This issue of MAilOUT focuses on arts in educatrion, schools in particular, and the Creative Partnerships scheme in England. Arts have been part of the school day since history began, and artists of different kinds have worked in schools in all sorts of roles whatever the political context, curricular legislation or whatever fashion is parading onthe pedigogical catwalk. However, creative ways of teaching faced a serious and sustained assault for two decades, beginning with the Thatcher conflict with the teachers, and followed by the National Curriculum, league tables and OFSTED. While things started to look up with the 1997 change of government, nothing could be taken for granted, and it took the publication of Sir Ken Robinson's "All our Futures" report to introduce the possibility of radical and long-lasting change in the place of creativity in the school day.

CPD Project; Meeting Of Minds

Creative Links Scotland; child rights discussion

This feature reflects on the impact of the substantial investment in th art and creativity in school which has followed, as Creative Partnerships in England, and in other guises in other parts of the UK. It also looks at the context in which the Creative Partnerships scheme has grown, at what is going on on the schools which aren't part of the scheme.