Researching the Arts in Primary Schools

This major report details the findings of the RAPS (Researching the Arts in Primary Schools) project. This three-year project on arts-rich schools sought to discover the characteristics of arts-rich schools. It found that:

Arts-rich primary schools are highly diverse. There
is no one way to be arts-rich. However, there are
patterns across the schools that can inform other
schools and the school system more generally.

Arts-rich schools offer art and music to all children
every week and every year. They also offer other
expressive arts subjects. Arts-rich schools offer a
wide range of extra-curricular arts activities and
special events; these are complementary to the
regular arts programme

The expressive arts are integral to the schools’
identities and their philosophies. They all see
the expressive arts as integral to a broad and
balanced curriculum.

Commitment to the expressive arts does not
come at the expense of other subject learning. The
majority of the arts-rich schools we studied did
at least as well as, if not better, than equivalent
schools and schools in their local authority.
Children’s success across the full range of subjects
was recognised in their inspection ratings.

Key to the schools’ arts-richness was the
commitment of senior leaders, and the appointment
of specialist staff with expertise. Specialist staff
taught an arts subject, planned the arts curriculum
and supported classroom teachers.

Arts-rich schools go against the grain of research
evidence that most primary classroom teachers
do not feel confident teaching expressive arts
subjects: generalist classroom teachers in artsrich
schools felt confident in teaching a range of
expressive arts subjects.

Arts-rich schools are notable for the depth and
density of their arts leadership. Children and
governors contribute to this depth and density by
working with arts specialists.

Arts-rich schools have strong, ongoing relationships
and partnerships with artists and cultural
organisations. These add to the specialist expertise
within the school and enhance children’s learning.