What do the professionals think?
"it was a real privilege to see expert teachers working so effectively and thinking so hard about their interactions with students. It was a powerful reminder to me of the range of circumstances that can make life and schooling such a challenge for many young people and gave me a really rooted example of how the detailed moment by moment way in which core principles about valuing individuals and building confidence can be so effectively linked with helping to set boundaries thus enabling children to engage effectively."
Katharine Burn, Lecturer, Department of Education, University of Oxford
"I thought I would drop you a quick line to let you know about Jordon. Although Jordan continued to have an unsettled year, he has recently made a huge effort to turn things around for himself. He is now getting into far less confrontations with staff and therefore making some progress in his lessons. He has also written letters of apology to certain members of staff (unprompted). I thought you might like to know of his success and that you helped make a difference. Thank you!"
From a teacher at a local secondary school about a 13 year old student (not his real name)
“As a child psychiatrist working in schools, it is evident that there is little evidence as to how to best work with vulnerable children and few projects seem to be successful in reaching out to the most vulnerable, needy and at risk children. The Art Room is an important model in demonstrating how to engage with young people, develop their self-esteem and help them navigate the many complex and difficult challenges presented to them by growing up today.”
Dr Mina Fazel MRCPsych D.M.
“The Art Room is a wonderful caring and creative environment in which the most challenging children can ‘learn and achieve through art’.”
Emma Molony, winner of the Alexandra Reinhardt Memorial Award
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