The Arts in Primary Education by Ghislaine Kenyon

If you are a teacher who has been dismayed by the weakening of the arts within the National Curriculum in recent years, or equally by the financial cuts to the arts in general, this book is most surely for you. It will reawaken that part of you that knows how important it is that we continue to instil a love and appreciation of the arts in the children we teach. It will reinvigorate your own passion for the arts within education and may even ignite new interest for you in teaching the National Curriculum as it stands. Kenyon reminds you what you already know, but in such a way that you feel as if you are learning it afresh.

The book is packed with fine examples of the arts being used to enliven the curriculum across the board, and there are plenty of suggestions for ways to integrate the work that are budget friendly. While Kenyon gives plenty of examples of schools and teachers who are delivering incredible arts work, she is careful to ensure that she also offers lots of tips for those who may not feel they have the time or resources to revolutionise completely the way their school or classroom is run.

Small changes, she demonstrates, can make a huge difference to how creatively the curriculum is delivered, and to making the arts accessible to every child. If you are a teacher who is fighting for funding for arts projects within your school, this book will be invaluable. It provides you with lots of evidence to make a strong case for arts subjects across the board.

Although I stand by my assertion that those who read this book are probably already on board with the ideas within it, I would further observe that in enhancing our understanding, it potentially creates arts ambassadors who will change the way other people think.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough.