The Learning Labyrinth

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Playing with a NEW idea

We are thrilled to have received project funding from Arts Council England for a new R&D project; The Learning Labyrinth.

Following on from creating Outdoor Games for a variety of public spaces, we became interested in the potential of how play can inspire not only physical literacy, but unlock new and surprising perspectives and moments of connection. We know for many schools that classroom spaces come at a premium, and we want to use this opportunity to explore how communal spaces in schools (corridors, halls and playgrounds) can be utilised as places of wonder, connection and stimulation.

Accessibility has always been central to our work and philosophy, and we want to create an artistic environment which can tap into multiple senses and ways of experiencing “the art”. We envisage the Learning Labyrinths will utilize every corner of the school, taking students on a daily unforgettable journey where learning can spill out and connect the whole school community.

Current enquiry questions which are forming the basis of the R&D:

How can communal spaces be reviewed as places of possibility and positive interaction?
How can artistic spaces help to focus learners and encourage positive connections?
How can a shared artistic intervention change the culture of school?
Can sensory pathways increase children/young people’s curiosity and desire to learn?
Can a corridor/school hall hold as much learning possibility as a classroom?
How can sensory practices benefit everyone in the school? (both in mainstream settings as well as SEND settings)

PHASE 1 - Exploratory Workshops

We will be working with two partner schools Frith Manor Primary School (Barnet) and Park Primary School (Newham) throughout the R&D. The Exploratory Workshops took place in November 2021 and explored the theme of pathways and captured their ideas into how to animate how they travel around the school into a series of interactive games. In each area we are also partnering with two arts centres that are connected to primary schools: Discover Story Centre and artsdepot.

PHASE 2 - Artist Labs

Over the course of a week, we worked with our incredible Associate Artists at both artsdepot and Discover Story Centre. Taking the children’s ideas as a stimulus, the Artist Lab week was packed full of collaboration, learning, sharing and experimentation; devising sensory games and pathways which started to inform the final phase of the project.

PHASE 3 - The Learning Labyrinth Opens

In the Spring term of 2022 we will return back to the primary schools and we will be installing the Learning Labyrinths in both schools. The pathways will stay in each schools and over the Spring and Summer terms we will be evaluating the impact and sharing our key learnings, successes and challenges in a digital-zine.