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Press release: Report paints a mixed picture of opportunity and achievement in art, craft and design in schools

Opportunities to work with an inspiring teacher, a visiting artist or in an art gallery can have an immediate and lasting impact on pupils’ creative aspirations and achievement, according to a report published today by Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills. However, these experiences were rarely available to all pupils, the report, Drawing together: art, craft and design in schools, reveals.

Pupils’ achievement in art, craft and design was good or outstanding in just over half the schools inspected for the report, which also highlights how an increasing emphasis on drawing, painting and writing about artists is thought to be putting boys off taking exams in art and design. Despite slow improvement in boys’ performance, girls were still more likely to choose an art and design course at Key Stage 4 and get higher grades, making up 60 per cent of GCSE entries.

Boys’ good achievement was linked to a broad art, craft and design curriculum, lively stimulating lessons, and feedback given via discussion rather than in writing. Use of digital cameras and computers with graphics packages, activities such as sculpture and topics that enabled them to use their imagination, motivated them.

Christine Gilbert, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, said: 'It is encouraging that art, craft and design remains popular overall but disappointing that fewer boys choose to take exams in art, and even when they do, they continue to achieve considerably less well than girls. We need to ensure schools offer a broad art, craft and design curriculum to engage boys and girls, and teaching that challenges their creativity.'

Pupils’ best work showed they had the confidence to experiment and draw adventurously. They refined their skills and demonstrated creativity both through their expression of ideas and feelings, and in their interpretation of themes and observations.

In the most effective schools, the ethos and environment benefited from strong provision in art, craft and design which drew the local community in. For example, they provided community access to school events such as workshops and talks by visiting artists, and developed gallery spaces that exhibited the work of children and adults together.

Christine Gilbert, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, said: 'The relevance of art, craft and design extends far beyond being an outlet for pupils’ creativity. Inspectors found that pupils who created highly original work and achieved outstanding results tended to be those who can work independently, manage a range of tasks, pace their progress and meet deadlines- all skills highly valued by employers.'

Just over one third of primary and two thirds of secondary lessons were good or outstanding. However, weaker provision was associated with teachers’ lack of subject knowledge and insufficient use of assessment to promote progression or creativity. Many primary teachers told inspectors that their initial teacher training courses were inadequate preparation for teaching the subject, and they lacked regular professional development, to tackle their lack of confidence, particularly in teaching drawing.

The key recommendations from the report are:

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) should:

• promote opportunities for every child and teacher of the subject to have the opportunity to work in an art gallery, or with an artist, craft worker or designer as part of their cultural entitlement.

• further develop the National Archive of Children’s Art, Craft and Design and consider dedicating a national gallery space to the creative achievements of children and young people in England.

Local authorities and headteachers should:

• promote further opportunities for schools to exhibit their work publicly and for talented pupils to meet and work together.

Notes For Editors

1. The report, Drawing together: art, craft and design in schools, can be found on the Ofsted website.

2. The report, Drawing together: art, craft and design in schools, is based on a three-year evaluation of art, craft and design conducted by Her Majesty’s Inspectors and Additional Inspectors between 2005 and 2008 in primary and secondary schools. During the survey, 90 primary and 90 secondary schools were inspected, including two special schools. These randomly selected schools were located in urban and rural areas across England. Inspectors evaluated achievement and standards, teaching and learning, curriculum provision, and leadership and management of art, craft and design education.

3. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects registered childcare and children's social care, including adoption and fostering agencies, residential schools, family centres and homes for children. It also inspects all state maintained schools, non-association independent schools, pupil referral units, further education, initial teacher education, and publicly funded adult skills and employment based training, the Children and Family Courts Advisory Service (Cafcass), and the overall level of services for children in local authority areas.

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