Finish This Secondary pilot programme evaluation
Finish This… is an inspiring music making programme for Key Stage 3 and 4 classes.
It uses specially commissioned operatic works as a creative starting point to inspire students to create and produce their own music through an invitation to respond to, and resolve, unfinished artistic work.
In 2021, we piloted this exciting new programme of work in partnership with seven secondary schools across London and Luton.
180 pupils became composers, responding to the newly-commissioned composition Under The Same Sky by Jessie Maryon Davies.
To read the full evaluation report of this pilot, click here, and to see a celebration of the pilot students’ work, click here.
For a summary of outcomes from the pilot, read on!
Some key statistics from our evaluation...
Of the teachers who responded to our survey:
- 100% of teachers on the pilot programme reported a positive and creative experience for their students
- 80% of teachers said that they would definitely or possibly run the project in their school again, with no teachers responding that they wouldn’t.
- A similar 80% of teachers would ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ recommend the project to another school, with the remaining 20% saying that they ‘possibly’ would.
Student focus groups were held, with students reporting that they enjoyed working on an unfinished piece, and particularly related to the story of the music (authority vs individualism)
Students also commented on the creative freedom the project gave them and reported that they enjoyed working collaboratively on creative ideas and performing together.
Teachers also told us about this project standing out from other musical projects that they had worked on:
• Writing from the perspectives of different characters
• Enabled and validated students’ own creative ideas
• Creative freedom
• Use of relatable storyline concept as a “starting off” point
• Excitement of working with the composer and having her feedback on their ideas
• Excitement of the professional recording
• Flexibility and openness of stimulus and use of lesson plans
• All of the teachers considered the concept of the project to be original and different from other projects they had been involved with.
“We loved being able to create a piece of music that was true to us as a school yet fit in with the other compositions heard from the other schools. It was such a great experience being able to work with industry professionals in the recording workshop too.”
Teachers on the pilot programme highlighted that students responded well to the flexibility/open-endedness of the starting composition and enjoyed the freedom it allowed them.
Our pilot evaluation found that, not only did Finish This… make opera more accessible to students and teachers alike, but the same was true in reverse: opera being a largely new genre to the vast majority of students meant enabled a “level playing field” in the classroom from which to begin learning as a group.
If you would like more information on how to book your school in for Finish This… in Autumn Term 2022, please visit this page.