How To Find Out If Art, Craft And Design Is Still Important

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1 NSEAD Art, Craft and Design Educator Survey Report 2014 Introduction I am pleased to present the combined findings of the NSEAD Art, Craft and Design Heads of Department and Educator surveys. This is the fourth in our current tranche of surveys since 2010, plotting the impact of current government policy on art, craft and design education. I would like to thank all of our members, supporters and colleagues for the time they have given to bring this critical information into the public domain. From the findings we have been able to draw five main conclusions, all of which reflect the negative impact of policy changes on our subject and on our community. These are: Performance measures continue to erode provision at key stage 3 and 4; fewer specialist teachers are being trained and there is a paucity of subject specific professional development; learning opportunities for pupils both in school and within the cultural sector have diminished; and the subject lacks value, especially in the state school sector. The conclusions of this survey are as unsurprising as they are unwelcome and provide a critical benchmark within the continuum of our work on behalf of our community and in our advocacy for and defence of art, craft and design education. The National Society for Education in Art and Design will rigorously debate and seek to challenge the implications of the survey as a key part of its strategic direction in support of the teachers and educators for whom it serves. Lesley Butterworth General Secretary NSEAD 1

2 NSEAD Art, Craft and Design Educator Survey Report In May 2014 a total of 172 NSEAD members and supporters participated in two indicative surveys: Heads of Department (HOD) Survey and Art, Craft and Design Educator Survey. Both surveys aimed to canvas the experiences of art, craft and design educators, specifically considering the position and value of the subject in schools in the last three years ( ). Qualtrics Research Suite and Survey Monkey were used for the HOD and Educator surveys respectively. The HOD survey focused on departmental changes to include the impact of performance measures on the art, craft and design curriculum. The Educators Survey collected evidence on the value and visibility of art, craft and design in schools and colleges; curriculum time allocated for the subject across sectors; option choices; specification offers; and learning in and with galleries or practitioners. Respondents also provided feedback on access to professional development, subject- based challenges and areas for future debate. The key findings of both surveys have been presented together in this Art, Craft and Design Educator Survey Report Key Conclusions Performance measures that exclude or marginalise art, craft and design are impacting on key stage 3-4 provision, pupil choice, gallery and museum visits, specialist staff, professional development and the perceived value of the subject in state schools. Fewer specialist art, craft and design teachers are being trained. Non- specialist staff are teaching art, craft and design lessons and significant numbers of specialists in post rarely or never receive professional development. Opportunities for pupils to work with creative practitioners or to engage with original works of art, craft and design in galleries and museums have been reduced. Art, craft and design teachers report their subject is not always highly valued by senior staff and governors in maintained schools. Again, this is a picture not reflected in the independent sector. Learning opportunities for pupils in art, craft and design at key stages 3 and 4 in many state schools have reduced significantly. This is not the case in independent schools, where curriculum entitlement and choice has been sustained. 2

3 Survey findings 1. Performance measures and their impact on the organisation of the art, craft and design curriculum English Baccalaureate (EBacc): 52% of all heads of departments (HODs) agree/strongly agree that the EBacc has played an important role in the organisation of the art, craft and design curriculum in their school. Discount Codes: 47% of all HODs agree/strongly agree that Discount Codes have played an important role in the organisation of the art, craft and design curriculum in their school. Progress 8: 44% of HODs agree/strongly agree that Progress 8 has played an important role in the organisation of the art, craft and design curriculum in their school. Respondent s comments The EBacc: Reduction of student choice; Higher ability students are discouraged from practical subjects; It has totally influenced options and taken choices away; Our numbers have decreased, affecting pathways and choice; Students are deterred from taking more than one arts subject; Pupils of higher academic ability (sets 1-2) are unable to take art as an option at key stage 4 Discount Codes: Students are only allowed to take one GCSE in art, textiles or graphics; We used to do early entry GCSE & AS, no more. Progress 8: The double weighting of maths and English has meant that the school has taken lessons away from all option subjects to add to maths and English; The curriculum has been changed to start key stage 4 in year 9 which means that most students experience of arts education ends at the completion of year 8; and Students who are not capable of achieving double science do art GCSE by default. 3

4 i) Has the time allocated for the study of art, craft and design at key stage 3 changed over the last three years? Over a third (35%) of all teachers disagree/strongly disagree that the time allocated for art, craft and design over the last three years has remained constant. Comments indicate that creative and performing arts carousel systems and options starting in year 9 have negatively impacted on the time allocated to the subject: Key stage 3 allocation will be halved from next year as we will be on a carousel system, so each class will only study one art project per year for approx 10 weeks instead of two hours per fortnight and three projects per year; and Pupils now opt in year 9. Only two years at KS3. ii) Has the time allocated for the study of art, craft and design at key stage 4 changed over the last three years? A notable proportion (35%) of teachers in state schools at key stage 4 disagree/strongly disagree that the time allocated for the study of art, craft and design has remained constant. Only 8% of teachers in independent schools disagree/strongly disagree that time allocated has remained constant. Changes include reduced weekly allocations: three hours a week reduced to one hour 50 mins a week; GCSE courses taught as twilights; additional classes that are not encouraged due to the prioritisation of other subjects: We are unable to offer after school sessions as these are booked for academic subjects. iii) Have pupils in schools seen a reduction in option blocks at key stage 4 over the last 3 years? Nearly half (46%) of respondents agree/strongly agree that pupils in their schools have seen a reduction in option blocks at key stage 4 over the last three years. Respondents report a reduction in choice where art and design is listed in one column as opposed to three option blocks [three years ago], or four columns and now two. A teacher reported that option pathways have become, more restrictive and prescriptive. Far fewer teachers in independent schools (21%) agree/strongly agree that there has been a reduction in option blocks. iv) Can pupils in schools choose from more than one specification; e.g. textiles and graphics? Only half (51%) of teachers in all schools say their pupils can choose from more than one specification. Timetabling, contraction of departments, redundancies and the Best 8 performance measure were cited as reasons for limiting choice of specifications. v) Are pupils encouraged in schools to take art- based options (at any key stage)? Only 27% of teachers agree/strongly agree that pupils are encouraged to take art- based options at any key stage. Some teachers indicate that lower ability students are advised to take art and design but there is a different picture for higher ability pupils. They said: Particularly higher achieving students have their options restricted to maximise the uptake of EBacc subjects; The lower ability students are encouraged to take art and design. vi) Do schools support the principle that every examination group should engage with original artworks first hand either in a gallery or museum &/or through meeting practitioners? Only half of all teachers (50%) agree/strongly agree that their school supports the principle that exam groups should engage with original artworks. In the independent sector, 86% of respondents report that their school supports this principle. 2. Art, craft and design departmental changes: size, expertise and funding Has the size of art, craft and design departments remained constant over the last three years? 32% of HODs disagree/strongly disagree that the size of their department has remained constant over the last three years. In those schools where a reduction is reported teachers comment that this has impacted on available expertise: We have lost one textile teacher that has not been replaced. And, lost a member of staff now replaced by bits of other staff who are not specialists. 4

5 Has the expertise available within departments remained constant in the last three years? 35% of HODs disagree/strongly disagree that expertise available within their department has stayed the same. The changes reported include loss of specialist staff; teachers leaving the profession early; teachers teaching other subjects and a reduction in opportunities to train: We lost a teacher who was not replaced and we have non- art teachers teaching the subject; Non- specialist teachers are having a negative impact; Shrinking budgets means less money to go on courses or pay for visiting artists. Has the funding for art, craft and design departments remained constant in the last three years? 54% disagree/strongly disagree that departmental funding has remained constant in the last three years. HODs report significant budget reductions (between - 30 and - 50%). Budget cuts have impacted on curriculum breadth and pupils being charged for materials: We now have to charge students for some materials as our budget will not cover them, plus we no longer deliver lessons that require expensive materials, for example, textiles at KS3. 3. The value, visibility and championing of art, craft and design in a professional settings Value: 32% of respondents in all schools agree/strongly agree that art, craft and design is highly valued by senior managers and/or governors. 57% agree/strongly agree that art, craft and design is valued by senior managers and/or governors in their school. A disparity in the value given to art, craft and design compared to other subjects is illustrated by a teacher s comment: Staff are paid extra to provide revision classes for core subjects in holiday periods whereas I voluntarily provided exam prep, holiday periods and weekends. A member of SLT suggested that I should also be paid but this was refused by the head. And: More able students are discouraged from taking art- based subjects even if they show a particular interest or talent for the subject. Students are 'put' into the art groups because it is deemed 'easy enough' for them. The profile and visibility of the subject in schools and colleges: 65% of all teachers agree/strongly agree that art, craft and design is highly visible in their schools. In independent schools, 86% of teachers agree/strongly agree that art, craft and design is highly visible. Championing of the subject in schools, colleges and in the wider community: In contrast to the subject s visibility, only 34% of all respondents agree/strongly agree that art, craft and design is championed in their school or wider community. 5

6 4. Access to continuing professional development in art, craft and design Over a quarter (29%) of all respondents, all of who are NSEAD members and supporters report they rarely or never attend CPD events. 23% of respondents in all schools agree/strongly agree that they access subject specific CPD in school. More than half of all teachers (52.5%) disagree/strongly disagree they access subject specific CPD. 72% of educators self- fund subject- specific CPD in their own time and outside of school arrangements. 5. Subject- based challenges experienced in the last three years Respondents subject- based challenges include: School accountability measures that result in fewer art lessons and fewer options: Loss of timetable provision but with the same expectations of progress. Teachers and parental perceptions of the subject: Keeping the subject visible within school and promoting its value to parents. The main issue is parents seeing it as lower down the pecking order due to news reports and mixed messages given by the government. Staffing and redundancies. Teachers report they are teaching other subjects to fill their timetables and non- specialist staff are teaching art, craft and design. Also identified is the reduced pool of teachers that are highlighted during art, craft and design teacher recruitment campaigns. 6. Areas of future investigation and debate for the APPG for art, craft and design education Reduction in learning opportunities in art, craft and design in the last three years: In the wake of schools reducing allocated time to arts in the last three years, [KS3 (35%); and KS4 (32%)], has the government considered the impact for students on their experience, knowledge and understanding of the arts and access career pathways in the creative industries? Performance Measures: The EBacc as a measure of performance in league tables is the biggest factor in the marginalisation of the arts taking place in so many schools. How can the breadth of experience and learning be addressed whilst the EBacc signposts non- arts inclusive learning paths? Discount Codes: Why are art/textiles etc considered the 'same' when, for instance, languages aren't? Do you not need the same skill set to learn French as German?; Recent changes in Discount Codes have resulted in a reduction curriculum breadth at key stage 4. Fifty- one per cent of respondents said only one specification was offered at their centre: How can we increase breadth and range of learning opportunity whilst disincentives to offer a range of art and design specifications exist? Soft subjects: Why does the government refer to arts subjects as soft subjects and how can we achieve a better understanding of the transferrable skills gained through art and design? Continuing professional development and moving art and design into the twenty- first century: How do we keep up to date without training and expensive technologies? Careers advice in the creative industries: Why are the creative industries not promoted by careers advisers in schools? Regional differences: To investigate ways that schools in deprived rural coastal areas can have extra funding provided to enable their students to access and experience the arts first hand. 6

7 Summary of findings Curriculum time allocated for the study of art, craft and design at key stage 3: 35% disagree/strongly disagree that time allocated for art, craft and design has remained constant in the last three years. Comments indicate that creative and performing arts carousel systems and GCSEs starting in year 9 have negatively impacted on time allocated for art, craft and design. Curriculum time allocated for the study of art, craft and design at key stage 4: 32% per cent of teachers in state schools disagree/strongly disagree that curriculum time has remained constant in the last three years. The impact was less in independent schools where only 8% disagree/strongly disagree that the curriculum has remained constant. Changes include reduced weekly time allocations (e.g. three hours a week reduced to one hour 50 mins a week). Performance measures: 44-52% of respondents report that performance measures play an important role and significantly impact on GCSE pathways. Performance measures particularly impact on option choices for higher and lower ability students: Pupils of higher academic ability (sets 1-2) are unable to take art as an option at key stage 4. Key stage 4 option choices: 46% of teachers in state schools strongly agree/agree that pupils in their schools have seen a reduction in option blocks at key stage 4 over the last three years. Fewer teachers in independent schools (21%) agree/strongly agree that there has been a reduction in option blocks. Art, craft and design specifications: 51% of all schools offer more than one specification. Respondents report option choice and pathways are reduced as art, craft and design specifications are often pitted against each other. Support to engage with original artworks and practitioners at examination level: 50% agree/strongly agree that their school supports the principle that examination groups should engage with original artworks, first- hand either in a gallery or museum and/or through meeting creative practitioners. The level of support for this principle is higher in the independent sector with 86% of respondents reporting that their school support this principle. Department size: 36% of all HODs agree that in the last three years their department has stayed the same size. Where a reduction of teaching staff is reported, this has impacted on access to specialist- trained staff in schools. Subject value: 32% in all schools agree/strongly agree that art, craft and design is highly valued by managers and/or governors: Staff are paid extra to provide revision classes for core subjects in holiday period whereas I voluntarily provided exam prep in holidays and weekends. A higher percentage of respondents (57%) in the independent sector agree/strongly agree that the subject is valued in their schools. Value, visibility and the championing of art, craft and design education: 32% of schools agree/strongly agree that the subject is valued by senior managers and managers. By contrast 65% agree/strongly agree that art, craft and design is highly visible in their schools. In independent schools the subject is both more valued (57% agree/strongly agree) and visible (86% agree/strongly agree). Only a third (34%) of all schools say that the subject is championed in their school or wider community. Advice and encouragement to take art- based options (at any key stage): 27% of all teachers agree that pupils in their schools are encouraged to take art- based options at any key stage. Teachers report that without advice or encouragement GCSE uptakes are decreasing: We did have 66 key stage 4 students in three groups projected [for ] 15. Continuing professional development in art, craft and design: 28.6% report they rarely or never attend art, craft and design professional development. Significantly, 72% of all respondents self- fund subject- specific CPD in their own time and outside of school arrangements. Subject- based challenges in the last three years: Commonly reported challenges were school accountability measures that have resulted in fewer art lessons and fewer options; the loss of curriculum time but with the same expectations of progress; changes in teachers and parental perceptions of the subject; and staffing issues such as redundancies, loss of expertise and an associated reduced pool of teachers. National Society for Education in Art and Design, 2 July