News and publications

Professor Teresa Cremin, Co-Director, Literacy and Social Justice Centre at The Open University and Chair of the TDF Advisory Group, shares her cautious optimism for the re-valuing of the arts within the ​‘refreshed’ curriculum and encourages all those involved in the Teacher Development Fund programme, both past and present, to add their voices to the ongoing review.

Sarah Eastaff, Director (Arts and Education) for darts, Doncaster’s leading creative health and learning charity, shares the learning from their Teacher Development Fund programme which partners with eight schools from the Rose Learning Trust in and around Doncaster. Along with year one observations, Sarah considers some of the challenges and discusses their intentions for year two, as they aim to embed the practice across their schools.

Alice Littlehailes, project lead for Teaching for Creativity, provides an insight into their school-led programme involving a community of small, semi-rural settings in the High Peak area of Derbyshire, with support from the Teacher Development Fund. Head teachers play a central role within this TDF project which aims to make whole-school, sustainable change. Alice describes the challenges and opportunities of working in this context.

Building upon a well-established partnership between primary schools in Derby and Derby Theatre, Speaking Out is enabling teachers to extend their drama skills to support children’s oracy, both socially and academically, with support from the Teacher Development Fund. Anna West, Director of Learning for Performing and Creative Arts for the Saint Ralph Sherwin Trust, shares their learning journey.

Artists from the Colour Foundry are working with SEND specialist and mainstream schools in and around Huddersfield to support teachers in learning through traditional and digital arts. Now in its second year, Katrina Whale, programme lead from Castle Hill School in Huddersfield, reveals some of the complexities and the joys of working across multiple art forms and settings, as part of their Teacher Development Fund project. 

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Bernard Dallé, Marcus Davey and Martha MacKenzie to our board of trustees.

It is estimated that there are roughly 800,000 young carers in the UK. These incredible children and young people provide substantial unpaid care for relatives who have disabilities, long-term physical illnesses, mental health difficulties and/​or drug or alcohol issues. 

To celebrate 30 years of supporting artists at critical points in their careers, our Awards for Artists, given annually to five visual artists and five composers, will increase from £60,000 to £75,000. 

The 55 grants described here have been awarded between April and June 2024 and total over £12.22 million.