Artswork are offering professional development training courses for cultural providers and organisations.

The Artswork Education Development Manager for Hampshire Lorraine Cheshire brings over 30 years of experience in arts education to the delivery of this course along with experienced Headteacher Jez Bennett. Here Lorraine provides a more detailed overview of what to expect from this course…

This training day brings arts and cultural organisations up to speed on the latest changes to educational policy and explains the key priorities for each of the key curriculum stages from ‘Early Years’ to Key Stage 4 (ages 14-16/years 10-11).

The day is broken down into two parts; ‘The State of the Nation’, which looks at current policy, how and why it has been developed, the challenges this might present for schools and educational settings, and how they are addressing these. The second session is called ‘The Spirit of the Revolution’ and here we look at practical ways in which organisations can support schools to deliver on both government policy (what they need to do), whilst also meeting their aspirations (what schools want to do!) This includes explanations of the Primary curriculum, EBACC, Progress and Attainment 8 at Secondary level and the impact these have on the broader curriculum, and the Gatsby Benchmarks for Careers education.

This year we have placed a particular emphasis on the new OFSTED Framework which will be introduced in schools in Sept 2019. This framework changes the nature of inspections and places a firm focus on ‘Quality of Education’ – the curriculum rather than outcomes as in previous Inspections. It also tasks schools with ensuring ‘breadth and balance’ in their curriculum by offering a wide range of experiences and opportunities for learning and also of evidencing how they will build ‘Cultural Capital’ for their pupils. This provides significant opportunity for the arts and cultural sector to really examine how they might support schools in these areas and in protecting and developing arts, culture and creativity in schools,  through the programmes and offers they devise.

This one-day course gives arts and cultural organisations a valuable opportunity to review what they currently offer schools and educational settings. Through discussion with other arts professionals, underpinned by a clear understanding of current priorities, practice and challenges in schools, we support organisations to align their offer to current needs and priorities. In a constantly shifting educational landscape, this is vital.

Attend this course with Lorraine and Jez on 15th October in Gateshead or on 29th November in London.