Visual Literacy Project

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The project was a creative collaboration between the gallery and Ravensbury Community Primary School
As an outcome of the success of Visual Literacy being used as a tool to raise standards in writing, particularly for boys, a new gallery session was developed
The main themes for the project were identified from within children’s popular culture, starting with the use of a contemporary animation film combined with associations to ‘real life’ experiences
The themes used are heroes, relationships and individuality

To gain knowledge and understanding of the day-to-day expectations, demands and challenges of the primary school and gallery environment
To explore the concepts and meaning behind the term Visual Literacy and how it can be used within the gallery and classroom environment
To create a cross curricular planning
To monitor the children’s writing, knowledge and attitudes throughout

The KS1 Manager Jonathan King attended the gallery to help plan the new session and gain an insight into education in a gallery context
Gallery Educators taught Year 1 pupils in school, created a reading resource area and developed termly planning
The new session was created and trialled with schools across Manchester
Teachers, pupils and adults used the session to develop writing back in school
A focus group of children from Jonathan Kings Year 1 class were monitored - high ability, average ability, and low ability – to measuring their writing levels, throughout the project

A successful visual literacy based workshop is now being used within the gallery’s Key Stage Programme entitled ’Heroes in a Small World’
Using the focus groups results the project assisted the pupils transition to Year 1from reception very well, 50% of pupils improved by the end of the first term
The pupils that made the most improvement were boys, demonstrating that the visual literacy element works very well with improving boys writing skills
Improved parental involvement, with parents demonstrating a greater interest in the pupil’s work, attendance to school meetings and assemblies and active participation whilst visiting the gallery to assist with the workshop