From the editor
Teresa Cremin, Professor of Education (Literacy), the Open University, UK Over the last three decades, creativity and creative pedagogy have sustained numerous pendulum swings in policy and practice contexts. However, since the publication of UNESCO’s report Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education (ICFE, 2021), I think it is possible to discern […]
Reclaiming purpose: Disciplinary expertise and creative pedagogy as drivers of sustainable teaching
CLARE O’SULLIVAN FCCT, THE PTI, UK Introduction Imagine a Year 8 history class staging a courtroom trial to determine the fate of Anne Boleyn. Students interrogate sources, weigh evidence and argue passionately for opposing verdicts. Engagement is immediate and sustained – not because the activity is a novelty, but because it is rooted in a teacher’s […]
Professional development for creative pedagogies: The Art of Learning as a model for practice and pedagogical renewal
MARIE OTHILIE HUNDEVADT, INLAND COUNTY COUNCIL, NORWAY LAMIS SABRA, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, CREATIVITY, CULTURE AND EDUCATION, UK SZILVIA NÉMETH, T-TUDOK CENTRE FOR KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH INC, HUNGARY This case study will highlight the content, design, implementation and structure of the professional development (PD) of teachers in the context of the flagship ‘Art of Learning’ programme, which was […]
A joyful curriculum: Embedding creative practice to support pupils’ mental health
KATE CLARK FCCT, DEPUTY HEAD: PASTORAL, FOREST PREPARATORY SCHOOL, UK Over the past decade, concerns from both teachers and parents about the mental health of young people have grown significantly. Recent data from NHS England (2023) suggests that around one in five children and young people in England now experience a probable mental health disorder, a […]
Innovating listening-led classroom practice in primary education: Sounding digital playgrounds
MARIA GUERRA SAPPHO, UNIVERSITY OF HUDDERSFIELD, UK KIRSTIN MACVICAR, UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE PRIMARY SCHOOL, UK PAMELA BURNARD, UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, UK FRÉDÉRIC DUFEU, UNIVERSITY OF HUDDERSFIELD, UK MICHAEL CLARKE, UNIVERSITY OF HUDDERSFIELD, UK In primary education, understanding human/nature relationships requires doing more than introducing children to works of art that are inspired by nature. Nature is not ‘out there’; […]
‘Speak Out!’ – Improving oracy across the curriculum using drama pedagogy: A case study from six primary schools
CHARLOTTE BRAY, PRIMARY ITE, UNIVERSITY OF DERBY, UK CAROLINE BARTH, DERBY THEATRE, UNIVERSITY OF DERBY, UK This case study celebrates and articulates the transformative collaboration between six primary schools from an East Midlands trust and local theatre. The two-year project was externally funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Teacher Development Fund, with the aim of exploring how […]
Making it count: Legitimising outdoor learning through school systems and supporting structures
JEN AGER, UNIVERSITY OF CUMBRIA, UK DR DAVE HARVEY, BANGOR UNIVERSITY, UK Introduction and context Outdoor learning (OL) offers well-documented benefits for motivation, wellbeing and holistic development (Waite et al., 2016). Although national initiatives such as the National Education Nature Park highlight growing commitment, OL remains inconsistently embedded in English schools. The National Curriculum review (DfE, 2025) […]
Rewilding the curriculum: Narrative pedagogy and the English canon as catalysts for creative ecological thinking
ROSS BUCKINGHAM, HEAD OF ENGLISH, SHREWSBURY HOUSE SCHOOL, UK Abstract The imperative to address the climate emergency demands that education shifts beyond factual transmission and towards innovative and imaginative pedagogy. This research presents evidence that demonstrates how narrative pedagogy, anchored in children’s literature and the wider English canon, can cultivate ecological consciousness, creative thinking and ethical […]
From talk to text: A creative pedagogical approach for building scientific literacy in the secondary classroom
ANKITA SENGUPTA, TEACHING AND LEARNING LEAD (RESEARCH) AND TEACHER OF CHEMISTRY, ALLEYN’S SCHOOL, UK Introduction Developing scientific literacy is central to enabling students to articulate conceptual understanding, construct extended explanations and perform effectively in assessments (EEF, 2019). However, the density of disciplinary vocabulary can present challenges for younger secondary students, particularly lower prior attainers (LPA). Within […]
Hear Water: Creative, technology-enhanced pedagogy for the arts and nature connectedness
AMANDA BAYLEY, BATH SPA UNIVERSITY, UK KATHY HINDE, INTERDISCIPLINARY ARTIST, BRISTOL, UK MEL MCCREE, BATH SPA UNIVERSITY, UK IAN THORNHILL, UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER, UK Introduction In children’s education, approaching sound and music collectively through nature provides an accessible and inclusive entry point, enabling participation regardless of musical training. Such practices encourage playful exploration and help […]
Historic Landscapes: Using landscapes as a disciplinary bridge
DAN PROCTER, HISTORY SUBJECT DEVELOPMENT LEAD, TEACH FIRST, UK STEFAN CARRON, GEOGRAPHY SUBJECT DEVELOPMENT LEAD, TEACH FIRST, UK Landscapes constantly evolve. At times and in places, this evolution is creeping, barely noticeable, a distant memory, whereas in other circumstances, landscapes are shaped by powerful physical and human processes that alter how that place is experienced and imagined, […]
Using a ‘learner–practitioner lens’ to overcome barriers in subject-specific CPD
BETHANY HOWES, SUBJECT DEVELOPMENT LEAD (SCIENCE), TEACH FIRST, UK Introduction Research consistently shows that effective teaching depends not only on strong subject knowledge but also on the ability to represent and communicate that knowledge in ways that make it learnable for pupils – what Lee Shulman (1986) defines as pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Consequently, developing teachers’ […]
From collections to classrooms: Object-based learning with museum musical instruments in primary music education
AILSA CRITTEN, FACULTY OF SOCIETY AND CULTURE, NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY, UK Introduction Musical instruments in museum collections are rich cultural artefacts with significant pedagogical potential, yet they remain underused in music education (Clendinning and Gurstelle, 2021; Critten, 2026, unpublished data). This article argues that engaging with instruments as cultural objects – through inquiry-led approaches such as object-based […]
Creating space for creative pedagogy in the Early Years Foundation Stage
CATHY GUNNING, EDUCATION COACH AND MENTOR, PARTNERING WITH NEWHAM LEARNING, SPACE TO FLOURISH AND EARLY EDUCATION WINSY FLORES, GLOBAL DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION & INNOVATION, ROCKET PRODUCTIONS Introduction Cathy and Winsy are two teacher leaders empowering early childhood educators in London and abroad, sharing a mission to advocate and ignite creative inclusive practice. They met at […]
The place and value of informal learning pedagogy in music education
DR ANNA MARIGUDDI, DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY AND CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, FACULTY OF EDUCATION, EDGE HILL UNIVERSITY, UK Informal learning pedagogy in school music education is at risk of losing its place within the classroom – but why does that matter? Within this perspective piece, I will explore the underpinning literature surrounding the phenomenon of informal learning pedagogy […]
Permeating the curriculum through collective creativity, social-emotional learning and ethical action through children’s voices
DR LISA STEPHENSON, LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY, UK DR ROS McLELLAN, UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, UK DR ELLIE WILLARD, LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY, UK Introduction While OECD analyses confirm that competencies such as collaboration, empathy and responsibility can be effectively taught (OECD, 2024), comparative data reveals that pupils in England demonstrate weaker socio-emotional skills than peers in 30 […]
Using coaching dialogue to support student resilience: A classroom case study
HELEN RIDDLE, DIRECTOR OF TEACHING AND LEARNING, ST DUNSTAN’S COLLEGE, UK During a low-stakes assessment, one of my Year 10 history students, Lottie (not her real name), became visibly overwhelmed and was unable to begin. Faced with an extended question, she froze, struggling to identify how to start and needing significant teacher support. While her subject […]
From prefects to partners: Unlocking pupil voice and agency
JAMES LEIGH, HOUSEMASTER AND TEACHER OF HISTORY, CANFORD SCHOOL, UK Introduction In recent decades, the landscape of pedagogy has shifted significantly, with greater emphasis placed on developing learners who are autonomous, resilient and equipped with the skills with which to navigate an increasingly complex world. Within this context, pupil autonomy and agency have become central themes […]
Playful maths, serious gains: Widening participation and boosting engagement through peer scaffolding in secondary classrooms
DR VICKY YIRAN ZHAO, TEACHER OF MATHS, TRUMPINGTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE (PART OF UNITED LEARNING, UK); AFFILIATE RESEARCHER, UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, UK Introduction Play, defined by Burghardt (2006), is partially functional but not purposeless, spontaneous yet modified from more serious behaviours, repeated without compulsion, and carried out in psychologically and physically safe contexts. Thus, playful learning is […]
Early Years SEND advocacy training: A research-informed perspective on building positive and compassionate relationships with children and their families
KAREN BOARDMAN, HEAD OF EARLY YEARS EDUCATION, EDGE HILL UNIVERSITY, UK MARIA RERAKI, SENIOR LECTURER EARLY YEARS EDUCATION, EDGE HILL UNIVERSITY, UK LISA DORRITY, DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION, SIL-LTD, UK JANETTE DUFF, EARLY YEARS EDUCATION PARTNER, SIL-LTD, UK This perspective article outlines the main findings from an evaluative stakeholder study of a new Early Years SEND (special […]