News and publications

The White Horse Federation, a Multi-Academy Trust of 32 schools, joined forces with Prime Theatre to improve pupils’ literacy through drama and performance poetry. Dr Nicholas Capstick OBE, the Trust’s CEO, and Mark Powell, Prime Theatre’s Artistic Director, share the challenges they faced as they launched their joint TDF programme, the ways they’ve adapted delivery amidst Covid-19 and their plans for the future.

Teacher Development Fund advisory Group member and CEO of A New Direction, Steve Moffitt reflects on the challenges and opportunities for his organisation over the last year.

This is the first of a series of essays looking at aspects of PHF’s strategy through the work we support. In this essay Naima Khan talks with arts leaders who have revisited their core values to help their organisations collaborate and adapt in a challenging period.

We wanted to take this opportunity to say a bit more about our language choices in the description of our different Funds since reopening in October.

This year in response to the challenges posed by Covid-19, the Teacher Development Fund (TDF) will focus on exploring how blended approaches, combining digital and face to face delivery, can enhance teacher continuing professional development in arts-based learning. Johanne Clifton, TDF Advisory Group Member and Head of Curriculum and Virtual Learning for the Elliot Foundation describes her own online-learning journey.

In response to the pandemic, this year our Teacher Development Fund will support projects that take a blended approach to continuing professional development and learning (CPDL) in arts-based learning. Nichola Clarke of Into Film shares the many ways they’ve successfully combined remote and face-to-face delivery to enhance teacher training.

Moira Sinclair reflects on our refreshed strategy, which reflects the innovations we have made in the past five years, and provides greater clarity about the values that underpin our work.

Project Sparks supports musically-gifted, disabled young people to work alongside arts specialist teachers to teach music and dance to Keystage 2 classes in primary schools in Northern Ireland. Eamonn McCarron, who co-founded the programme, explores the strengths of their peer tutoring model.

Mental Snapp is a video diary app for people actively managing their mental health, supported through its early stage of development by the Ideas and Pioneers Fund. Developed in response to founder Hannah Chamberlain’s observations throughout her professional career as a film maker and storyteller, the company was formed in 2015 and recently made the decision to close down. Chamberlain explores the lessons learned from her journey and shares tips for making a good exit.