This study focuses on the current situation regarding children working creatively in schools. With two colleagues, I used a form of action research called Appreciative Inquiry, working in collaboration with teachers. Though it took courage for the teachers to plan and implement activities in which children worked creatively, they valued this work…

There is little research addressing teachers' beliefs and judgements concerning students with identified Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND), a group which is regularly cited as experiencing disadvantages in their schooling compared to peers. This paper draws on research which examined the beliefs and judgements of a set of arts…

The ongoing marketisation of higher education in England can be understood both conceptually -- in terms of its ideological commitment to competition and accountability; and practically -- in terms of the way that it has altered higher education structurally in a variety of ways. Methods of standardisation and quantification offer validation and…

New Zealand has its educational roots in 19th and 20th century British educational systems with close similarities between English and New Zealand secondary school education structures. In the last two decades, however, secondary school education in both countries has experienced multiple and sometimes radical reforms. Educational policy has…

The arts are under threat in English schools. But some schools and teachers work against the trend. To understand how they continue to offer rich arts experiences to students, we bring Bourdieusian thinking to arts teacher practices that were common across the 30 secondary schools we studied for three years. In addition to a flexible approach to…

England and Wales since 2010, this article presents issues faced by teachers of art and design and their responses in practice. The current insistence on transparency in education emerges through policy that audits performativity, in a limiting skills bank. Practitioners in art and design are particularly affected by what I term 'the…

Since 2017 I have examined the impact of shifting professional practices demonstrated by students of an Artist Teacher MA programme at an English university. Students repeatedly discuss the transformative nature of the course, and through an impact case study I have interrogated the conditions which enable profound changes to occur. Emerging…

The artistic practices of ekphrasis and reverse ekphrasis -- integrating poetry and painting in their unique forms -- have been long-standing conventions both in the East and in the West. This article attempts to rationalise the new functions of the age-old concept of reverse ekphrasis (i.e. graphic representation of verbal representation) as…

In 2015 the (UK) National Society for Education in Art and Design (NSEAD) conducted their biggest and most comprehensive survey to date with art and design educators. Some 1,191 teachers and lecturers employed in early years to further education settings across England and Wales responded to the survey, which aimed to capture how government policy…

This case study explores the way that school art in England remains a marginalised subject at secondary level, despite the expansion of art-based career opportunities. A recent government document evaluating art, craft and design education highlights the potential role of head teachers in raising an art department's profile. The current study…

With the continuing development of the Artist Teacher Scheme (ATS) it seems an opportune moment to ask the question: What is it to be an artist teacher in England today? The term "artist teacher" and the concept it reflects are initially viewed here in a historical context. A conceptual model based on previous research into the education…

Private ownership is a significant issue. In England the concept of a school existing for the benefit of the local community looks uncertain in the face of forced transfer to Academy status and partnerships with external private sponsors against the will of parents and teachers. Who profits from for-profit education and what impact does…

This volume contains selected papers submitted to the 18th Annual International Conference of the Bulgarian Comparative Education Society (BCES) held virtually in June 2020. The 18th BCES Conference theme is "Educational Reforms Worldwide." This year's book includes 38 papers written by 73 authors from 19 countries. The volume starts…

Ideas and issues based contemporary art is often seen as something to be avoided in schools, as the controversial subjects that it broaches are often perceived as problematic and inappropriate. However, by censoring education, it can be seen that educators are missing vital opportunities to confront the relevant personal, social, political and…

In this article I report on a study into fine art lecturers' assessment practices in higher education. This study explores the ways that lecturers bring themselves into the act of assessment (Hand & Clewes 2000). I interviewed twelve fine art lecturers who worked across six English universities. Lecturers were asked to relate to me how they…