4.3.5 Arts Education

4.3.5 Arts Education

Arts Education comprises three curriculum subjects: Visual Arts, Music and Drama. The curriculum is designed to enable children to explore and express ideas, feelings and experiences through the visual arts, music and drama. While creativity, innovation and critical thinking skills are important elements of pupils’ learning

across the curriculum, they are intrinsic elements of the Arts curriculum. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has been working to ensure that creativity is reflected in recently developed curriculum frameworks, and being creative is recognised as a key skill in the draft Primary Curriculum Framework.

All recognised schools are eligible to apply to participate in the Creative Ireland project. Participating schools are supported to develop and celebrate their engagement with the arts and to bring about real change in the way they work. They can draw on the range of resources within their school and wider community, and develop new ways of working that reinforce the impact of creativity on pupils’ learning, development and wellbeing.

The quality of teaching and learning was found to be good or very good in Arts Education; there was scope to develop pupils’ creativity further

Findings from curriculum evaluations in Visual Art, Music and Drama during the September 2016 to December 2020 period indicate that the overall quality of teaching and the overall quality of learning was either good or very good. In curriculum evaluations and whole-school evaluations, the quality of pupil engagement and enjoyment was good or very good in 91% of lessons observed. Pupils’ motivation levels were good or very good in 93% of lessons observed. Pupils’ attainment of lesson objectives was good or very good in 86% of lessons, and the use of suitable teaching approaches was good or very good in 84% of lessons. Inspection findings highlighted examples of highly-skilled teaching and the provision of enjoyable and rich learning experiences during arts education lessons.

In Visual Arts, inspection findings noted strengths in the strands of Drawing, and Paint and colour. Inspectors commended teachers’ use of the work of local artists and local art centres to enhance the experience for pupils. Where aspects of the Visual Arts required improvement, common themes included the need for teachers to focus on the development of pupils’ individual creativity, and to make greater use of digital technologies, for example online gallery visits and pupil e-portfolios. Inspectors also highlighted the need to place an additional emphasis on pupils’ ability to use subject-specific terminology independently.

In Music, inspection findings indicated that pupils were generally enabled to sing a range of songs to a high standard. Schools made good provision overall for the Performance strand, enabling pupils to engage in whole-school musical productions and other performances. The expansion of the Music Generation programme has enabled participating schools to avail of the expertise of specialist tutors and access to a broader range of musical instruments. In general, inspectors noted that the pupils had less opportunity to engage in the Composing strand of the curriculum. Despite the restrictions placed on schools during COVID-19, they adapted and managed to deliver a music programme that included a greater focus on listening and responding to music, making music and singing outdoors.

In Drama, inspectors regularly noted strengths in Exploring and making drama, and Co-operating and communicating in making drama. In particular, developing make-believe play into drama and the process of exploring life through the creation of plot, theme, fiction and make-believe were identified as positive aspects of provision. To deepen pupils’ learning, inspectors recommended placing increased emphasis on the strand unit, Reflecting on drama.