Creative Thinking in Schools: A Leadership Playbook

This leadership playbook has been published to coincide with the global release of the first PISA test results on creative thinking, the Creativity Collaboratives under way in England and the growing importance of creative thinking in countries across the world.Creative Thinking in Schoolsfocuses on how leaders can create capacity among their staff to embed creative thinking, both in their own lives and in the lives of their pupils. Itoffers a framework for improving creative thinking based on the widely used five creative habits framework developed by the Centre for Real-World Learning. The framework focuses on developing learners who are inquisitive, persistent, collaborative, disciplined and imaginative.

Underpinned by research and analysis of practice in hundreds of schools across the world, and more recently by an in-depth study of fifty schools in England,Creative Thinking in Schoolsprovides a range of accessible resources, planning tools and practical examples. These support leaders to reflect on their core purposes, understand the changes needed to embed creative thinking, develop leaders across their staff, facilitate the development of their teachers, plan, teach and assess creative thinking, and work with external partners, all the while developing a vibrant professional learning community.

Complemented by a dedicated website which contains additional downloadable materials and case studies,the playbook will allow leaders and teachers around the world to connect with each other and share their own experiences in order to develop, spread, extend and evaluate creative thinking within and across schools.

Creative Thinking in Schoolswill support a professional learning community of leaders and teachers who see creative thinking as a core purpose of education and are interested in making it a priority in their school. It will encourage pupils to develop their creativity in the classroom, allowing future generations to thrive in a world that is increasingly complex.

Creative Thinking in Schools: A Leadership Playbookhas been supported by the Mercers Company, Creativity, Culture and Education and the Arts Council of Wales.

Suitable for school and system leaders, teacher leaders and policy makers who see creative thinking as a core purpose in education.

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Forewords by Professor Dame Alison Peacock andAndreas Schleicher.

Written by an internationally renowned team of thought-leaders, researchers and facilitators,Creative Thinking in Schools: A Leadership Playbookis a practical guide that draws together understanding about school leadership with a deep experience ;

This playbook has universal appeal across countries. It provides insightful tools for school communities to develop creative thinking, unlocking potential and hidden leadership from everyone in schools. The playbook's universal usability also makes it a perfect gift for anyone in the international community of creative thinking in schools.

Kraiyos Patrawart

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The authors of this magnificent playbook have created something truly amazing - a highly useable and practical resource for leaders. You will be able to transform your school, your network and your jurisdiction. We cannot wait to provide every network school with this book.

Linda Kaser

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This wonderful playbook captures the expertise, provocations, lessons learned and insights that a generous community of creative learning experts, researchers, educators and school leaders around the world have shared. Providing a wealth of practical activities and examples in words, diagrams and images, it is a vital resource for any school leader who wants to inspire and coach their team to embed and deliver creative learning strategies across their school.

Tabitha McMullan

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In our ever-changing world, developing creative thinking is essential to help our young people thrive, not only in lessons b

Professor Bill Lucas is Director of the Centre for Real-World Learning at the University of Winchester and, with Ellen Spencer, the originator of a model of creativity in use in schools across the world. A global thought-leader, Bill was co-chair of the PISA 2022 test of creative thinking and curates the Creativity Exchange website.

Dr Ellen Spencer is Senior Researcher at the Centre for Real-World Learning and, with Bill Lucas, author of Teaching Creative Thinking. Ellen is also a Researcher for Arts Council England's Creativity Collaboratives, a three-year project to test a range of innovative practices in teaching for creativity in schools.

Dr Louise Stoll is Professor of Professional Learning at the UCL Centre for Education, IOE and an international consultant, focusing on how schools and systems create capacity for learning. Louise works with the OECD on schools as learning organisations initiatives, has led creative leadership R&D projects, and co-developed materials supporting leaders to connect research evidence and practice.

Di Fisher-Naylor is the Director of Creativity, Culture and Education (CCE), the UK based international creative learning foundation. She is a specialist in programme design, implementation and quality assurance and in professional learning for school leaders, teachers and creative professionals. Di has supported creative learning programmes across the world. Di dropped out of school early and is passionate about the importance of developing creative thinking skills in all children but particularly those from socio-economic disadvantaged families.

Sian James manages a national creative learning programme with the Arts Council of Wales and has supported over 700 schools and their teachers to explore innovative pedagogy and prepare for the introduction of a new expansive curriculum. Having gained her Masters at Trinity College, Sian started out as a television researcher, going on to spend over a decade working within Communications for the Arts and Heritage sector in Wales. Sian is passionate about the arts, and the sector’s positive engagement with education.

Nia Richards has been designing and supporting professional learning in creativity since 2015, firstly, as Regional Lead for a national programme in Wales and currently as Programme Manager for Creativity, Culture and Education. She was a classroom teacher for 13 years in secondary and further education, she also has an MA in Practitioner Research.

Katy Milne is Programme Manager at CCE (Creativity, Culture and Education). Katy has cultivated educational practice through an enquiry-based approach to creative learning and personal development, which has had a positive impact on learning outcomes across schools and networks internationally. Previously Cultural Programme Officer for South Tyneside Council and Director of Arts and Creativity at Greenfield Arts for 16 years, Katy has a Masters in Education and a PGC in Innovative Curriculum and Pedagogy which informs approaches to developing creative learning.