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:
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:
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?
Cardiff Art Gallery at the National Museum Cardiff
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
Imagine the luxury that would once have surrounded the proud owner of this lavish Roman residence. This palace was certainly fit for a king. Stroll around the recreated Roman gardens – the earliest gardens found anywhere in the country – and enjoy the largest collection of mosaics in situ in the UK.
Schools
The Andrew Logan Museum of Sculpture is the only museum in Europe dedicated to a living artist. Andrew had always dreamed of opening a museum to share with the world his unique approach to life and art.
The museum is a former town house c1750, visited by Jane Austen.
Andover from prehistoric times to the present day. Enjoy an exciting programme of temporary exhibitions, including art, craft, photography, history and more... visit the museum and then relax in our coffee shop.
School visits to Andover Museum
Set in a handsome Tudor house with 21st century displays, this museum tells the remarkable story of Thetford and the Brecks. Discover rich collections alongside audio guides, films and animations.
Meet local people from Thetford’s past, from the revolutionary philosopher Thomas Paine to the Sikh hero Maharajah Duleep Singh and from rabbit warreners to railway workers.
Amersham Museum is an award winning museum located in a 15th century building in the heart of old Amersham. It is a hidden gem with a collection spanning 2,000 years of local history.
Loads of displays on different angles of history, spread across 12 interesting rooms and the garden. Join the Junior Almoners' Club for bonus trails and activities.
The Almonry exhibitions span 12 rooms and pretty much the whole of recorded time for the region, from prehistoric displays to Anglo-Saxon burial treasure, through to textile, horticultural and social history.
Our museum building is the oldest in Honiton with an interesting history. Documents show a chapel called Allhallows existed here before 1327. From the 16th century the building was used by Allhallows School until 1938 when the school moved to Rousdon. The chancel of the old chapel is now the Murch Gallery which houses many items of local interest.
An intimate setting for one of the South's most outstanding ceramics collection of English, continental and oriental pottery, porcelain and tiles from 1250 to the present day.
Clandon Park is one of the country’s most complete examples of a Palladian mansion. Built by a Venetian architect for Lord Onslow in the 1720s, the estate has been passed down through generations of this famous family.
Recent research has proven the benefits of circus skills in Educational Programmes. It has been successfully used as an educational tool, and has been used therapeutically with children at risk. We can visit your school to deliver exciting and innovative circus skills workshops which relate directly to the curriculum.
When you choose WST to plan your school tour you’re choosing to travel with the experts. With over 300 combined years of experience, our 2013/14 brochure is packed with tours linked directly to the subjects, study themes and learning outcomes from the National Curriculum, but more than that, our Tour Consultants have an in-depth knowledge of your subject and your chosen destination.
STUDYTRIPS is one of the largest independent and most respected educational travel companies in the UK.
NST is the UK's leading school tours, school trips and educational travel company for primary schools, secondary schools and colleges.
Since 1967 we've been creating expertly planned school tours - helping groups get more from their time away... Take a Learning Journey.
Curriculum-linked school trips
Lying just a few miles from the centre of Glasgow, this unique villa has been described as Alexander 'Greek' Thomson's finest domestic design. It was built in 1857-8 for James Couper, a local businessman.
Many rooms are richly ornamented in wood, plaster and marble. School groups are welcome. Please contact the Education Officer at Pollok House for details.
FHT Travel Ltd provides a knowledgeable and professional student group travel services, with bespoke visits based on each institute’s subject specialism needs and offering great value for money. Whilst away, a full and varied programme can be arranged, giving students the ideal opportunity to enhance their studies away from the institute.
ABTA and ATOL Bonded
European Study Tours is part of the Education Division of Holidaybreak, the education and activity travel group, alongside PGL and NST. We have 30 years' experience in operating student tours and conferences in Europe and worldwide. We have dedicated teams who deal with Tailor-made tours and Conferences.
Equity are specialists who will work with you to deliver fantastic learning experiences for young people that inspire them in the classroom and everyday life. We have been providing groups with inspiring school trips for over 80 years, which is why we are the best at what we do.
Regional Travel Advisors
Diverse School Travel is a passionate and vibrant business, offering schools & colleges wonderful and exciting educational and cultural tours throughout the UK, Europe, and beyond.
Through our five centres, you can experience high quality arts and outdoor education, which has the potential to raise achievement, whilst broadening patricpants' horizons and enhancing aspects of the National Curriculum. Our experienced and qualified teachers can help you organise a progressive programme of residential or day course activities to meet your desired aims and objectives.
With over 30 years’ experience, Club Europe are industry leaders in group travel for both UK and international students.
Adaptable Travel provides innovative educational tours for thousands of passengers each academic year from schools, colleges and universities. We pride ourselves on offering unique, safe and low-cost school trips and study tours.
Halsbury Travel will work with you to create a tailor made trip that will inspire your pupils and bring your subject to life.
Established in 1986, Halsbury Travel is a friendly, family-run school tour operator. With several former teachers in our midst, we understand from first-hand experience the pressures on teachers when organising school trips.
Set within the magnificent grounds of Glasgow’s Bellahouston Park and inspired by the designs of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, House for an Art Lover combines art gallery and exhibition space, events venue, café, multipurpose artists studios and magnificent visitor attraction into one unique and inspiring venue.
Rainham Hall is a charming and remarkably fine example of a Queen Anne house, built in 1729 by an enterprising merchant and ship’s captain, John Harle.
The Bushcraft Company offer residential school trips with a difference, taking students into the wild and giving them real back-to-nature experiences they will never forget.
A 15-year-old boy fell 60ft over the edge of a cliff whilst on a geography school trip, miraculously only suffering minor injuries.