If we want our children and young people to achieve then we need to help them engage in activities. If we want them to engage then we need to provide the opportunity to enjoy. The Finding Enjoyment project is an innovative study into enjoyment and how we can identify, monitor and evaluate its impact on individuals' engagement and achievement levels. darts is leading the way in research in this area and working with schools and the Local Authority in Doncaster in line with the Children and Young People's Plan 2006 - 2010, where Doncaster expresses a desire to focus on: "Increasing the opportunity and ability of children and young people to enjoy life."
Anecdotal evidence points to a link between enjoyment, engagement and achievement, but darts aims to use creative techniques to investigate this relationship. We are working with a linguist anthropologist from Stamford University who will help us develop the research in a direction that is credible and recognised by the wider work force.
The project started in September 2007. It is funded by NRF (Neighbourhood Renewal Fund) and the Education Standards Fund and research is being carried out in two schools; Conisbrough Station Road Primary School and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary School.
Once the work with these two schools is completed we will be working to collate the information gathered and produce a report of our findings. Watch this space for an update on the project and details of our findings.
We have managed to secure funding to extend the project from April to September 2008. During this time we would like to engage with other schools and run some creative INSET sessions with staff about our findings and ways forward. If your school would be interested in this FREE training please contact Emma Crook at ecrook@thepoint.org.uk.