This week: March with us against racism, participate in high-quality CPD, look after your wellbeing and access brilliant free resources.
YOUR FORTNIGHTLY NSEAD UPDATE
Safeguarding political impartiality?
This week the UK Government published new guidance to ‘support’ teachers in tackling sensitive issues in the classroom in a politically impartial way. Read it here.
Some may be puzzled at being urged to promote ‘freedom of speech and protection from violence and criminal activity’, by a Government that has authored a police and crime bill that imposes the greatest curbs on civil liberties in the UK’s recent history. And older members may be bemused at the instruction to avoid expressing homophobic views by a political party that gave us the horrors of Section 28 in the 1980s (which was still in force when I started teaching in the 1990s), but this is at least a reflection of positive change. Other aspects are not so progressive.
This guidance purports to provide extra support to safeguard political impartiality in schools. However, we have to ask ourselves: What constitutes an extreme view, biased resource, ‘individual with contested legacy’ or an undesirable external agency?
And, who makes these judgements? Which artists would be on the list of undesirables promoting extreme political views? Hogarth? William Morris? Katie Patterson?
NSEAD raised the alarm when the DFE published their Relationship, Health and Sex Education (RHSE) Curriculum Guidance in September 2020. We warned then that this would be a blueprint for future policy, and our prediction was correct.
Be assured! This guidance is neither impartial nor supportive of any educator who believes that the purpose of education is to better understand ourselves through multiple perspectives and viewpoints.
Michele Gregson
General Secretary
The APPG four-nation Art Education Survey was launched just over a week ago. The survey is for art, craft and design educators working in schools and colleges from early years to further education.
It will provide evidence of the impact that government policies have had on art, craft and design education – before, during and after the pandemic.
The survey aims to assess changes to art and design provision; the value given to our subject; teacher wellbeing and changes to Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
It should only take 5-10 minutes to complete the survey, but the evidence collected will help advocate for the value and importance of our subject.
CPD to close the gender divide in Art and Design
Where Have All The Boys Gone (WHATBG)? Online CPD
Date and time: Wed 2 Mar and Thurs 24 Mar 17.00 – 19.15
Closing the gender gap in our subject requires inclusive learning models at all key stages to make art, craft and design education more meaningful, relevant and engaging for ALL learners.
We are delighted that Susan Coles will be running the 'inspiring' 'amazing' 'helpful' and 'relevant' Where Have All The Boys Gone course over two twilight sessions in March. Don't miss the opportunity to book a place as this course will certainly sell out. the first session is next week!
Cost: Members £75 / non-members £125
Free specialist CPD programme for ECT members
The Mind the Art Gap programme is a free and exclusive tailored series of subject-specific events and training to support your professional development as an Art Educator.
Next online session: 16 March, 6-7.30pm - Assessment, Curriculum and the Big Landscape
Karen Clifford and Kimberley Appleyard- Pallot will lead the second of two sessions exploring the essential and desirable theoretical and practical knowledge needed for the secondary art and design curriculum, including: the selection of artists, designers and makers for contextualising the planned curriculum; development of the artistic elements as a part of the practical skills; knowledge and understanding to be gained in each key stage and used to organise the schemes within the planned curriculum.
Further sessions:
May - Behavioural Management session
June - Professional Behaviours session
July - The Virtual Staff room
Future meeting dates for 2022:
Tuesday 8 March: 5pm – 6.30pm
Tuesday 22 March: 5pm – 6.30pm
Tuesday 26 April: 5pm – 6.30pm
Tuesday 17 May: 5pm – 6.30pm
Tuesday 7 June: 5pm – 6.30pm
Reviewing approaches to learning, teaching and assessment in art education can reveal ableist assumptions that create barriers for disabled children and young people and devalue the creative capacities of the subject.
The Special Interest Group for Advancing Anti-ableist Pedagogy (AaP) will explore the relationship between disability and art education at curricular level in order to advance anti-ableist pedagogy.
If you would like to find out more about AaP or are interested in joining it, please contact Dr Claire Penketh.
Yesterday evening, we hosted a great conversation in our Primary Art Facebook Group about using sketchbooks in Primary schools. Susan Ogier answered some common questions; demonstrated how to create a portable sketchbook for school trips; talked about when, why and how to give feedback and provided some inspiring tips for making and using sketchbooks. If you didn't catch it live, don't fear, you can watch the recording!
SOLD OUT! Leading Primary Art and Design with Susan Ogier
The course will be run again on 11 June, look out for details in our next newsletter.
This course is designed for primary subject leaders who are looking to develop this curriculum area in their schools. It will offer strategies to develop confidence, enthusiasm and key knowledge in art, craft and design, as well as an understanding of how to plan for progression across the primary years.
Have you seen the 16 new Oak KS3 Art and Design lessons and accompanying curriculum map?
These comprehensive resources include the work of Sir David Adjaye OBE, Chakaia Booker, Chila Kumari Burman, Dame Zaha Hadid DBE and Sir Anish Kapoor CBE. The themes include explorations of identity, natural forms and empowerment.
Our thanks to NSEAD President Elect Marlene Wylie and the NSEAD members who helped to create these useful and FREE resources.
You can explore the new lessons, covering 11 British and global contemporary artists and download the curriculum map in the Teacher Hub here.
When: 11-20 March
British Science Week 2022 is just a few weeks away, and you can check out all the wonderful activity packs here. The theme this year is 'Growth' and includes buildings, eco-friendly behaviours, animals and even how we can grow plants on Mars!
NSEAD has provided ideas for a pattern printing activity for early years, but there are free downloadable packs for all age ranges (up to 18 years old) on the website here.
Summary: This new report brings together reflections from more than 4,300 school staff about their working lives, from worries around workload to the resilience of relationships with colleagues and students. With 80% of staff feeling that they don't receive enough support, or would like more support, from leaders and line management, this report highlights how the unwavering commitment to providing education in the pandemic has taken a heavy toll on the wellbeing of educators in schools.
If you need some support, don't forget that NSEAD members can access a whole range of wellbeing tools and resources, including BACP accredited counsellors via a 24 hour helpline, through the NSEAD Member Assistance Programme (MAP). This service is completely free of charge to our members.
When: 19 March, Congregate under the NSEAD banner at 12pm
Where: Starting from Portland Place (BBC Broadcasting House), W1A 1AA
Join NSEAD as we march in London in a national demonstration against racism, organised by Stand Up to Racism and supported the TUC.
March with us in solidarity under the NSEAD banner and let's make a clear statement that NSEAD is actively anti-racist. Bring your family and friends, everyone is welcome!
CEP Saturday 2022 - Inspiring Creative Education
When: 5 March, 09.45-16.00
Where: Online, Zoom
Join the Stoke Educational Partnership on Zoom to explore creative careers and how to practice what you preach as an artist/educator, network with like-minded professionals and be inspired by talks. Ticket prices are by donation.
When: Sat 26 Feb 2022 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM GMT Where: Online, Zoom
This webinar is organised and presented by Susan Coles (UK), Mira Kallio Tavin (Finland) and Gabriella Pataky (Hungary) who are the three European World Council members for InSEA (The International Society for Education through Art). In this celebration and showcase, early career artists and educators from European countries talk about their own creative work and answer the questions:
What does art mean to you?
Why is it important to study art?
How has it led to where/what you are now?
This will be a visually rich, informative, and informal session, with opportunities for discussion and for questions. Listening to young artist/educators, Jamie, Tobi, Eszter, Azadeh, Rasmus, and Zsuzsanna (from Germany, Hungary, U.K, Sweden, Finland and Sweden) in a post pandemic world will be important.
Tomorrow belongs to them.
The series will take place at 5pm across two weeks in March, on the 7th, 8th, 9th, and the 14th, 15th and 16th. These sessions will include:
- In-depth discussions about creativity and the arts between arts organisations and the schools they have partnered with
- Practical workshops around the theme of digital creativity
- Talks from renowned artists about their work in galleries, for and with local communities
- All sessions offer an informal Q&A to enable you, the audience, to engage and connect with our expert guest speakers.
All welcome. All sessions are free of charge.
British Art Show 9
When: Until 10 April
Where: Aberdeen, Wolverhampton Manchester and Plymouth
British Art Show 9 (BAS9) is a recurrent exhibition of contemporary art produced in the UK. Taking place every five years it brings the work of artists defining new directions in contemporary art. Over 40 artists have been selected by independent curators Irene Aristizábal and Hammad Nasar.
The exhibition includes film, photography, painting, sculpture, and performance, as well as multimedia projects that don’t sit easily in any one category.
Entry to the exhibition is free. Large groups should contact the BAS9 team working in the Wolverhampton School of Art on 07811 522657
Images by Rikin Parekh for #SophiesPostcard
#SophiesPostcard is a secret auction consisting of original postcard-sized artworks, made and donated by professional artists, designers and illustrators, plus up-and-coming artists from St Richard’s Catholic College and the general public.
The fundraiser was set up in memory of Sophie Maria Taylor, a former pupil of St Richard’s Catholic College, and has raised over £46,000 for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity since 2018.
The call for artists opens on 1 Mar 2022, with the deadline for artwork to arrive by 10 June 2022. The auction goes live on eBay on 30 June and ends on 9 Jul 2022.
Competition: Design the badge for LGBT+ History Month 2023
Schools OUT UK, the organising charity behind LGBT+ History Month, are looking for young people aged 5 to 18+ to design the 2023 annual badge, which is sold right across the UK.
The theme for 2023 is ‘Art – Behind the Lens’, which aims to reclaim the work and lives of the forgotten or invisibilised LGBT+ people behind cinema and TV cameras – directors, screen writers, designers, technicians, costume, and make-up artists. They are not looking at actors/performers.
Full details on the competition can be found on the LGBT+ History Month website here.
CBBC is once again searching for the UK’s Best Young Artist and you might know them! They are casting young creatives aged between 10 and 14, from across the UK, so if you know a young artist, why not encourage them to apply?
Applications close at midnight on Sunday 13 March 2022.
Relaunch of Art education group in the North West
The Art Education North West (AENW) group is relaunching with a Cumbrian focus.
With the support of Lakeland Arts the group welcomes all practitioners who work in arts education. The group aims to connect, collaborate and build confidence amongst like-minded professionals.
If you are interested in joining, contact the organiser.
NSEAD's fortnightly Art Education Advocacy quote
This fortnight's advocacy quote comes Matthew Sanders, Director of Magic Lantern, an educational charity that uses works of art to help children observe and explore the world around them.
You can read Matthew's article 'Vanity Unfair: The real value of Art History' for AD magazine (Issue 32) here and check out the Magic Lantern website here.
Vacancies
Futureworks Manchester / University of Central Lancashire
Futureworks Manchester working in partnership with the University of Central Lancashire is seeking to appoint an External Examiner for the BA (Hons) Visual Effects. More details here.
The University of Salford
The University of Salford in Greater Manchester is looking for various External Examiners to cover several interesting programmes. More details here.
Cornwall College
Cornwall College are urgently seeking an experienced External Examiner for the FdA/BA (Hons) Art and Design Practice programme.
St Mary's Calne - Artist in Residence
Artist in Residence required from September 2022 Mondays only, 7.5 hours per day, one day per week (term-time only). The role is fixed term for one year, with the possibility to extend to two years if beneficial for both parties). Find out more.
Only two days left to apply: Arts Education Exchange are looking for voluntary trustees.
With plans to open 'The Margate Exchange’ (an innovative school offering young people a true alternative to mainstream education), Arts Education Exchange is seeking to expand and diversify its board of trustees. Deadline for applications is 25 Feb.
And finally...
Another reminder!
If you haven't already completed The APPG Art Educator Survey, why not start it now – it will take only 5-10 mins! Click here to visit the survey and please complete it as soon as possible.
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