Creative Enrichment Strategy
Transforming lives through learning
At Novus, we believe in the power of our education to change lives.
At Novus we work with passion, care and commitment to create foundations for change.
Creative Arts for Rehabilitation
Arts and enrichment activities are a crucial part of our curriculum, often engaging learners who can’t be engaged in other ways.
Creative enrichment isn’t just about having an art department, it’s embedding new and innovative ways of doing things across the entire curriculum, including vocational subjects, maths, English and science, along with the more expected creative subjects. It’s about showing learners that there’s lots of different ways to learn and working with partners to bring new opportunities to the classroom, helping to improve the cultural capital of our learners.
This second version of our strategy aims to improve the access to arts and culture for our learners, strengthening our existing partnerships and forging news ones in a consistent way across our whole estate.
Read our full strategy
Creative Enrichment opportunities serve as a pathway to self-expression, problem-solving, and innovative thinking.
They offer individuals a means of self-discovery, skill development, and personal expression.
Particularly impactful for those whose experience of formal education was a negative one, creative opportunities empower individuals, fostering a sense of purpose, confidence, and provide potential avenues for personal and professional growth beyond traditional academic structures.
With this strategy, our mission is to:
Creative Enrichment
Promote creative enrichment and foster a culture of enriched educational experiences throughout Novus education delivery nationally.
Engage and Empower
Enable Novus colleagues and learners to access creative enrichment in all forms, across all curriculum areas, using the arts and creativity as a platform to engage and empower.
Our aim is to champion:
The arts and its value to society
The communities we work in
The learners that we support
Key objectives of our strategy:
Strategic Direction
Continue to contribute to shaping the role of arts and creativity within prison education, ensuring it remains central to the overall strategic direction.
Community of Practice
Implement a creative enrichment community of practice within Novus, bringing together a wide membership, including Business Development colleagues, to expand funding opportunities and share best practice.
Creative Spaces
Create dedicated creative spaces within Novus’ curriculum to enhance learning opportunities and provide a richer educational experience.
Core Offer
Embed a consistent creative enrichment offer across all Novus provision, ensuring parity of opportunity for learners and clear promotion across the department’s curriculum.
Learner Experience
Provide ongoing opportunities and experiences that enhance learners’ enjoyment and understanding of arts and creativity, acting as a catalyst for critical thinking and identity exploration.
Community Cohesion
Support community cohesion by showcasing creative work and highlighting the value of arts and culture in connecting people.
Sector Collaboration
Identify individuals and groups in both the community and prison arts sector to act as key partners in shaping and delivering creative educational experiences.
Professional Development
Encourage colleagues and other professionals, such as HMPPS staff, to support the growth of arts and culture in prisons through increased continuing professional development opportunities.
