Moate pupils showcase their artistic flair in Tuar Ard

'Imagination', 'confidence building' and 'rewarding' were just some of the words used by the students of St Oliver Plunkett Boys National School in Moate to describe their Creative Clusters experience.

An initiative of the Government, led by and in partnership with the Education Support Centres Ireland (ESCI) and part of Creative Youth 2023-2027, the Creative Clusters scheme, launched in 2023, encouraged schools to participate in a pilot programme to help students learn through a lens of culture and creativity.

St Oliver Plunkett Boys NS was one of 73 schools to participate in the scheme, joining in a community cluster with Baylin and Tubberclair National Schools to undertake a number of creative disciplines, the fruits of which went on public display in an Art Show at Tuar Ard Arts Centre, Moate, last week.

Under the guidance of second class teacher Rachel Corbett and school principal Sinead White, the students channelled their creativity into expressions of art, complemented by a number of drama workshops with Tullamore native, Colin Hughes of Stage Stars Academy.

The students also invested in raised beds for their newly acquired polytunnel on the school grounds.

The two-year process allowed the students freedom to express their imagination with peers from different classes, all with the one goal: creativity.

The public art display boasted one piece of art from each pupil in the 93-student school. Their work took the form of cubism, 3D line art, pop art and weaving, and marked a two year culmination of creativity from young and productive minds.

Many of the students embraced drama for the first time, participating in workshops which allowed them to build confidence as they stepped into the realm of acting, one student saying that the experience allowed him to "overcome stage fears".

Creative classroom initiatives were also a feature of the experience with each significant calendar event marked by relevant door displays for which prizes were on offer to the students.

Reflecting on the two-year experience, teacher Rachel Corbett said that the Creative Clusters scheme enabled freedom of expression in support of the students' wellbeing.

"Student feedback from the experience was extremely positive. They enjoyed mixing with students from the different classrooms with freedom to express and create. They even surprised themselves with their own abilities during the drama workshops!

"The students' creative path also involved projects about self-identity," Ms Corbett said.

St Oliver Plunkett NS expressed its gratitude to a number of agencies and personnel who provided invaluable assistance during the pilot initiative.

"Without the support of a number of groups and individuals, the Creative Clusters process would not have been possible. We would like to thank Athlone Education Centre, in particular Catherine Sheridan, for their support during the past two years," the school said.

Working in conjunction with two fellow primary schools in the locality, the "guidance and support" of teachers Michelle McArdle (Tubberclair NS) and Una Forde (Baylin NS) was also acknowledged, with the "creative clusters squad" in St Oliver Plunkett NS also "helping to deliver" and "spread creativity".