredited with National Vocational Qualification status. Although
the course is no longer running, the group was instrumental in forging links within the
community and promoting adult learning by bringing members of the local community into
contact with education.
4.27 ‘The Factory of Dreams’ at Stockwell Park School - Stockwell Park School in South
London has a varied history with carnival arts that has resulted in some good quality artwork.
Year 9 participated in a five-month arts education project entitled ‘The Factory of Dreams’,
with pyrotechnician Christophe Berthonneay and some other artists to produce a
pyrotechnical theatre piece in Brockwell Park, Brixton. The work was integrated into Key
Stage 3 of the National Curriculum and included carnival design. Artist and teacher Carol Chin
who taught for many years at Stockwell park School thinks that teachers can have an impact:
“In my opinion, Carnival arts can be promoted in schools if the management team can be
made aware of the benefits to the whole school and if it is undertaken as a whole-school
project”. However, in many cases, these decision-makers will not be black, which for some
highlights one of the problems faced. There are not enough black and ethnic-minority
teachers in a position of authority to influence teaching; they represent just 2.5% of all
teachers.
4.28 Policy and Practice: Making an Impact - There is a wealth of people in the community
with Carnival experience gained through study, personal experience and a combination of
both. Sterling Betancourt (MBE), Frank Rollock of London Allstars, Clary Salandy of
Mahogany and Shabaka Thompson of Yaa Asantewaa are some of the well-renowned artists
and academics that have worked in schools. The Carnival Review Group heard that in order to
pursue carnival arts in education further, the following points need to be considered: the
establishment of partnership approaches to develop and promote carnival arts in education;
schools should be encouraged to become actively involved; funding and training opportunities
to help groups and mas camps become established and maintain standards; an information
network for schools and carnivalists should be established to promote joint working; schools
should be encouraged to work with parents; and a training group should be created to train
coordinators who could be employed to liaise with artists and schools.
4.29 Carnival Arts Scheme of the Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA) - During
the late 1990s, The Qualification Curriculum Authority (QCA) initiated a Carnival Arts
Scholarship Scheme, which operated in schools and post 16 colleges across Birmingham, Kent
and Manchester. Under the Scheme, schools and colleges were able to apply for awards for
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