A three-year research project has been started to see how historic buildings can be used to help hundreds of children who are in alternative education.
It is being tested by Barking and Dagenham Council to get 320 secondary school pupils into mainstream education, college or apprenticeships.
The Our House project has been organised for the authority by the Inspiring Futures cultural education partnership, using heritage sites like the 450-year-old Eastbury Manor near Upney and the historic Valence House in Dagenham.
It is working with organisations such as Green Shoes Arts and Ideate to come up with a creative curriculum.
“This is transformative for everyone involved,” Ideate’s managing director John Akinde believes. “We are exploring how we can create a curriculum of activities to capture the young people’s imagination.”
Pupils from Dagenham Park, Mayesbrook Park and Jo Richardson Community schools are being featured in a promotion video which was filmed on location at both Eastbury Manor and Valence House.
Councillor Elizabeth Kangethe, who is responsible for education and school improvement on Barking and Dagenham Council, said: “This project shows young people that learning can be dynamic while fostering a sense of pride in the community.
"It combines education, creativity and heritage by unlocking the potential of these historic sites.”
The young people met the artists and creative experts to try their hand at things like film-making, photography, drawing and drumming.
The drums were demonstrated by musician Steven Gaman who said afterwards: “The pupils were really locked in and focused. They can do amazing things with the right guidance.”
A masterclass in the spoken word was given by Dauda Ladejobi, co-founder of Spoken Not Stirred poetry nights, who runs workshops at community festivals.
Some pupils were taught how to draw by artist Emmanuel Oreyeni, who helped them create a drawing of a centurion soldier inspired by artefacts on display at Valence House.
Pupils from Jo Richardson School were also taught how to rap in a session at Eastbury Manor.
Organisers are building an archive of heritage materials they hope will give schoolchildren a sense of belonging to the community.
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