This article has been published as part of the Rethinking Curriculum project, kindly funded by The Helen Hamlyn Trust.
This article has been published as part of the Rethinking Curriculum project, kindly funded by The Helen Hamlyn Trust.
What are the expressive arts?
The Rethinking Curriculum project intentionally uses the term ‘expressive arts’ – a concept that emerged in the late 1970s, influenced by therapeutic arts practices (McNiff, 1981). It reflects a more integrated approach to arts education, moving beyond discrete subject silos. The expressive arts includes traditional disciplines such as visual art, dance, music and drama, but can also encompass film, media, design technology, photography and creative forms of reading and writing.
The term ‘expressive arts’ offers a more inclusive approach to arts education, emphasising creative expression, curiosity and empathy rather than technical mastery. In the Curriculum for Wales (Welsh Government, 2020), participation in the expressive arts is described as providing ‘learners with opportunities to explore, refine and communicate ideas while thinking creatively and engaging their imagination and senses’. Although creativity sits at the heart of the expressive arts, it is not exclusive to this area; as Vincent-Lancrin et al. (2019) explain, creative thinking is essential across all domains, including science, mathematics and the humanities. The terms ‘creativity’ and ‘expressive arts’ should therefore not be used interchangeably.
Adopting the term also reflects wider curriculum developments in Scotland and Wales. The expressive arts is an established area within Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence (Education Scotland, 2010) and has been more recently embedded in the Curriculum for Wales (Welsh Government, 2020). In both nations, participation in the expressive arts is compulsory to age 16, signalling a renewed commitment to inclusionAn approach where a school aims to ensure that all children are educated together, with support for those who require it to access the full curriculum and contribute to and participate in all aspects of school life, interdisciplinary learning and creative expression, and highlighting the growing status of this domain (Tambling and Bacon, 2023).
References
Education Scotland (2010) Curriculum for excellence: Expressive arts. Available at: https://education.gov.scot/curriculum-for-excellence/curriculum-areas/expressive-arts/(accessed: 5 January 2026).
McNiff S (1981) The Arts and Psychotherapy. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas Publisher.
Tambling P and Bacon S (2023) The arts in schools: Foundations for the future. Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Available at: https://www.culturallearningalliance.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/The-Arts-in-Schools-full-report-2023.pdf (accessed: 15 December 2025).
Vincent Lancrin S, González-Sancho C, Bouckaert M et al. (2019) Fostering Students’ Creativity and Critical Thinking: What It Means in School. Paris: OECD Publishing. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1787/62212c37-en (accessed: 5 January 2026).
Welsh Government (2020) Curriculum for Wales: Expressive arts. Available at: https://hwb.gov.wales/curriculum-for-wales/expressive-arts/(accessed: 5 January 2026).
Tools and resources
As part of the Rethinking Curriculum project, we have created a number of bespoke resources to develop your understanding of an expressive arts education. These resources are designed to explore the research evidence underpinning this approach, understand what this could look like in practice and make informed decisions about whether this might be appropriate for your school and students.
We encourage you to engage with the following:
Read our research review
This review summarises some of the research evidence around expressive arts education, specifically exploring the impact and implications for primary school practice.
Read these case studies
Kerri Sellens, Assistant Head at Lansbury Lawrence Primary School, shares her school’s journey in developing curriculum impact through dance and movement.
Chris Passey FCCT and Sally Alexander MBE FCCT, Deputy Headteacher and Headteacher respectively at Kimichi School in Birmingham, share their journey founding a music-specialist school.
Kari Anson, Headteacher at Brays School, shares her school’s journey of implementing a thematic curriculum in a specialist setting, enriched by a multi-sensory drama studio.
These case studies could be used to understand the process further but are not intended to be replicated as we strongly believe that all schools should be delivering for their community and circumstance
Watch these webinars
We hosted a webinar, alongside Art UK, to explore the impact of the ‘Superpower of Looking’ project in primary settings. This project aims to develop the use of art in the primary classroom to develop key skills, including visual literary, oracy and critical thinking. In this webinar, five teacher researchers share their journey as part of this project, outlining how they have adopted this approach and explore the implications of this in their own setting.
We hosted a webinar to showcase of the work of Electric Umbrella. Using music and real life stories, Electric Umbrella unites school communities and ignites vital conversations surrounding equity, diversityThe recognition of individual differences in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, physical ability, religious beliefs and other differences and inclusion. Through vibrant in-person workshops, interactive online assemblies and via the transformative UK wide Inclusion Academy, in which schools will be able to sign up for the Electric Umbrella Accreditation Awards, Electric Umbrella can support you in your journey to building a sustainable ethos of inclusion.
We hosted a webinar, in collaboration with the Royal Ballet and Opera, to explore the power of movement and storytelling. Whether you’re a classroom teacher, school leader, or arts educator, this webinar will show you why dance isn’t just an enrichment activity — it’s a vital part of a thriving, creative curriculum.
Use this evaluation tool
We have created an evaluation tool to be used with your school leadership teams to develop understanding of where your current curriculum is in terms of introducing and embedding an expressive arts focus. The aim of using this tool is to celebrate and acknowledge the work you are already doing but also to refine actions going forward.
This tool could help with reviewing the curriculum at a whole school level, ensuring that expectations of experiences within the curriculum are relevant and catered for effectively. It could also support teacher development in the planning and application of the delivery methods.
This tool is intended to be used alongside the Rethinking Curriculum Evaluation Framework.
Use this document to explore how this approach aligns with the National Curriculum and the recent curriculum and assessment review.
As part of this project, schools asked for a tool to map how specific curriculum approaches aligned with the current National Curriculum in England. We have updated this to also include the most recent findings from the Department of Education’s curriculum and assessment review. We invite you to use this document to further develop and refine your curriculum vision.
Go further with our reading and resources list
We have created a list of further reading and resources to deepen your understanding of a high-quality expressive arts offer. These include academic research, case studies and webinars. We have ensured that all resources are open access or available to members of The Chartered College of Teaching.
