The excellence group on the expressive arts turned into a bit of a dating agency: “enthusiastic teacher would like to meet cultural practitioner for friendship, maybe more”. 

From the moment we sat round a table in Knightswood Secondary for our first gathering, it became clear that there could be a meeting of minds on several different levels.   

The enthusiasm quotient was high because all the participants recognised that the expressive arts, invaluable personal building blocks in their own right, were also uniquely placed to help Curriculum for Excellence deliver across the whole subject range under review. 

Like all first dates, there was a bit of tentative getting to know you; the educational providers learning just how deep a pool of good practice was already on offer within the arts community, and the arts practitioners beginning to grasp the logistical problems of fitting the innovative and exciting into the more pedestrian demands of timetables and school structures. 

The embedding of CfE provides the perfect moment for the education authorities to address that latter conundrum. Meanwhile we hoped the many avenues to expressive arts resources listed in our appendices would be invaluable for teachers looking for that special relationship!   

Ruth Wishart 

Journalist Ruth Wishart is Chair of the Expressive Arts Excellence Group and the Education and the Arts, Culture and Creativity Action Plan Project Board.