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Developing children’s agency through outdoor learning: A close-to-practice inquiry

This article has been published as part of the Rethinking Curriculum project, kindly funded by The Helen Hamlyn Trust.

 

 

 

 

Roanne Torr, Classroom Teacher, Dalesthorth Primary School

Rebekah Gear, Senior Lecturer, Nottingham Trent University

Introduction

Working within an Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) unit in a primary school in the Ashfield district, we became increasingly aware of a tension between what we believed outdoor learning could offer children and what they were actually experiencing. Although the outdoor environment is often described as a space for freedom, exploration and autonomy, we noticed that children’s choices were subtly shaped by adult routines, risk‑averse language and the physical organisation of the space. This raised an important question for us: how do young children experience agency outdoors, and how might our pedagogical decisions enable or constrain it?

This question felt particularly urgent given the shifting policy landscape. While frameworks such as 'Birth to 5 matters' (Early Education, 2021) foreground children’s agency as central to high‑quality provision, recent revisions to the EYFS framework (DfE, 2024) and 'Development matters' (DfE, 2023) make no explicit reference to agency at all. This absence risks narrowing practice and overlooking children’s rights to influence their environment and make meaningful choices.

Drawing on sociocultural perspectives (Vygotsky, 1978; Smidt, 2009), ecological systems theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) and the Reggio Emilia view of children as protagonists in their own learning (Edwards et al., 2012), we wanted to understand how children navigated our outdoor space and how adult discourse around risk shaped their engagement. Close‑to‑Practice (CtP) research offered an ideal methodological approach. As BERA (2018) and Taylor et al. (2014) argue, CtP research values practitioner expertise and creates a 'third space' where academic and practitioner knowledge can be co‑constructed. Working collaboratively as a university lecturer and early years practitioner enabled us to explore this question rigorously while keeping children’s lived experiences at the centre.

Curriculum and pedagogical approach

Why this intervention?

We introduced a child‑led action research project to explore children’s experiences of agency outdoors. Our aim was twofold:

  • to understand how children perceived and used different areas of the outdoor environment;
  • to identify how adult language, routines and risk management practices influenced their choices.

 

This approach aligned with the mosaic methodology (Clark, 2017), which positions children as active contributors to research through multimodal expression. It is also reflected in Gonzalez et al.'s (2005) funds of knowledge framework, recognising children’s home experiences and cultural knowledge as valuable resources that shape their engagement.

What the intervention involved

The project took place over two action research cycles across six months. Each cycle followed the same structure:

  1. Naturalistic observations of children’s outdoor play, focusing on how they navigated different areas (e.g., mud kitchen, construction, water, role play).
  2. Child‑led photography, where children used iPads to capture areas they liked or disliked.
  3. Semi‑structured focus groups, using symbols to support understanding, where children explained their photographs.
  4. Collaborative analysis, where we worked with university colleagues to identify themes.
  5. Changes to practice, implemented between cycles in response to children’s feedback.

 

Six children (three Nursery, three Reception) participated in the photography and focus groups, selected through purposive sampling (Silverman, 2005) to reflect a range of developmental stages.

How we evaluated the approach

Data included:

  • field notes from observations
  • children’s photographs
  • transcripts of focus groups
  • reflective journalling
  • collaborative thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006)

 

This triangulation strengthened the validity of the findings (Denscombe, 2017; Cohen et al., 2018) and ensured children’s voices remained central.

The study had several limitations. As a small‑scale, context‑specific inquiry, the findings cannot be generalised beyond the immediate setting. In addition, time constraints restricted the extent to which the environment could be redesigned between cycles, limiting opportunities to test more substantial changes. Nonetheless, the approach yielded rich insights into children’s lived experiences of agency.

Findings and implications

Cycle 1: Adult presence as a catalyst for engagement

Observations revealed that children were more likely to engage with an area when an adult was present. This echoed Vygotsky’s (1978) view that learning and agency are mediated through social interaction. Children frequently replicated adult roles (e.g., playing families, construction workers, or drivers), suggesting that familiar cultural scripts supported their confidence.

However, areas perceived as 'messy' or 'risky', such as the mud kitchen or large slide, were used less frequently. Children’s photographs reinforced this pattern: they consistently chose the playhouse, garage and mark‑making areas as 'liked', while avoiding spaces associated with dirt, water or physical challenge.

This made us question about the ways adult language around risk directly shapes children’s agency in outdoor environments. Everyday phrases such as "be careful", "don’t get wet", or "that’s too high" may influence how children come to understand for themselves what feels safe, risky, or worth exploring.

Changes implemented between cycles

In response, we:

  • reorganised the mud kitchen to make resources more accessible
  • introduced clearer boundaries for water play to reduce adult anxiety
  • added open‑ended materials to encourage experimentation
  • reviewed our language, aiming to shift from risk‑avoidance to risk‑support (Clark, 2017)

 

Cycle 2: Increased confidence and broader engagement

The second cycle showed notable shifts:

  • Children used a wider range of areas, including those previously avoided.
  • They demonstrated greater willingness to take manageable risks.
  • Their photographs reflected more diverse interests, including natural materials and construction.
  • Focus group discussions showed increased confidence in articulating preferences.

 

These changes suggest that relatively small adjustments, particularly to adult language and resource accessibility, can significantly influence children’s sense of agency.

Implications for practice

Our findings point to several practical implications for early years settings seeking to strengthen children’s agency in meaningful, developmentally authentic ways. Together, they highlight how everyday interactions, language choices and environmental decisions can either constrain or expand children’s opportunities to act with confidence, curiosity, and autonomy.

  • Agency is relational, not individual.
    Children’s choices were shaped by adult presence, routines and discourse. Agency flourished when adults adopted a responsive, co‑learning stance.
  • Risk‑supportive language matters.
    Shifting from 'don’t' language to open, reflective prompts ('What do you think will happen if…?') encouraged children to assess risk themselves.
  • Outdoor environments are not neutral.
    Decisions about layout, resources and access communicated powerful messages about what was valued.
  • Children’s voices can drive meaningful change.
    Photo‑elicitation enabled even very young children to express nuanced preferences that directly shaped practice.

Recommendations for practitioners

Based on this inquiry, we would offer the following recommendations to colleagues exploring agency and outdoor learning:

  • Use multimodal methods to listen to children
    Child‑led photography, drawing or mapping can reveal insights that verbal discussion alone may miss.
  • Audit your outdoor environment through an agency lens
    Ask: Which areas invite choice? Which restrict it? Whose needs are prioritised—children’s or adults?
  • Reflect on your language around risk
    Replace prohibitive phrases with prompts that support children to think, assess and decide.
  • Co‑construct changes with children
    Even small adjustments—moving resources, adding open‑ended materials—can significantly shift engagement.
  • Work collaborativel
    Partnering with colleagues or external researchers can create a reflective 'third space' that deepens understanding and challenges assumptions.
  • Document the journey
    Reflective journalling helped us to notice patterns in our own practice and remain accountable to children’s voices.

 

N.B. The Outdoors Agency toolkit will be available from Summer Term 2026. This toolkit emerged directly from the iterative cycles of this close‑to‑practice inquiry. Details to follow.

 

References

  • BERA (2018) Close to Practice Educational Research: A BERA Statement. London: British Educational Research Association. Available at: bera.ac.uk/publication/bera-statement-on-close-to-practice-research (bera.ac.uk in Bing) (Accessed: 24 February 2026).
  • Braun V and Clarke V (2006) ‘Using thematic analysis in psychology’, Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), pp. 77–101.
  • Bronfenbrenner U (1979) The Ecology of Human Development: Experiments by Nature and Design. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
  • Clark A (2017) Listening to Young Children: The Mosaic Approach. London: National Children’s Bureau.
  • Cohen L, Manion L and Morrison K (2018) Research Methods in Education. London: Routledge.
  • Denscombe M (2017) The Good Research Guide for Small-Scale Social Research Projects. London: Open University Press.
  • Department for Education (2023) Development Matters. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/development-matters--2 (Accessed: 24 February 2026).
  • Department for Education (2024) Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage: Setting the Standards for Learning, Development and Care for Children from Birth to Five. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2 (Accessed: 24 February 2026).
  • Early Education (2021) Birth to 5 Matters: Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Available at: https://birthto5matters.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Birthto5Matters-download.pdf (Accessed: 24 February 2026).
  • Edwards C, Gandini L and Forman G (2012) The Hundred Languages of Children. Santa Barbara: Praeger.
  • Gonzalez N, Moll L C and Amanti C (2005) Funds of Knowledge: Theorizing Practice in Households, Communities, and Classrooms. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
  • Silverman D (2005) Doing Qualitative Research. 2nd edn. London: SAGE Publications.
  • Smidt S (2009) Introducing Vygotsky: A Guide for Practitioners and Students in the Early Years. London: Routledge.
  • Taylor C, Klein E and Abrams L (2014) ‘Tensions of reimagining our roles as teacher educators in a third space’, Teaching Education, 25(4), pp. 1–17.
  • Vygotsky L.S (1978) Mind in Society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

 

 

 

 

More Than Just ‘Choosing’: Strategic Implementation of Continuous Provision in Key Stage One

This article has been published as part of the Rethinking Curriculum project, kindly funded by The Helen Hamlyn Trust.

 

 

 

 

Emma Maguire, Headteacher, Wootton Primary School, Bedford

Introduction

The transition from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to Key Stage 1 (KS1) often represents a pedagogical cliff edge. For pupils — some of whom have only recently turned five — the move into the National Curriculum is a significant and often overwhelming step. When I joined our large four-form entry primary school, we were in the depths of the Covid-19 pandemic and practitioners in school had highlighted that change was needed for the academic, social and emotional progress of the children in our care. Drawing on my experience as a Specialist Leader of Education (SLE), the primary objective was to move away from the traditional ‘sit-down-at-tables’ model of KS1, which Fisher (2013) argues can stifle the independence and self-regulation nurtured in Reception. By maintaining a familiar environment, we aimed to sustain high levels of wellbeing and engagement while meeting the rigorous demands of the National Curriculum.

This case study examines the implementation of continuous provision in Year 1 to mitigate this transition and ensure our children continue to believe, achieve and thrive beyond the Early Years.

Pedagogical approach

Our approach was rooted in the belief that at five years of age, children should not be spending large periods of their day sitting at tables engaging in formalised learning. This does this not align with children’s developmental needs. Indeed, research conducted by the academics at the University of Cambridge (Skene et al., 2022) indicates that ‘guided play’ can support key elements of learning, including the development of early maths skills, as well as, or sometimes more effectively, than more traditional methods such as direct instruction. In addition, desk-based approaches can also lead to the dispiriting line, “we just sit at tables and do writing”, from children who have only existed in our world for sixty months. This is something I never wanted to hear in my school.

However, implementing continuous provision while embedding the National Curriculum is a challenging prospect. It must be led with a secure knowledge base, a carefully considered strategy and an unwavering belief that this is the correct approach for the children in your school and the community you serve.

The first consideration was environmental design. This does not need to include hundreds of tuff spot trays or beautifully designed areas worthy of a Pinterest photo shoot. What it does need is a variety of purposeful learning areas, equipped with ample open-ended resources that demonstrate noticeable progression from those available in the Early Years classrooms.

It was crucial that the four classrooms offered the same experiences, ensuring that all 120 pupils in Year 1 had the same diet of provision. Crucially, this is not a set of resources which are ‘wheeled out’ in the afternoon. This pedagogical approach moves far beyond ‘choosing time’ towards a model of National Curriculum objective-led planning. It includes permanent areas (e.g. Construction, Creative, Small World (See Figure 1), Writing, and Maths), each equipped with continuous provision resources and carefully considered enhancements (See Figure 2). These are complemented by planned whole-class inputs and targeted small-group sessions, known as ‘masterclasses’. The approach is meticulously planned and strategically implemented by the dedicated educators in my school.

Figure 1: After building a 'secret tunnel' in the Small World area, the children are using their story roads to plot out their own story which they will then write and share with the class.

Figure 2: An example of an enhancement to support children in their understanding of nutrition. Here, the children are working independently to make fruit kebabs.

For many practitioners — particularly those who did not gain EYFS experience during their initial teacher training — this approach can feel daunting. We were fortunate to have fantastic teachers who embraced this change because they firmly believed it was the right approach for our children and community. As a school, we work hard to be continually research-led and, through my experience as an SLE, I decided to adopt the ‘gradual release’ model. Provision, mindsets and planning were not all going to be perfect straight away. Indeed, despite the introduction of this approach five years ago, we continue to refine and improve aspects of it, just as you would in any area of teaching and learning.

The key, I believe, is to not view provision as an add-on, but rather the primary vehicle through which children apply their taught skills and knowledge in the classroom. This shift involved a significant amount of staff training, enabling practitioners to scaffold learning effectively and support this independent exploration, while ensuring that the pitch of provision remained high and the pace of learning was appropriate. This approach aligns with Vygotsky’s (1978) Zone of Proximal Development, in which the environment provides the scaffold for the child to reach their next potential level of understanding.

The training does not end with the team of teachers working in Year 1; it requires wider staff in school to understand how this pedagogical approach works. For example, we had to consider how to support our Year 5-based Science Lead to appropriately monitor Science provision in a Year 1 classroom. When making the decision to move to a continuous provision approach, it must involve whole-school buy-in and an ongoing commitment to professional development.

Findings and implications

The impact of implementation across the year group was monitored through learning walks, data analysis and pupil voice, as well as wider indicators such as behaviour logs, children’s emotional regulation skills, and their overall attitudes towards school and learning.

The first area of noticeable improvement in any well-planned provision is the level of engagement among the children. In our school, levels of pupil engagement, as defined by Laevers (2005) using a five-point scale, increased significantly. Developed by Laevers (2005), the Leuven Scale of Involvement helps practitioners monitor how children are engaging with their learning. It ranges from ‘extremely low’, where you may see a child flit from one activity to the next, to ‘extremely high’, where a child would be intensely involved in an activity for a prolonged period of time. In our context, children demonstrated higher levels of persistence and involvement in their learning compared to the previous year's desk-based cohort.

Teachers also observed that children developed key skills for their social, emotional and mental health such as conflict resolution, sharing with peers and collaborative play. These are all skills which five-year-olds are in the process of learning and need time and space to rehearse. A predominately desk-based model can stifle the opportunity for this, particularly impacting our youngest pupils who often have not yet learnt or been taught these skills explicitly. In addition, we noted a marked improvement in children’s communication and language skills with notable improvements in data from our ‘Wellcomm’ assessments. The freedom to express themselves and engage in structured and unstructured talk gave ample opportunity for oracy development.

When adopting a continuous provision approach in KS1, a common concern, particularly amoung colleagues in senior leadership roles, is that children may fal behind and not be sufficiently challenged. My experience, however, has been the opposite. This pedagogical approach offers abundant opportunities for adaptive teaching and enables children to express their ability in different contexts. For example, by placing writing materials in every area, children engaged in purposeful mark-making, sentence construction and writing for different purposes. This has resulted in improvements in the quality of writing across the year group. Once again, this approach is not simply a continuation of the EYFS; it is a considered, high-expectation model of learning in which the National Curriculum is purposefully taught in an engaging, age-appropriate way. The outcome for our children has been consistently strong social, emotional and academic results, despite many beginning with below-expected baseline starting points.

Recommendations

For school leaders considering a similar pedagogical shift in a large primary setting, I recommend the following:

Consistent resourcing: Ensure parity across all classrooms. A resource audit should be conducted to ensure the provision is high quality and there is a visible and tangible increase in expectations from EYFS into Year 1.

Continual professional development: Proactively educate all staff in your school, as well as the parents in your school community, on the value of play-based learning in KS1 to avoid the perception that children are ‘just playing’. Ensure staff who are leading the classrooms are clear of the ‘why’ for your school and are familiar with the academic research underpinning this approach.

Flexible timetabling: You cannot implement effective Continuous Provision classrooms while continuing to follow a ‘traditional’ timetable - a school day in Year 1 should not look the same as it does in Year 6. Move away from rigid 60-minute blocks. Continuous provision requires flexibility, as well as uninterrupted time to allow for deep-level learning.

Be brave: Changing anything in school which deviates away from ‘the norm’ takes an element of bravery. Ensure that a member of your school leadership team unapologetically advocates for this approach to learning and has the skillset to drive this change alongside a team of passionate and dedicated teachers who will create the learning environments, provision and lessons for the children to thrive. As with everything in schools, it truly is a team effort.

 

References

  • Fisher J (2013) Starting from the Child. 4th ed. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
  • Skene K, O’Farrelly C, Byrne E, Kirby N, Stevens E, Ramchandani P (2002) Can guidance during play enhance children’s learning and development in educational contexts? A systematic review and meta-analysis, Child Development, 93(4), pp. 1162–1180
  • Laevers F (2005) Well-being and Involvement in Care Settings: A Process-oriented Self-evaluation System. Leuven: Research Centre for Experiential Education.
  • Vygotsky L S (1978) Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Reframing employability: Building the skills that matter most

Preparing young people for life beyond school has never been more complex or more urgent. Alongside academic attainment, schools are expected to demonstrate meaningful personal development, high-quality careers provision and genuine inclusion. The challenge is not simply delivering these elements in parallel, but integrating them coherently within curriculum design and evidencing their impact over time.

Too often, employability is treated as episodic: a collapsed timetable day, a careers fair or a short placement in Year 10. Yet what appears to have the greatest impact is not isolated exposure, but structured development of the underlying capabilities that enable young people to adapt, reflect and apply their learning in varied contexts. The question is not whether schools teach employability, but whether they do so deliberately, progressively and visibly as part of a purposeful careers curriculum.

From core skills to employability

There is growing recognition that employability skills are most effective when explicitly taught, practised and reflected upon, rather than left implicit. Research into metacognition and self-regulated learning highlights the positive impact of structured reflection on learner progress (Education Endowment Foundation, 2025; Zimmerman, 2002). Approaches that make planning, monitoring and evaluation visible support learners to internalise these habits over time.

One practical example is the six skills framework developed by education charity and awarding organisation ASDAN. The framework provides a shared language for capabilities that employers consistently value:

• Learning: goal-setting, adaptability and productive use of feedback
• Communicating: clarity across speech, writing and digital formats
• Decision making: evaluating options and making informed choices
• Thinking: critical evaluation and creative problem-solving
• Team working: collaboration, contribution and accountability
• Self-awareness: resilience, emotional literacy and recognition of strengths

These are not add-ons to subject knowledge; they are the mechanisms through which knowledge is applied.

Structured ‘plan, do, review’ cycles underpin this approach. Learners set goals, undertake tasks, gather feedback and evaluate outcomes. Repeated over time, this iterative process builds independence and adaptability – qualities associated not only with employment, but with lifelong learning.

Importantly, such models scaffold progression from Entry 3 to Level 3, widening routes to achievement without lowering expectations. This supports learners with lower prior attainment or those at risk of disengagement, while also enabling stretch and depth for others. It also provides meaningful progression for learners with SEND, whose strengths may not always be fully reflected in exam-only pathways.

Building a careers curriculum with purpose

If employability is to move beyond compliance, it must be understood as curriculum, not enrichment. A careers curriculum with purpose does not sit alongside academic study; it runs through it. It makes explicit how knowledge, skills and dispositions connect to life beyond school and revisits those connections over time.

Building such a curriculum begins with clarity of intent. What capabilities should young people develop by the time they leave school? How do these progress from Year 7 to Year 11 and beyond? Where are opportunities within subject teaching to make collaboration, decision making and reflection explicit rather than assumed?

A purposeful model is cumulative. Early secondary years may focus on self-awareness and aspiration-building. Middle years can introduce structured employer encounters and increasingly authentic applications of core skills. Later phases may integrate sustained workplace experiences, accredited projects and explicit progression planning. At each stage, reflection connects experience back to identity and future choice.

Importantly, this does not narrow education to employment. Rather, it strengthens the intrinsic value of learning. When students understand how analytical thinking in history, precision in mathematics or communication in English translate into wider competencies, motivation is often enhanced. Disciplinary knowledge retains its integrity, but its transferability becomes clearer.

Strengthening Gatsby alignment

The Gatsby Benchmarks have sharpened expectations for structured careers provision (Gatsby Foundation, 2014). Framework-based approaches illustrate how integration can be achieved. A stable, whole-school structure supports Benchmark 1 by creating a consistent language for employability. Flexible, portfolio-based evidence enables personalised and inclusive progression. Explicitly mapping communication, problem-solving and decision-making to workplace contexts strengthens curriculum relevance. Reflective logs and structured evaluation ensure employer encounters and workplace experiences translate into demonstrable learning.

When employability is embedded through continuous skill development, the relevance of curriculum content becomes clearer. Instead of expecting students to infer connections between school and work, those links are made explicit and cumulative.

Evidencing impact

Developing employability skills is only part of the challenge; demonstrating sustained progress over time is equally important. Employability cannot be evidenced through a single event. Impact is cumulative, emerging when skills are revisited, strengthened and applied across a learner’s educational journey.

Digital portfolio approaches enable learners to log and reflect on development against defined descriptors. When embedded from early secondary onwards, these systems create a longitudinal record of growth. Teachers can verify evidence, monitor progression and identify where further support or stretch is required. In this way, employability becomes part of a coherent pathway rather than an episodic intervention.

This approach particularly benefits learners with lower prior attainment, those at risk of disengagement and learners with SEND. By evidencing what has been learned and not simply what has been completed, schools strengthen metacognition and support learners to recognise their own progress.

Contributing to ongoing research and development

Developing rigorous, research-informed approaches to employability remains an evolving area of practice. Schools interested in contributing to ASDAN’s ongoing research and development in skills frameworks, portfolio-based assessment and longitudinal progression pathways are invited to make contact: melissafarnham@asdan.org.uk.

Collaborative inquiry between schools, awarding organisations and sector partners is essential if employability is to become embedded as a coherent and evidence-informed component of education.

 

ASDAN is an education charity and awarding organisation offering courses, accredited programmes and UK‑regulated qualifications from pre‑Entry to Level 3. With 35 years’ experience in skills‑based education, ASDAN engages learners through relevant and motivating courses, elevates their progression to further education, training and work, and empowers them to take control of their lives. Find out more at www.asdan.org.uk

References

Education Endowment Foundation (2025) Metacognition and self-regulated learning: Updated guidance report. London: EEF.

Gatsby Foundation (2014) Good career guidance. London: Gatsby Charitable Foundation.

Zimmerman, B.J. (2002) ‘Becoming a self-regulated learner: An overview’, Theory into Practice, 41(2), pp. 64–70.

Rethinking Curriculum: Expressive arts toolkit

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 inclusion, 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, diversity 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.

 

The expressive arts: Exploring the evidence base

This article has been published as part of the Rethinking Curriculum project, kindly funded by The Helen Hamlyn Trust.

 

 

 

 

Beth O’Brien, Education Content Manager at the Chartered College of Teaching 

What are the expressive arts?

In education, broad terms such as ‘performing arts’, ‘visual arts’, ‘creative arts’ and ‘arts and culture’ are often used interchangeably, though each highlights different aspects of artistic learning. Understanding these distinctions is important when selecting terminology for schools; for example, the term ‘performing arts’ typically refers to disciplines centred on practising and refining performance, such as dance, drama and music.

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 inclusion, interdisciplinary learning and creative expression, and highlighting the growing status of this domain (Tambling and Bacon, 2023).

What does an expressive arts-rich education look like in practice?

Catterall and colleagues (2009; 2012) conducted large-scale longitudinal studies with secondary school-aged students in the United States to explore the impact of expressive arts participation. As part of this work, they identified features of high-quality arts provision in schools, including:

  • a range of arts subjects offered to pupils at all phases 
  • specialist teachers to teach these subjects
  • well-equipped and maintained specialist facilities 
  • a culture that actively promotes participation in the arts.

 

More recently, in their research with primary schools in England, Thomson et al. (2025) also identified other notable features of an ‘arts-rich’ education, including:

  • integration of the expressive arts into the formal curriculum 
  • a wide range of arts-based extra-curricular opportunities
  • ring-fenced funding for expressive arts participation 
  • high-quality professional development for teaching staff delivered by experts
  • sustained partnerships with arts and cultural organisations.

 

While these features provide a starting point for a well-rounded expressive arts education, Thomson et al. (2025, p. 30) acknowledge ‘there are many ways to be arts-rich’. Provision will vary significantly depending on pupil demographics, school context and wider local community. 

What are the benefits of an expressive arts-rich education?

Research evidence suggests that there are numerous benefits associated with expressive arts participation for pupils across primary and secondary settings. These include:

  • improved academic outcomes (CASE, 2010, 2015; NEA, 2025), particularly for pupils from low-income backgrounds (Catterall, 2009; Catterall et al., 2012)
  • improved literacy skills (CASE, 2010)
  • enhanced cognitive abilities (CASE, 2010)
  • increased transferable skills (CASE, 2010)
  • increased confidence and self-esteem (Thomson et al., 2018; Hewlett et al., 2024) 
  • improved communication and self-expression (CASE, 2010; Thomson et al., 2025)
  • enhanced collaboration with peers (Hewlett et al., 2024)
  • improved sense of general wellbeing (Thomson et al., 2018; Fancourt et al., 2020; Thomson et al., 2025)
  • greater sense of agency (Thomson et al., 2018; Thomson et al., 2025)
  • greater sense of belonging (NEA, 2025)

 

However, researchers are cautious about claims of causality. Indeed, as Londesborough (2021, p. 9) notes, ‘it continues to be difficult to prove (or disprove) a causal link’ between expressive arts participation and attainment. Concerning primary pupils, the Culture and Sport Evidence Programme (CASE, 2010, p. 18) found that there was a ‘promising’ impact on pupil attainment but could not say with any certainty that arts participation ‘works’ with this age group. It is widely recognised that there are still significant gaps in the evidence base and more rigorous research at scale is needed to draw definitive conclusions (Winner et al., 2013; Arts Council England, 2014; See and Kokotsaki, 2015). 

Beyond attainment, expressive arts education is argued to have a significant, though often less tangible, impact on inclusion. The expressive arts can provide opportunities to explore personal and shared identities, creating inclusive spaces where a diverse range of perspectives are valued. As Kenyon (2019, p. 13) argues, ‘there are no wrong answers in the arts… responses are personal and unique to that child and uniquely valuable’. The expressive arts have also been identified as an important means of addressing pupil disengagement, offering alternative ways for pupils to communicate and succeed (O’Hanlon et al., 2020; Londesborough, 2021; Thomson et al., 2025). This approach may be particularly significant for pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL) and those with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) (Thomson et al., 2025). 

Participation in the expressive arts is also argued to ‘level the playing field’. As Thomson et al. (2025, p. 18) explain, pupils from lower socio-economic backgrounds often rely on school provision to access arts and cultural opportunities. A high-quality expressive arts education may therefore contribute to reducing educational inequalities. You can read more about the evidence base for this on the Arts and Mind Campaign website.

Research evidence also indicates that there are benefits for pupils beyond school. High-quality expressive arts education can foster skills – problem-solving, creative thinking and communication – that are increasingly valued by employers across sectors (Tambling and Bacon, 2023; James and Lunnon, 2024). As such, an expressive arts education has the potential to improve employability (CLA, 2017) and to deliver long-term benefits across industries (James and Lunnon, 2024). As Thomson et al. (2025, p. 19) affirm, skills fostered through the expressive arts are ‘precisely those needed in today’s and tomorrow’s workforce’.

Further still, it is argued that an expressive arts education plays an integral role in building a more ‘humane society’ (Tambling and Bacon, 2023, p. 13). Indeed, the Cultural Learning Alliance (2019, p. 1) describes access to the expressive arts as a ‘social justice issue’, drawing attention to the growing body of evidence that highlights its potential to develop empathy, tolerance and civic engagement later in life. In fact, research indicates that pupils who engage with the expressive arts are twice as likely to volunteer (CASE, 2015) and 20 per cent more likely to participate in democratic processes (CLA, 2017). 

Despite these benefits, quantifying the impact of expressive arts education in concrete, measurable terms remains a longstanding challenge (Arts Council England, 2014). Expressing its contributions to both socio-emotional development and wider society continues to be a complex task.

Overcoming barriers to implementation

There are numerous barriers to consider when developing your expressive arts offer in your context. We have summarised some of these challenges, in relation to the wider research literature, to help you think about how you might preempt or overcome them in your own setting.

Location

Access to artistic and cultural institutions can often underpin high-quality expressive arts education. As Kenyon (2019, p. 24) states, ‘a visit to a gallery or museum can offer a unique opening of the mind and eyes… [it] can inspire optimism… as well as sparking creative ambition’. However, location can be a significant barrier to accessing these opportunities. Schools in major cities benefit from having a range of institutions available to both visit and form partnerships with, while schools based elsewhere tend to have more limited access to such opportunities (O’Hanlon et al., 2020), often compounded by a lack of transport links (Tambling and Bacon, 2023). 

Despite this, numerous case studies highlight the innovative ways in which schools are attempting to overcome this barrier. For example, many schools are increasingly taking advantage of online opportunities, including live-streamed theatre performances and digital visits to art galleries (O’Hanlon et al., 2020). In their research with primary schools, Thomson et al. (2025) also note that effective practice often emerges from drawing on what does exist in the immediate locality, and provide numerous examples of this in their report, Researching the arts in primary schools.

Teacher expertise

Teachers’ knowledge and confidence are central to the quality, breadth and frequency of expressive arts provision. Although the National Curriculum in England requires all primary schools to teach music and art and design, most primary teachers lack specialist expertise in these subjects (Thomson et al., 2025). Initial teacher training offers limited preparation: trainee teachers receive an average of only four hours across their PGCE year to cover all arts disciplines (Thomson et al., 2025). As teachers progress in their careers, access to high‑quality continuing professional development (CPD) in the expressive arts remains inconsistent (O’Hanlon et al., 2020; Tambling and Bacon, 2023). Time pressures, budget constraints and competing priorities make it difficult for schools to prioritise this domain (Thomson et al., 2018), while a perceived loss of professional agency has reduced teachers’ willingness to take creative risks in their practice (Tambling and Bacon, 2023).

Improving provision requires school leaders to prioritise sustained, collaborative CPD. Schools that invest in targeted professional learning – supported by specialist art leads and external experts  – are more successful in embedding the expressive arts across the curriculum. Approaches such as team‑teaching, modelling, coaching and peer collaboration are particularly effective (Thomson et al., 2025). Recruiting specialist art leads and giving them the time and resources to share subject‑specific pedagogical knowledge has been identified as a key driver of improvement (Thomson et al., 2025). Teachers also value CPD delivered by arts organisations. Programmes offered by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and the Tate, for example, have been shown to boost confidence and motivation to engage in further professional learning (Thomson et al., 2018).

Digital CPD platforms also play an important role. In their research with teachers, Tambling and Bacon (2023) cite particularly useful online platforms, including The Hub at the Old Vic, the Royal Opera House, the National Gallery and the RSC’s Learn programme.

Effective CPD must be carefully sequenced, aligned with a school’s vision for the expressive arts, and inclusive of all teaching and support staff (Thomson et al., 2018). Building mutual respect among stakeholders, recognising their varied starting points and individual expertise, is also essential for meaningful professional development (Thomson et al., 2018).

Hierarchy of subjects 

While the National Curriculum in England requires schools to offer a ‘broad’ range of subjects, academic disciplines tend to be prioritised in schools. Headteachers express the ongoing pressure to focus on subjects that are summatively assessed and subject to accountability measures (Thomson et al., 2025). Although many recognise the value of expressive arts subjects, they also highlight the challenge of integrating them into an already ‘overcrowded curriculum’ (Thomson et al., 2025, p. 42). These pressures seem to be further compounded by an entrenched societal belief that STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects are more economically valuable than creative ones (Thomson et al., 2018). As Ashton (2023, p. 148) states, STEM is often presented as a ‘strategic priority’, while the expressive arts are framed as ‘nice to have’. 

Despite this, an expressive arts education should be an entitlement for all (Thomson et al., 2018). Indeed, it is outlined in Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child - all children have the right ‘to participate freely in cultural life and the arts’ (United Nations, 1989, p. 10). Educators largely recognise the contribution of the expressive arts - as Tambling and Bacon (2023, p. 53) state, ‘few schools believe that the arts have no contribution to make, or little impact’. Indeed, research evidence consistently suggests that there is a positive correlation between expressive arts participation and a range of academic and non-academic outcomes for pupils. Far from being ‘soft subjects’, meaningful engagement with the expressive arts can enhance learning in other subject areas, including maths and English. Thomson et al. 's (2025, p. 18) most recent research demonstrates that the expressive arts are ‘deeply connected to, and supportive of, learning in other subjects’. They can also foster a range of transferable skills that are relevant across sectors and industries (James and Lunnon, 2024). The increasing use of the acronym STEAM (as opposed to STEM) reflects the growing recognition of the role of the expressive arts for employability and economic productivity (CLA, 2017; Ashton, 2023).

Recently, the DfE’s final report of its curriculum and assessment review (2025) emphasised the need to improve access to music, art, drama and other creative subjects, signalling a renewed recognition of their value in the English education system. Its recommendation to remove EBacc measures to promote greater ‘academic breadth’ reflects a shift towards a more balanced curriculum. The government’s response reinforces this ambition:

‘access to a high-quality arts education will not be the preserve of the privileged few, but the entitlement of every child. That is why we are committing to revitalise arts education as part of the reformed national curriculum and through high-quality support for teachers of these subjects.’

                                                                                                                                                   (UK Government, 2025, pp. 14–15)

Assessment 

Assessing pupil progress in the expressive arts poses significant challenges for educators. In England, the expressive arts are disadvantaged in a system that privileges externally assessed, written examinations. While such approaches may be appropriate for subjects with clearly defined knowledge outcomes, they are widely recognised as ill-suited to expressive arts learning, which is often experimental, iterative and interpretive (Tambling and Bacon, 2023; Winner et al., 2013; Thomson et al, 2018). As Thomson et al. (2018, p. 25) explain, the current English assessment system ‘reduces the emphasis on practice and the importance of experiential making and performing aspects of arts subjects’. Winner et al. (2013) also draw attention to the absence of clearly defined assessment criteria, noting that the subjective and abstract nature of the expressive arts can make consensus difficult. 

Nevertheless, there are emerging signs of change. The recent curriculum and assessment review (DfE, 2025) acknowledges the limitations of the current assessment system and its negative impact on subjects whose outcomes cannot be easily standardised. Its recognition of expressive arts subjects, with distinct pedagogical needs, suggests a shift in thinking, even if concrete assessment reforms remain underdeveloped. Alongside this, advocacy initiatives, such as Rethinking Assessment (2023), have reframed debates around what counts as valid evidence of learning, arguing for a move away from high-stakes examinations towards more holistic, ongoing forms of assessment. These proposals – including greater use of technology, continuity across educational phases, and the development of digital learner profiles – are supported by the Cultural Learning Alliance, as they allow for capturing evidence of artistic engagement, collaboration and creativity over time (Tambling and Bacon, 2023).

In the absence of system-wide reform, teachers can still play a critical role in recognising, valuing and documenting expressive arts learning in their classrooms. Strategies such as portfolio-based assessment, reflective journals, peer- and self-assessment, and project- or performance-based evaluation allow teachers to capture the process-oriented nature of expressive arts learning. As Eisner (2002, p. 234) argues, the expressive arts ‘should be justified in education primarily in relation to their distinctive or unique contributions’, and finding ways to observe, capture and celebrate these is paramount. 

Partnerships 

Schools with rich expressive arts provision frequently cite partnerships with arts and cultural organisations as a critical factor in their success (O’Hanlon et al., 2020; Thomson et al., 2025). These collaborations provide access to expertise, resources and experiences that a single school cannot offer. Bamford (2006) identifies educational, cultural, and socio-emotional advantages, while Imms et al. (2011, p. 4) extend these to include increased arts-related expertise, confidence and communication skills, as well as a deeper understanding of the creative process. Arts Council England (2014) also highlights the role of partnerships in supporting wellbeing, social cohesion and civic engagement.

However, sustaining high-quality partnerships can be challenging. Educators report a lack of time and agency to seek out and nurture relationships with external organisations (Tambling and Bacon, 2023). The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated these challenges, with many arts-based organisations experiencing funding cuts and staff redundancies. As Tambling and Bacon (2023, p. 91) note, ‘leadership, experience and community relationships [within these organisations] are not always what they were, and are not easily re-built’. 

Successful partnerships must also align with the school’s long-term vision for the expressive arts. Research consistently cautions against viewing partnerships as optional extras; instead, they should be fully integrated into the formal curriculum offer (Arts Council England, 2014; Thomson et al., 2018; O’Hanlon et al., 2020; Thomson et al., 2025). Thomson et al. (2025) provide a list of 12 practices that support effective partnerships on page 80 of their report.

Leadership 

There is a general consensus that the expressive arts can only flourish if there is support from the senior leadership team (O’Hanlon et al., 2020; Tambling and Bacon, 2023; Thomson et al., 2025). O’Hanlon et al. (2020, p. 9) describe leadership as ‘the most crucial’ factor in developing a high-quality expressive arts provision. Central to this is a clearly articulated vision (Thomson et al., 2025) and a shared language around the value of expressive arts education (O’Hanlon et al., 2020). Case studies also highlight the importance of fostering a culture where teacher agency is valued – as stated by O’Hanlon et al. (2020, p. 3), best practice is evident where leadership promotes ‘risk taking, can-do attitudes, and entrepreneurialism with no fear of blame’. 

Leadership can also be supported by appointing an art specialist, champion or lead. O’Hanlon et al. (2020) recommend that these individuals have extensive experience in a particular art form and a strong commitment to developing staff, culture and curriculum in this area. Thomson et al. (2025) also stress the importance of providing art leads with sufficient time and resources to develop both staff and the curriculum. However, it is also acknowledged that these appointments can be challenging in a time where finite resources are already stretched (Tambling and Bacon, 2023). 

Governing bodies also play an important role in supporting and promoting the expressive arts. Research recommends appointing an expressive arts link governor, who holds arts expertise (O’Hanlon et al., 2020; Thomson et al., 2025). This role can provide strategic oversight and advocacy. The National Governance Association provides an online course to specifically support governors in this role.

Other features of good practice include appointing pupil ambassadors for the expressive arts. Thomson et al.’s (2025) research report offers various examples of how this can be done effectively. 

Funding and resources

Lack of funding and resources remains one of the most frequently cited barriers to embedding expressive arts education (O’Hanlon et al., 2020; Tambling and Bacon, 2023; Thomson et al., 2025). Schools face increasingly tighter budgets and are often forced to make difficult decisions about their provision. The Cultural Learning Alliance (2022) highlights data suggesting that the expressive arts are adversely affected during times of financial constraint. Unfortunately, the expressive arts often require higher-resource budgets and are therefore more likely to be cut during periods of financial hardship. These cuts tend to disproportionately impact pupils from lower socio-economic backgrounds, who often do not have the financial means and/or access to expressive arts opportunities (Tambling & Bacon, 2023).

Despite these challenges, schools are working in innovative ways to sustain their expressive arts offer. Common approaches include collaborating with other schools in their locality to divide costs, apply for grants and share resources (e.g. a space to curate an exhibition) (Thomson et al., 2025). Other schools highlight the importance of fundraising, often with the expressive arts at the heart of this (e.g. putting on a fundraising performance) or building dedicated art spaces (e.g. a dance studio) to create another revenue stream for the school (Thomson et al., 2025). Other educators have spoken of the benefits of engaging with social media, where many free or subsidised expressive arts opportunities are advertised (O’Hanlon et al., 2020).

Towards successful implementation

While there have been recent developments to re-establish the expressive arts in education, many educators still feel constrained by the lack of guidance, resources or capacity to facilitate this learning effectively. Despite this, there is a growing body of research that demonstrates the benefits of this work, alongside evidence-based methods of its delivery in schools.

As with any approach, there are numerous ways in which it can be implemented, depending on the unique characteristics of the school’s context and pupils. When considering how to develop or strengthen an expressive arts offer, it may be helpful to consider the following takeaways to inform your approach:

  • Terminology and scope: The term ‘expressive arts’ encompasses a broad range of artistic disciplines, acknowledging their integrated nature. It places emphasis on creative expression, curiosity and empathy, rather than perfecting technique or performance. It is important to adopt terminology that fits your curriculum offer and vision for expressive arts education, and to communicate this clearly with staff, pupils and the wider community.
  • Features of an expressive arts-rich school: These include access to a diverse range of artistic disciplines at all phases, specialist teachers, well-equipped facilities, integrated curriculum provision, extra-curricular opportunities and strong partnerships with arts organisations.
  • Benefits: Participation in the expressive arts is associated with a wide range of positive outcomes: improved academic performance, literacy and cognitive skills, confidence, communication, collaboration, wellbeing, agency, and sense of belonging. Benefits are particularly pronounced for pupils from low-income backgrounds and those at risk of disengagement. Expressive arts education is also linked to increased civic engagement, social cohesion and employability.
  • Limitations: While the evidence base is growing, establishing causal links between expressive arts participation and academic attainment remains challenging, particularly for younger pupils. More rigorous, longitudinal research is needed to better understand the mechanisms through which expressive arts participation impacts learning and development.
  • Barriers: Educators may face numerous challenges when implementing a high-quality expressive arts offer in their context, including geographic isolation, lack of teacher expertise, limited professional development opportunities, the low status of the expressive arts, narrow assessment practices, and lack of time and resources. While there is growing recognition of the importance of the expressive arts, significant systemic barriers remain. 
  • Leadership: Support from senior leadership teams is critical to developing and sustaining high-quality expressive arts provision. Where possible, seek to appoint a specialist art lead and/or link governor to support this journey.
  • CPD: Generalist primary teachers often require specialist training to deliver high-quality expressive arts education. This CPD should be delivered by experts (art leads or an art-based organisation), carefully planned and sequenced over time, and incorporate approaches such as team-teaching, coaching and peer collaboration.
  • Partnerships: Collaboration with arts and cultural organisations can enhance the long-term success of expressive arts learning. Effective partnerships are not an ‘add-on’. They should be integrated into the curriculum offer, underpinned by a shared vision and developed through purposeful, respectful collaboration over time.
  • Digital tools: Online platforms are proving increasingly valuable for teachers and pupils to develop their experiences, skills and expertise in the expressive arts. We encourage you to look at our reading and resources list to support you with this. Social media can also be an important tool for advocacy and in celebrating expressive arts learning in your context.

 

 

References

 

Electric Umbrella: ‘No Such Thing as Normal’

What is the purpose of this webinar?

This webinar is part of a series around curriculum enrichment in primary schools as part of the extensive Rethinking the Curriculum project. This series aims to support and equip both teachers and school leaders with the knowledge and skills to identify, plan and implement curriculum development work in a sustainable, creative and impactful way. 

Who is this webinar aimed at?

This webinar will be particularly valuable to primary teachers, those involved in curriculum design more broadly, and all educators who want to learn about using art to enhance their curriculum offer. 

Who are Electric Umbrella?

We are delighted to share the work of Electric Umbrella with you. Using music and real life stories and experiences, Electric Umbrella unites school communities and ignites vital conversations surrounding equity, diversity 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; ensuring that a culture of kindness becomes a lived experience for schools.

How could I use this webinar to support my team?

This webinar could be re-watched with your school leadership or teaching teams to develop a shared understanding of this approach. We have prepared some reflective questions that could be used to inform discussions and begin to consider what this might look like in your context. 

The webinar has been edited split into the following sections:

  1. 1.32 - Claire Butley, Head of Education and Programmes at Electric Umbrella, provides an overview of what the charity does and how they work with schools.
  2. 19.14 - Simon Putman, Headteacher and Trustee at Electric Umbrella, shares his school’s experience of working with the charity and explores the wide-ranging impact of their work within his setting.
  3. 43.13 - A Q&A session to further explore the challenges, opportunities and practicalities of introducing a similar approach in your school.

 

As you watch the webinar, you may wish to note down insights that build on your understanding of this work. 

You may wish to consider: 

  • What aspects of Electric Umbrella’s approach to inclusion resonate most with you, and why?
  • Electric Umbrella places a strong emphasis on fostering ‘joy’. How is joy currently nurtured within your context? Are there any ideas from the webinar that you could discuss with your team or trial within your school setting to enhance these feelings of joy?
  • Do any of Electric Umbrella’s programmes or resources particularly appeal to you and/or the needs of your setting? Why so? 
  • Are there specific pupils, groups of pupils, or classes who would particularly benefit from this approach? Why so?
  • Are there any barriers you foresee when integrating Electric Umbrella’s resources or programmes into your current offer? How might these be mitigated?
  • If this is of interest to you, note down three next steps for yourself and/or your teams to progress this work. 

 

https://vimeo.com/1123503406?share=copy

The Superpower of Looking: How looking at art can support visual literacy and oracy in your curriculum development

What is the purpose of this webinar?

This webinar is part of a series around curriculum enrichment in primary schools as part of the extensive Rethinking the Curriculum project. This series aims to support and equip both teachers and school leaders with the knowledge and skills to identify, plan and implement curriculum development work in a sustainable, creative and impactful way. 

Who is this webinar aimed at?

This webinar will be particularly valuable to primary teachers, those involved in curriculum design more broadly, and all educators who want to learn about using art to enhance their curriculum offer. 

What does the webinar explore?

This webinar will introduce the ‘Superpower of Looking’ project, which 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 primary setting. 

How could I use this webinar to support my team?

This webinar could be re-watched with your school leadership or teaching teams to develop a shared understanding of this approach. We have prepared some reflective questions that could be used to inform discussions and begin to consider what this might look like in your context. 

The webinar has been edited split into the following sections:

  1. 0.06 - 4.55 - Tina Corri, Head of Learning at Art UK, introduces the ‘The Superpower of Looking’ project. 
  2. 4.56 - 14.31 - Susan Ogier, Senior Lecturer in Primary Education at University of Roehampton and Project lead/ Art UK Academic Partner, explains the importance of using art to develop key skills, including visual literary and critical thinking. She also introduces five teacher researchers who took part in the project and will present their journey and findings (see below).
  3. 14.32 - 23.50 - Gemma Hankinson, Teacher Researcher; Upper KS2 lead at Offley Primary Academy, Cheshire.
  4. 23.57 - 30.57 - Helen Jones, Teacher Researcher; Assistant Headteacher/Art Lead at Pilgrims Way Primary School, Southwark.  
  5. 31.18 - 37.55 - Gill Sekatawa, Teacher Researcher; Art Lead, Nelson Academy, Eastern Multi Academy Trust, Norfolk.
  6. 38.22 - 47.46 - Elizabeth Harper, Teacher Researcher; Art Lead, St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School, Stoke-on-Trent.
  7. 47.56 - 55.20 - Mandy Barrett, Teacher Researcher; Specialist Art Teacher, Gomersal Primary, Bradford.

 

As you watch the webinar, you may wish to note down insights that build on your understanding of this work. 

You may wish to consider: 

  • Why do images have the potential to be a powerful tool in developing key skills such as literacy and critical thinking?
  • What is your/your team's understanding of visual literacy? How do you currently develop skill in your context? 
  • How has the webinar resonated or shifted your current thinking around using art in your classroom practice? 
  • What barriers do your pupils face when looking, creating or engaging with art? Are they similar or different to those outlined in the presentation? 
  • The teacher researchers suggest there is a low level of teacher confidence when it comes to discussing and creating art at primary level. Does this resonate with your experience or that of your team? Are there any approaches that you may want to take forward to support your team with this in the future?
  • What other subjects in your curriculum could benefit from incorporating this approach?
  • Are there any other challenges that have arisen/you foresee if adopting this approach in your context? Is there any learning from the webinar that could help you overcome this?
  • What are three key takeaways from the webinar that you may want to share with your teams/wider staff body?
  • Are there any further questions you have about introducing, implementing or refining a similar approach?

 

https://vimeo.com/1082185751/60a98d668f?share=copy

The expressive arts: Selected reading

This article has been published as part of the Rethinking Curriculum project, kindly funded by The Helen Hamlyn Trust.

 

 

 

 

By Jenna Crittenden, Teacher Advocacy Lead at the Chartered College of Teaching and Beth O’Brien, Education Content Manager at the Chartered College of Teaching 

This is a collection of research articles, case studies, webinars and other relevant resources to develop your understanding of expressive arts education further. We have ensured that these are open access or available to members of The Chartered College of Teaching. 

The resources collated here are not designed to provide a recipe for what you should do. Some of the articles will also present opposing viewpoints, and ones which may contradict your own viewpoint or experience. They aim to provoke thought, debate and discussion. We encourage you to read and appraise the literature to make informed decisions based on your local context, professional experience and other available research evidence. 

Resources from the Chartered College of Teaching

N.B. Please note that non-members can only access three articles per month. Join today to get full access to all resources provided on our platform.

General resources and articles freely available from other providers

Case studies:

 

Research around the impact of arts education in schools:

 

Resources supporting curriculum development and lesson planning:

 

Drama & Theatre:

 

Dance:

 

Art & Design:

 

Music:

Funding opportunities 

Your local music hub may provide financial support for some activities.

The Music and Dance Scheme provides grants for children and young people aged 8–19 with exceptional talent and potential. They help with fees at 8 independent schools and 21 centres for advanced training.

The Youth Music NextGen Fund offers young creatives aged 18–25 grants of up to £2,500 to launch creative projects, ideas or businesses.

Awards for Young Musicians offers grants to talented children and young people aged 5–17 to support music-making.

Take it Away provides interest-free loans to buy musical instruments.

UK Music’s rehearsal spaces project supports rehearsal spaces across the UK. Each space provides instruments and equipment for free or for a minimal cost.

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) offers advice on:

  • music education
  • employment
  • ABRSM braille exam pieces
  • buying and loaning music

 

Other funding opportunities for Expressive Arts projects:

 

Award schemes for schools: 

The Arts Award is a system of levelled awards for work in the arts, supported by Trinity College: How the Arts Award works in schools. Please note that there is a cost associated with this.

The Artsmark Award provides a framework and resources to support schools in developing and celebrating their work around the arts and creativity: Artsmark. Please note that there is a cost associated with this.

 

Study on work-related stress and mental health in early career teachers (within the first five years of teaching)

Are you an early career teacher in England or work closely with early career teachers?
 
Researchers from the University of Sussex are conducting a study on work-related stress and mental health in early career teachers (within the first five years of teaching).
This mixed methods project seeks to understand the challenges teachers face in their initial years on the job, as well as the barriers and opportunities that shape how they are supported.
We are inviting early career teachers in primary and secondary settings to take part in either a survey or interviews (30-45 mins). We are also keen to hear from those involved in teacher training or mentoring who can offer valuable perspectives on early career experiences or share with their ECT networks.
Findings will contribute to a deeper understanding of early career teacher wellbeing and inform future approaches to supporting and retaining teachers during this critical stage of their careers.
Responses are submitted via Qualtrics (GDPR compliant).

Initial Teacher Training (ITT) reform in England

Have your say on Initial Teacher Training (ITT) reform in England Alma Economics has been commissioned by the Department for Education to carry out an independent evaluation of the recent reforms to Initial Teacher Training (ITT) in England. Over the next three years, they’ll be assessing whether the reforms have been implemented as intended, whether they’ve achieved their goals for ITT provision, and identifying any other impacts. As part of this work, they want to hear from those directly involved in ITT, including providers, delivery partners, placement schools, and Early Career Teachers who were trained in 2024/2025. They would like to invite you to complete a short survey. It will help them understand how people engaged with and responded to the reforms. The survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete. There is also an opportunity to express interest in participating in a follow-up interview via Microsoft Teams afterwards if you are able (and a case study if you are an ITT provider). Your feedback will play an important role in shaping the future of teacher training in England. Take part here: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/4QVXFA/ If you have any questions about the survey or your potential involvement in this research, please contact  Ana at anapaula.bonner@almaeconomics.com