For the past 30 years the Pushkin Trust has been encouraging children and teachers in schools all over Ireland to find their ‘voice’ and discover their imagination, inspiration and integration.Schools’ Programme

The Pushkin Trust’s Schools’ Programme is a cross-curricular, cross-community and cross-border project involving primary, secondary, Irish medium and special needs schools. The initiative retains creative writing as the central core of activity and is supplemented by other creative art forms, using the environment as an important source of inspiration. The programme is usually launched in October with a residential weekend for participating teachers. Artists lead practical workshops based on the annual theme which is then adopted into the programme and integrated into teaching. Previous annual themes include ‘Landscape’, ‘Rekindling the Fire Within’, ‘Floodtide in the Heart’ and ‘Opening Ground’. The theme for 2018-2019 was ‘On the Air’. ‘Baronscourt Days’ are held in the spring term at Baronscourt Estate. These involve classes from two or more schools coming together for a day of discovering environmental and creative expression through workshops with professional facilitators. Pupils work in mixed groups alongside teachers, taking part in activities facilitated by artists, dancers, writers, actors, musicians and environmentalists. Two of these facilitators will also visit the participating schools to work on-site with the children to develop the annual theme further. All Pushkin schools hold their own Celebration Day in May/June with an exhibition of the project work created by pupils and teachers during the six-month programme. Participating schools receive Pushkin plaques and award certificates. Trust

Through Pushkin, children are able to explore their imaginations and stories, helping to unlock their creativity and inspiration. The need for inspirational learning from a young age is vitally important and will help children to engage with their imaginations and find their voice.

“Over the years, the Pushkin Trust has been encouraging children and teachers in schools all over Ireland to find their ‘voice’ – to express their thoughts and feelings by creative means. In this way we have been nurturing the very root of our beings. At this time the world we live in is in great needs of a balance between our heads and our hearts, so that we may connect to the ‘tap-root’ in us all by opening us to the realm of imagination, inspiration and integration.”

The Duchess of Abercorn
Founder, Pushkin Trust