No-one disputes the fact that all primary school-age children, whatever their circumstance, should have access to a broad range of arts activities. Early engagement with the arts can raise aspirations, increase confidence, improve communication and language skills, and develop critical-thinking and analysis, as well as unlocking creativity.
But the necessary financial resources and teacher training to provide varied and regular arts activities may not exist. Arts activities both in and outside school are also feeling the squeeze in an already crowded curriculum.
So where a school has committed to an arts engagement programme it is important to ensure that the arts organisation and the programme chosen are offering much more than "art for art's sake".
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