Researching the arts in Primary Schools summary of key results

The launch of the Researching the Arts in Primary Schools project. The research has important new findings about the importance of specialist arts teachers. the common curriculum pattern at the heart of arts richness, long term partnerships with arts and cultural organisations, and the importance of place. There is also strong evidence that most arts rich schools perform as well or better than equivalent schools. The report can be downloaded on arts primary.com

1. Arts-Rich Primary Schools Pat Thomson Christine Hall Liam Maloy

2. “arts rich” James Catterall – Doing good and doing well by doing art (2009) The NELS study – more than 12 k students over 12 years. Developed a scale of arts-richness in US secondary schools – graduation in arts subjects, clubs, formal department and specialist staff At age 20, low-income students who had attended arts-rich schools were 14% more likely to be in further or higher education and 50% more likely to be studying for a BA than low-income students in arts-poor schools. They were also 50% more likely to be involved in voluntary civic activities than the national average.

3. Catterall concludes that: Arts-rich schools are seen to bear characteristics including a climate for achievement as well as instructional practices that may account for their advantage. Catterall notes that, because his study was at scale, the variables the researchers could consider did not afford a detailed understanding of the beneficial “climate for achievement”, or what he elsewhere calls their “zeitgeist” or “coherent arts-based identity ” (p. 108). Catterall studied secondary schools. But was what happened in primary important?

4. The RAPS research shows the core of arts-rich primary schools

5. A common design underpins diversity Strong senior leader and governor commitment to the expressive arts The arts are integral to the school identity There is a shared understanding of the purposes of arts education and the benefits for children Leaders recruit and appoint specialist arts staff and/or support for existing staff to gain knowledge/skills Leaders ensure dedicated time and budget for the expressive arts and often dedicated spaces The school has ongoing partnerships with arts organisations and artists

6. Specialist arts teachers Have deep pedagogic content knowledge Work with senior leaders in a trusting and conversation-based relationship Teach an arts subject Lead the development of a coherent arts curriculum framework with clear intent and progression Monitor progress and quality Support classroom teachers through team teaching, provision of resources, formal and informal professional learning Build partnerships, organise showcase events, establish networks, and are often leaders beyond the school

7. Distinctiveness - Place Schools saw a place-based approach as crucial for making the curriculum inclusive, relevant and engaging. Children learnt about the history, geography and cultures n their immediate environment and connected these with the wider world. Schools reflected and celebrated local communities and heritage through the arts. Children learnt multiple ways of expressing identity and belonging through the arts. The arts brought different generations and families together. Children learnt that the arts could strengthen community bonds and wellbeing. Through their arts programmes, children developed a sense of pride in and ownership of their community. Active citizenship was fostered through recognising and appreciating local assets and envisioning positive change.

8. Children The expressive arts support the development of agency, self belief and efficacy. Teachers saw children as capable artists. Children were guided and supported to practice and to evaluate their own progress. Many of the arts-rich schools were also rights-respecting schools. The arts were used to build sociality, interdependence, mutual regard and relevant knowledges. Many of the arts-rich schools involved children in ‘voiced’ activities, fostering arts leadership through arts councils and arts ambassador programmes.

9. Leadership density A common and shared vision and understanding of the importance of the expressive arts meant that it was possible for different people to lead the development of the arts in different ways. They all pulled in the same direction. Leadership density means that senior leaders and specialist teachers – and also classroom teachers, teaching assistants, governors and children who wanted to - were able to have ideas and bring them to fruition. They could speak meaningfully and persuasively about the importance of the arts in their schools.

10. Why be arts poor? 77% of the RAPS schools were doing as well as, or better, than other schools in their family. When compared with schools with almost the same prior attainment, percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals and number of children with English as an additional language, 77% did as well as or better (EEF performance data). This performance was also reflected in inspection judgements, with the same schools being rated good or outstanding. The majority of arts-rich schools (70%) also perform well in their local authorities. And importantly, arts-rich schools generally perform better than their comparators within their respective local authorities. T here appears to be little or no penalty attached to having an arts-rich curriculum and there are additional benefits from being arts-rich.

11. The Report Download the PDF on artsprimary.com Thankyou to the schools and staff who show us what an arts-rich primary education can be Contact: [email protected]