Learning under the Artsmark umbrella

Abstract

There has been a lot of discussion around the broader social benefits of engaging with the arts – many headteachers have seen the positive impact that it can have on otherwise disaffected learners. However, when a school finds itself in a downward tailspin, floor targets hurtling towards it, senior leaders can be forgiven for putting the lighter side of the curriculum onto the backburner, while working on the ‘heavy stuff’. But, can a school that does not nurture the arts really be said to have improved? Attitudes to the arts, when the pressure is on, reveal a deep divide and very different success criteria for whole school improvement. One school in East Kent is showing how a strong, mutual partnership with a forward thinking arts partner can transform learning.