Developing an arts policy
To help create an arts-rich environment, arts co-ordinators and teachers need to develop an arts policy with the headteacher and senior management team as part of the whole school development plan. This arts policy should refer to all of the arts (music, art and design, dance, drama and media arts) and should consider pupils' entitlement to arts experiences and development in a holistic way.
If you would like to read more guidance on this, see:
Writing an arts policy (PDF 59Kb).
An arts policy can:
- help to ensure the commitment of governors, the headteacher and senior management;
- prevent arts provision depending on the enthusiasm of just one or two members of staff;
- provide the lever for staffing and resources for the arts to be embedded in the school improvement plan.
A full audit of the arts is the first step towards writing an arts policy. An audit is a systematic way of finding out about curriculum provision, out-of-hours arts opportunities, and how pupils and staff share and celebrate achievement in the arts.
Carrying out an audit is also a good way to build support for arts provision, as it promotes greater understanding of the arts and why they are important in school and beyond. See:
A guide to auditing the arts in school (PDF 356Kb) published by the RSA and the Arts Council.
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