One of the wonderful elements of Delight’s arts-based learning programmes are their power to connect and bring joy to so many people. Teachers we work with each year frequently say things like “It is one of the best projects I’ve been involved in and I have been teaching for 30 years!”
A senior leader in one of our partner schools recently described her experience watching one of our programmes, marvelling, “I have just walked into a Delight in Dance session in the hall, and honestly, I walked out wanting to cry! The response from the kids on an emotional and creative level was palpable. It was extraordinary.” It is unmistakable that teachers enter the profession to bring joy to children and experience it themselves.
Teachers step into this career hoping to support children to find their voices, grow their creativity and confidence, as well as ensuring they make progress academically. But all too often the endless paperwork, constant policy and curriculum changes and pressure to hit academic targets are the harsh reality. As one Assistant Head Teacher put it, "I miss joy in the classroom. There is so little time dedicated to allowing pupils to be creative."
We know there is a crisis brewing in schools as only 59% of experienced teachers are remaining in schools, and nearly 20% of early career teachers have left the profession after just two years. The South East, in particular, is feeling the pinch - teacher vacancies in Kent, Sussex, and Surrey have doubled in just one year.
What is arts-based learning?
At its core, arts-based learning is a transformative approach that uses creative experiences to transform curriculum delivery. For Delight, this means providing children – especially those affected by disadvantage – with diverse artistic experiences that spark imagination and open new possibilities. Think of it as education with a creative heartbeat: where creating a Heroes vs Villains dance can help children develop literacy skills like sequencing and character development; where visual arts allows children to transform their classroom into the Amazon Rainforest, bringing geography and science to life; and where drama can make Shakespeare accessible to all. It's about breaking down the walls between traditional teaching and using creativity as a powerful learning tool.
Surrey-based teachers who've experienced Delight programmes describe resources that "make the curriculum come alive for the children". Following participation in a Delight programme one teacher noted they can now see "how more creativity could be put into our curriculum".
What’s in it for teachers?
Our programmes aren't just about children experiencing art or performance – they're about rekindling the spark in teaching. Teachers who participate in Delight’s CPD and programme delivery are developing a renewed passion for teaching through creativity.
Over the past ten years, we have worked with 529 teachers and collected data from them across all our programmes. Working with teachers year on year helps us form close relationships based on trust and a shared desire to positively impact the children in their classes. The partnerships we have with our teachers are integral to the success of the programmes; the energy, enthusiasm and dedication they bring increases the impact of the work. By giving teachers the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to deliver creative lessons independently we empower them to expand these skills into their wider teaching practice, thereby helping to embed a genuine arts-based learning culture within schools. Last academic year 88% of participating teachers reported increased confidence in using arts-based learning techniques and 91% said they'll continue using these approaches in their teaching practice after taking part.
A glimmer of hope
Reigniting teachers’ passion for education, through inspirational arts-based learning, may well be the key to making them stay in the classroom. A Year 5 teacher who took part in Delight in Shakespeare reflected, "I really enjoyed working with my class in a different way – it helped me realise how much some children can thrive through drama and it has helped me to use drama more often in my lessons." In another classroom, a Year 2 teacher witnessed pure inspiration during the Delight in Stories programme: "when the children wrote their stories, it was like magic…. you could see a light bulb go on" she said. These moments of pure educational joy are reminding teachers and children alike why learning can be so incredible.
To keep our best teachers, we need to bring back joy, creativity, and imagination to the classroom. Not as a rare treat, but as the main event. As one school leader put it “The Delight programmes remind me what our true purpose in education is.”
To find out more about Delight please visit our website: www.delightcharity.org.uk
REFS:
Education Policy Institute - Six charts that explain the state of the teaching workforce in England, 13th June 2023
Delight –Impact Report 2023-24 (awaiting final publication)
DfE press release - Government launches Curriculum and Assessment Review, 19th July 2024
BBC News – South East teacher shortage is the worst ever, say teachers and unions, 23rd June 2023
Images © Delight
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