Vision and philosophy Allow the space for all learners to be creative. Make the offer fully inclusive. Link to positive health and well-being outcomes. Ensure that Expressive Arts skills are recognised as transferable and that they have a direct link to careers and lifelong learning. Professor Dai Smith’s report into arts and education in Wales, An independent report for the Welsh Government into Arts in Education in the Schools of Wales (2013), highlighted the imperative of an arts-rich education for all learners and the importance of creativity in the curriculum. All learners should have the opportunity to access learning and experience in all of the five Expressive Arts disciplines. Research evidences that this area of learning and experience assists with positive health and well-being outcomes. This area also fosters transferable and wider skills – creativity and critical thinking skills which aid learners’ capacity to question, make connections, innovate, problem solve, communicate, collaborate, and reflect critically. These are higher-order skills, in demand by employers and essential for learners to be active twenty-first century citizens – a crucial link to the thriving creative and cultural industries sector in Wales and to lifelong learning.

The rationale for change An arts-rich education is core to the whole-school experience of a learner. All learners need to have access to rich contexts in which they have time to explore, to respond and to create. Learners need access to all Expressive Arts disciplines. Again Prof Dai Smith’s report into arts in education in the schools of Wales confirms that the arts are very important to a learner’s experience at school and how access to the arts as part of the curriculum can influence learner engagement and attainment. Learners need to be given the space to explore, to respond and to create in the Expressive Arts to nurture their own creativity. This helps them to develop as enterprising, creative contributors ready to play a full part in life and work (one of the four purposes of the curriculum). For example, as they experience failure they nurture resilience while creating in the Expressive Arts. It is important that learners have access to all five disciplines of dance, drama, film and digital media, music, and the visual arts within this area of learning and experience.

How is it different? It encompasses dance, drama, film and digital media, music, and visual arts linked by a common creative process and transferable skills. Learning is linked through the creative process enabling a deeper understanding of individual disciplines to be developed. Progression is not linear. A focus on rich, authentic contexts for learning runs from ages 3 to 16. Learner voice is encouraged. Collaboration across the area of learning and experience and across other areas of learning and experience. Flexibility – variety of delivery models. Five disciplines – dance and digital media that are new to this area. All linked by a common creative process and transferable skills. Putting the area of learning and experience into practice – there is no linear pathway through the Expressive Arts. By linking their learning, through the creative process or a theme, learners will deepen understanding across the area of learning and experience. Rich, authentic contexts enhanced by planning and working across areas of learning and experience. The curriculum framework outlined for the Expressive Arts supports and encourages a combination of the following modes of delivery in school.  Interdisciplinary approach – interdisciplinary learning is a planned approach to the delivery of the Expressive Arts which uses the creative process, theme or context to link the different disciplines that comprise the area of learning and experience, namely dance, drama, film and digital media, music, and visual arts. Through linking the creative process across the disciplines, learners connect their experiences, knowledge and skills to develop a deeper level of discipline-specific knowledge and understanding. Integrated approach/'Integrated'  – an integrated Expressive Arts curriculum is one which is distinguished by the teaching of a combination of dance, drama, film and digital media, music, and the visual arts in one lesson and not in isolation. The blending of a combination of the disciplines encourages learners to make connections and unify concepts, which allows them to engage in relevant, meaningful activities that can be connected to rich, authentic contexts. All the disciplines can be taught within one lesson by one teacher with a linking theme allowing learners to transfer skills and collaborate in authentic contexts. This mirrors the world of work in the creative and cultural industries.  Open-ended approach – as well as the above approaches and as part of a balanced area of learning and experience, learners should be given opportunities to explore, respond and create in one or more disciplines of their choice. This open-ended approach allows learners to showcase an area of expertise or develop skills in a discipline they feel they need to develop. Learning is effective when it evolves from a rich, concrete experience. Learners are guided through the skills and techniques, but then shape their own learning journey within the Expressive Arts.  In all delivery models there should be opportunities for independent learning, enabling learners to become self-directed and to have more autonomy and control over their learning.

What Matters in Expressive Arts Exploration through and of the Expressive Arts deepens our artistic knowledge and contributes to our understanding of identities, cultures and societies. Responding and reflecting, both as artist and audience, is a fundamental part of learning about and through the Expressive Arts. Creative work combines knowledge and skills using the senses, inspiration and imagination. Exploring the model – what matters statements in Expressive Arts are made up of three interlocking strands that represent the creative process, which is common to all disciplines in Expressive Arts. What are the five disciplines and how do they inter-relate? – dance, drama, film and digital media, music, and visual arts, with each having their distinct experiences, knowledge and skills but also sharing common creative process and transferable skills.

How did we get here? Approach A focus on research, evidence and expert input. Review and discussion leading to agreement on moving away from individual disciplines to the broader Expressive Arts Area of Learning and Experience. Consideration of best practice and professional dialogue within the pioneer group. Acting upon feedback from pioneer group schools, stakeholders, other areas of learning and experience, etc. Approach  At the start of the development process, there was considerable discussion amongst the pioneer group around the individuality of disciplines and how best to achieve an interdisciplinary approach to the area of learning and experience. The pioneer group understood that each discipline was different and had its own skill set. However, after research, review of expert evidence and discussion, the group agreed that all disciplines shared a common creative process and transferable skills – this is how what matters statements in the Expressive Arts developed.

Evidence and expert input Research: OECD reports on arts and creativity, Arts in Education in Wales (Prof Dai Smith), Progression in Creativity (Spencer, Lucas, Claxton). Evidence: Creative Learning through the Arts programme (Arts Council of Wales in partnership with the Welsh Government); Estyn best practice reports; Foundation Phase pedagogy; Creative Learning – Paul Collard; Sir Ken Robinson on creativity in education. Consideration of other curricula – Australia, British Columbia, Ireland, Quebec, New Zealand, Scotland, Ontario. Evidence and feedback Research based: OECD reports on arts and creativity, An independent report for the Welsh Government into Arts in Education in the Schools of Wales by Professor Dai Smith (2013), Progression in Creativity (Spencer, Lucas, Claxton). Evidence from: Creative Learning through the Arts Programme run by Arts Council of Wales in partnership with the Welsh Government – this programme includes Lead Creative School projects, Go and See grants for schools to access external arts experiences and regional arts and education networks who run Arts Champions programmes and professional development opportunities for teachers. Access via the Creative Learning zone on Hwb at hwb.gov.wales/creativity Evidence from Estyn thematic reports into the arts: Best practice in the creative arts at key stage 2, Best practice in the creative arts at Key Stages 3 and 4 (on Creative Learning Zone on Hwb). Sir Ken Robinson positive evidence on creativity in education – own website and TED talks (sirkenrobinson.com). Building upon existing good practice and pedagogy of Foundation Phase. Progression – expert input from CAMAU team from Glasgow University and University of Wales Trinity St David (Learning about Progression report). Best practice and professional dialogue within the group – very good representation from all disciplines, phases, school settings.

Evidence and expert input Expert input and feedback: Arts Council Wales; Estyn; Qualifications Wales; Dance – Geraldine Hurl; Drama – Emma Thayer, Cardiff Metropolitan University School of Education; Film – Into Film Wales; Digital Media – Dr Jenny Kidd, Cardiff University School of Journalism; Martin Thomas, Coleg Cambria; Music – Professor Chris Collins, Bangor University; Visual Arts – Gwenllian Beynon, University of Wales Trinity St David. Progression: CAMAU team. Best practice and professional dialogue within pioneer group. Acting upon feedback from pioneer group schools, stakeholders, other areas of learning and experience. Evidence and feedback Research based: OECD reports on arts and creativity, An independent report for the Welsh Government into Arts in Education in the Schools of Wales by Professor Dai Smith (2013), Progression in Creativity (Spencer, Lucas, Claxton). Evidence from: Creative Learning through the Arts Programme run by Arts Council of Wales in partnership with the Welsh Government – this programme includes Lead Creative School projects, Go and See grants for schools to access external arts experiences and regional arts and education networks who run Arts Champions programmes and professional development opportunities for teachers. Access via the Creative Learning zone on Hwb at hwb.gov.wales/creativity Evidence from Estyn thematic reports into the arts: Best practice in the creative arts at key stage 2, Best practice in the creative arts at Key Stages 3 and 4 (on Creative Learning Zone on Hwb). Sir Ken Robinson positive evidence on creativity in education – own website and TED talks (sirkenrobinson.com). Building upon existing good practice and pedagogy of Foundation Phase. Progression – expert input from CAMAU team from Glasgow University and University of Wales Trinity St David (Learning about Progression report). Best practice and professional dialogue within the group – very good representation from all disciplines, phases, school settings.

Considerations for schools How will your leaders, practitioners and networks be able to prepare for the next phase of co-construction and provide meaningful feedback? What, if any, are the resourcing implications (national and local)? How could you approach whole-school and/or inter-departmental approaches to both: – knowing about the new curriculum? – understanding how to do the new curriculum?