Survey: Craft for Recovery in Schools

In July 2020 Crafts Council surveyed teachers and learning professionals to find out how their schools and institutions are planning for a return to the classroom after initial COVID-19 shutdowns and what the possible impacts would be on the delivery of Art, Craft and Design in schools.

Make Your Future Workshop, photo c. Caroline Heron

As part of our response to COVID-19 we sent out a questionnaire to educational professionals to better understand and anticipate issues arising for Art, Craft and Design teachers when schools reopen in September, and where support from the Crafts Council would be most helpful over the coming months.

What follows is a short summary of our findings:

Respondents

In total 89 responses were received between 3rd of July and 27th of July 2020 from a range of different educational professionals including teachers of all key stages, school governors and senior leadership teams, maker educators, and cultural sector educational professionals.

Of these responses:

63% were from classroom teachers
3% were from members of school senior leadership teams
2% were governors
21% were from people that work in higher or further education
the remaining 11 % were made up of respondents working within the cultural sector.

Of our teacher respondents 92% are currently teachers of Art and Design and Design Technology.

Make Your Future workshop, photo c. Caroline Heron

Return to School

Our respondents indicated that the following areas are being prioritised by schools when they reopen:

student wellbeing
catch up on lost learning
supporting students taking examinations in 2021

Staff wellbeing and adapting the curricula for socially distanced learning were also highlighted as important considerations for institutions. Comments from respondents also indicated additional priorities as:

developing digital resources
digital literacy
agile curricula

Respondents identified areas where support could be required when schools reopen. These are:

student and staff wellbeing
adapting curricula for socially distanced learning
helping students catch up on lost learning

Comments from respondents also indicated support could be required in developing a clear strategy that is supported by staff, cross curricular STEM learning and socially distanced craft learning.

Hey Clay Workshop, photo c. Iona Wolff

I'm worried that students won't be able to access materials and equipment and this means they won't be able to explore and create like they normally do.
Survey respondent

Craft in the Recovery Curriculum

The majority of respondents indicated that there will likely be a decreased (37%) or stable (35%) role for craft and the arts in their school. Respondents indicated, however, that practical lessons are likely to be impacted due to social distancing and that the prioritisation of core subjects will impact the delivery of craft and the arts within schools.

81% of respondents indicated that they anticipate that there will be challenges delivering socially distanced practical learning when schools reopen in September.

Our respondents identified the following areas as challenges when schools reopen:

sharing of tools, materials and spaces,
socially distanced practical skills teaching
the prioritisation of core subjects at the expense of other areas of the curriculum.

Several respondents noted practical activity and access to workshops has been curtailed by their senior leadership teams for an initial or extended period.

In a recovery curriculum our respondents said they would like to prioritise:

creativity
relationships
experience of handing and working with materials
critical thinking.

Other areas highlighted in comments included:

mental health
resilience
subject knowledge

Overall our respondents reported 67% confidence with delivering core knowledge within their own subject specialism, with Science, History and English identified as the subject areas in which they are most confident to deliver cross curricular learning.

67% of our respondents indicated that targeted CPD would help them prepare for delivering a recovery curriculum.

Mount St Mary's School workshop C. Caroline Heron

‘Schools in our area really need support to reduce the gap in lost learning as the result of digital poverty’
Survey respondent

Wellbeing in the Recovery Curriculum

We also asked our respondents about their schools or institution’s approach to PSHE:

52% indicated that it is delivered as a stand-alone lessons
40% stated it is delivered during tutor time
the remainder is delivered through assemblies

30% of our respondents indicated that their institution could require help to develop a whole-school approach to wellbeing.

44% indicated that their wellbeing policy will need rethinking when schools reopen in September.

When asked how craft activity could be used to support student wellbeing across schools we received a variety of responses including:

Use of creative starter activities
Using tactile skills to combat anxiety
Using craft to give students a break from academic pressures
Use craft to support focus and concentration through mindfulness and meditation techniques
By highlighting how craft was used for wellbeing during the lockdown. By considering how we can continue this in the future (by learning skills that can be developed independently)
Allowing students to have a blend of opportunity and choice within their learning
Using craft to build self-confidence and reestablish relationships
Outdoor activities for schools able to explore craft in wider spaces

CPD workshop Falmouth University C. Isaiah Cheng

Bridge Organisation Network - National School Survey
In July 2020 the Arts Council's network of Bridge organisations put out a National School Survey to gather indicative information from schools regarding the needs and creative aspirations of their students. It found that the provision for remote learning was variable during the COVID-19 lockdown and that concerns for the provision of KS3 arts education were persistent, although primary schools were more likely to place more emphasis on the arts due to its positive impact on student wellbeing.

The Bridge network also found that during lockdown remote activities that encouraged student-centred approaches were found to be effective, including the use of project based-learning to encourage creative development. Respondents to the survey also mentioned partnerships with cultural organisations and practitioners, and curated creative learning resources were the most useful forms of support from the cultural sector- we were pleased to see our Home School resources mentioned!

Summary and Next Steps

Throughout the survey it was frequently noted that funding for materials, access to space and digital literacy were key concerns for when schools reopen in September.

The prioritisation of core subject knowledge in addition to social distancing rules is likely to impact widely on the delivery of practical craft-based skills. This is particularly concerning given that survey respondents identify the key role that craft and creative activity can play in supporting student’s wellbeing during a return to school that will be challenging for many.

In response, Crafts Council plans to:

Host an online symposium exploring the Future of Craft Education on September 25th 2020—bringing together teachers, academics, policy makers and craftspeople to discuss how best to support schools, teachers and students through craft, including within a recovery curriculum.
Conduct a poll with teachers and practitioners on required resources to help support craft in the classroom.
Continue to provide practical support and resources to help teachers deliver craft within socially-distanced classrooms and workshops
Work with partners to advocate for the importance of craft and creativity as schools return

CPD Workshop Falmouth University. C. Isaiah Cheng

Survey: Craft for Recovery in Schools

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The Future of Craft Education

Will the COVID-19 pandemic lead to a re-think of the school curriculum?