Art

Art

Culture enriches lives, and participation in creative and cultural activities can have a significant impact on young people, by developing their appreciation, their skills and helping them to learn.

This has been shown repeatedly in international studies, and has also been backed up by recent evaluations of major programmes such as Creative Partnerships and Museums’ Strategic Commissioning. What these evaluations have shown is that culture and the arts can help young people achieve all of the Every Child Matters outcomes.

Cultural activities also gives young people the chance to develop important life skills such as creativity.

As well as being valuable and enjoyable in its own right, participation in cultural activities also gives young people the chance to develop important life skills such as creativity, confidence, self-discipline, effective communication and the ability to work in teams. These skills are particularly important in a world of rapid technological and social change where the cultural and creative industries are increasingly important to our economic future.

That is why a commitment was made in the Children’s Plan to work towards a position where all children and young people — no matter where they live or what their background — have the chance to participate in at least five hours of high-quality culture per week, in and out of school. The Find Your Talent programme looks at different ways of offering young people a range of cultural experiences.

The aim is to give young people the chance to develop as:

  • informed spectators (through attending top quality theatre and dance performances, world class exhibitions, galleries, museums and heritage sites)
  • participants and creators (through learning a musical instrument, playing and singing in ensembles, taking part in theatre and dance performances, producing artwork, making films and media art, or curating an exhibition).

Arts and cultural activities are also an important stimulus to develop young people’s creativity. Learning Outside the Classroom activities which give children and young people the opportunity to work on real-life challenges; handle risk; develop their capacity to think imaginatively and creatively; define and explore complex problems; use and adapt multiple resources both within their community and beyond in order to experiment and devise solutions to these problems — all of these experiences nurture the mix of thinking, imagining, facing the unknown and making things happen which are the ingredients of creativity.

School Art and Design courses provide students with a wide range of creative, exciting and stimulating opportunities to explore their artistic interests and design skills in ways that are personally relevant.

All schools aim to develop students’ ability to engage in practical ways with the processes of Art and Design. And at examination level all courses build on students’ innate creative skills through learning and doing in order to develop imaginative ways of working. They aim to enhance students’ knowledge and understanding of media, materials and technologies in historical and contemporary contexts, societies and cultures.

The educational visits that can enhance the learning experiences outside the classroom obviously include art galleries and studios, but there are now many opportunities to have hands-on experiences in a variety of skills, including sculpture, wood carving, furniture making, weaving, jewelry making, and pottery.

The BBC offer a fabulous section of their website called Your Paintings. It boasts a superb schools section which grew out of a Your Painitings Masterpieces in Schools event that took place across the country. The event gave thousands of UK school children the opportunity to experience great art close-up when a masterpiece visited their schools for the day. To support the project the BBC have curated a host of online resources including: slideshows of paintings with ideas for use in the classroom; profiles of careers in the art world; and a guide to artistic styles and movements. These cover many areas of the curriculum including History, Music, Geography, English and Drama as well as Art.

Main organisations:

Arts Council

Engage

National Society for Education in Art and Design

National Foundation for Educational Research

Inclusion: NASEN, and the Royal Academy of Arts runs regular sensory workshops for SEN students.

Thought of visiting?

The National Gallery

National Portrait Gallery

Royal Academy of Arts

Tate Modern

The Tate, St Ives

Victoria and Albert Museum

Birmingham Art Gallery

Cardiff Art Gallery at the National Museum Cardiff

The Eden Project, Cornwall

Keith Harding’s World of Mechanical Music, Gloucester

Sir Richard Arkwright’s Cromford Mill, Derbyshire

Snibston Discovery Park, Coalville, Leicestershire

Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth

The National Stone Centre, Wirksworth

Articles about Art, Education and Trips on SchoolTripsAdvisor

Find out about the National Portrait Gallery's exhibition: Real Tudors: Kings & Queens Rediscovered

Read Turner Prize-winning artist Grayson Perry's thoughts on Art Education, published recently in the TES.

Venues for this Curriculum

Charming displays of over 100 remarkable shell-art creations made by actor Peter Coke (1913 to 2008). 

This seaside gallery houses intricate gardens and flower arrangements all made from shells and described by the Daily Telegraph as ‘Wonderful art’.

personal - tailored - ethical - reasonable - educational - travel

Glo-Ed was created in 2017 by senior management from the educational travel industries & senior teachers from school, who shared a passion for education beyond the classroom, personal service and social responsibility.

Ingestre Arts provides high quality residential arts education courses for a wide range of groups including primary and secondary schools, academies, specialist arts colleges, youth and adult groups.

The Supreme Court, as well as being the final court of appeal, plays an important role in the development of United Kingdom law.

As an appeal court, The Supreme Court cannot consider a case unless a relevant order has been made in a lower court.

The Supreme Court:

Experience, Educate, Evolve

Specialists in school skiing, educational & sports tours & training - 60 years experience delivering excellent customer service and superb value tours.

Stratford-upon-Avon's newest heritage site

Visit the great Bard of Stratford-upon-Avon's own classroom where William Shakespeare was taught and garnered inspiration for his plays and sonnets. Find out about Shakespeare's own childhood and education, including how he may have played female characters in class plays!

The Guildhall in Stratford was the administrative centre of the town and became the centre of its economic success.

The Victoria and Albert Museum offers a huge range of exhibits covering aspects of art and design such as ceramics, fashion and clothing, furniture, gless and jewelry, as well as much much more.

The V&A is free to visit but you need to book in advance for self-directed group visits and for any programmes on offer.

Wander the corridors of power and pleasure

With its 500 years of royal history Hampton Court Palace has something to offer everyone. Set in sixty acres of world famous gardens the Palace is a living tapestry of history from Henry VIII to George II.

Enjoy the rustic charm of Blake House Craft Centre where you can create everything from plates to cushions. Find your way through our maize maze or fire bows and arrows, play mini golf or enjoy some of our homemade cake.

Open 10am to 5pm weekdays.

Explore Constable Country

Flatford lies in the heart of the beautiful Dedham Vale.

Nurture in Nature

FSC Bishops Wood is an excellent base for primary school trips. At Bishops Wood Field Centre we offer opportunities in both fieldwork and adventurous activities for primary school children. From Literacy through landscape to wilderness bushcraft designed to encourage problem solving and teamwork.

Experience learning in the great outdoors with Magdalen. Magdalen Farm with its diverse landscape, animals and purpose-built residential centre provides a safe and secure environment to learn about organic farming, sustainability and nature.

British cartoon & comic art from the 18th century to the present day

This exhibition is focused on promoting British cartoon and comic art. With a collection that dates from the 18th century to the present, visitors of all ages will find something exciting here. If you’re an avid fan of the Bash Street Kids, Billy Whizz, or Dennis the Menace, or if you’re looking for something a little bit more politically minded, this is a place for you!

Explore. Discover. Become.

WorldStrides, formerly Casterbridge Tours, are an educational travel company specialising in customised educational group tours. 

A wide range of natural and social history exhibits, the more exciting of which include the interactive dinosaur gallery and gardens, and the special family drop in sessions.

The English School of Falconry Bird of Prey and Conservation Centre is one of the largest bird of prey centres in the UK, home to over 200 birds of prey, varying in species of owls, hawks, eagles, falcons, hawks,kites and vultures. The centre is committed to the conservation of birds of prey and their habitats.

The Island Classroom

Education Destination is an Isle of Wight based business specialising in providing bespoke, curriculum-focused school trips to our lovely island. We help you create outstanding curriculum-led learning visits to the Isle of Wight and can provide a full door-to-door service, taking care of all your requirements, or simply support you in making your own arrangements.

York Museums Trust’s award-winning* museums and art gallery offer inspiring, interactive and hands-on learning opportunities that directly support the National Curriculum.

We welcome school groups to York Art Gallery, York Castle Museum and the Yorkshire Museum & Gardens and offer help and advice to parties who wish to visit.

Unlock your students imaginations with the trip of a lifetime, as only Topflight can do it.

The Difference is Experience

We deliver quality foreign tours and skiing trips with a difference

Why travel with Select School Travel?

A family theme park designed to cater for families with children between the age of two and thirteen. All its rides and attractions are designed to offer the whole family a full day out of fun and excitement.

Adventure Land, Toy Land, Discovery Bay and more! All of which combine to keep even the most active of children occupied for a full day.

Rising 20 meters from the earth near the A1 in Gateshead, the Angel dominates the skyline, dwarfing all those who come to see it.  Made from 200 tonnes of steel, it has a wingspan of 54 metres.  Getting up close and personal with the Angel is an experience you'll never forget!

Visit our website to download our Teacher's Pack.

Rookesbury House is a stunning former stately home situated at the top of a hill amidst a 2000 acre private estate. With its grand entrance through the gate keeper’s lodge and the drive sweeps through fields of arable crops to the house, you can be sure of a secure and calming setting at this former prestigious boarding school.

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British schoolgirl assaulted on school trip to Iceland

hotel corridor

A viral video shows a black girl being assaulted by a white woman in a corridor.

Police in Iceland are investigating after a British schoolgirl was slapped and chased by a tour guide in a hotel corridor.

The schoolgirl, 13, who attended Harris Girls’ Academy, was assaulted whilst on a school trip to Iceland to see the Northern Lights. The incident occurred at Hotel Örk, Hveragerdi on 13th October.