This half-day training session is open to any number of members from your school team at all stages of their careers. The training will take place at Hestercombe House and Gardens with access to the gallery. You are welcome to arrive early to eat in the café or stay after to explore the grounds but please let us know your plans.

Led by SPAEDA associate arts educator, Natasha Rand, this training session will offer art subject teachers the opportunity to develop confident and creative approaches, to successfully lead the art and design curriculum in your school.

This session includes a guided tour of Hestercombe’s current exhibition ‘Decennium’, followed by a hands-on practical session. Participants will respond to the artist’s work, fostering discussion and creative responses.

Activity 1: Understanding your exhibition and how to guide the visit

The aim of this activity is to help staff explore how children can get the most out of a gallery visit. By understanding the show, the concept, the curation, and the aspired learning objectives. Consider the ‘storytelling’ of a show and how to inspire art teaching from what your students see.

Using this activity, we’ll consider the Content, Process, Form and Mood of the art works showcased in the exhibition, and how this can inform the ‘learning’ from a visit.

 Activity 2: Critical Studies Pages in a Sketchbook

The aim of this activity is to model approaches for using and applying the knowledge gained from a gallery visit and/or studying an artist. This is intended to inspire and enhance the creativity and skills of students in their own artwork.

Participants will engage in annotation responses, biographical references, and creative replication of artwork, while also considering layout and composition for sketchbook purposes.

“Great interactive experience and supportive training. Thank you!”

“The training met the needs of my school very well and covered lots of the concerns and problems I had”

“The practical session was fun and inspiring!”

Learning aims:

• Equip participants with skills for preparing for gallery visits or art trips.
• Create effective classroom resources tailored for gallery visits.
• Foster a deeper understanding of the importance of artists studies.
• Enrich vocabulary and explore the written element of a critical study.
• Encourage innovative and expressive responses to art history.

For more information visit: https://www.spaeda.org.uk/event-details/enhancing-classroom-dialogue or email jenna@spaeda.org.uk

Somerset Partnership Arts Education Agency (SPAEDA) is a registered charity (No 1083241).