Patrice Baldwin

NEAS/PB/JCR

29 November 2001

Dear Headteacher,

The Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts and Norfolk Education Advisory Service have had an offer from Crayola to support schools in Norfolk by sponsoring a Royal Society of Arts Audit, for a limited number of schools. An RSA arts audit provides a systematic way of considering specific aspects of your school’s arts curriculum with a view to planning developments and improvements. It forms a useful first stage in applying for an 'Artsmark' about which there has been information recently circulated.

Schools who have already conducted an arts audit have listed many benefits. The process can provide:

A clearer view of the place of the arts in school and of their potential value across the whole curriculum
A higher profile for, and a wider celebration of, the arts both within and beyond the school
Better collaboration between arts teachers and increased dialogue with staff in other subject areas
More effective professional development by setting new goals and areas of responsibility for teachers and other staff
New relationships between teachers, governors and parents, and new partnerships with artists and arts organisations.

Schools are being offered one whole day's audit training free, which should be attended by the headteacher and/or the arts co-ordinator and preferably also by a school governor. The audit will take approximately 6 weeks, after which there will be a feedback meeting. Training will take place on Tuesday 15^th January 1 – 5 pm at the Sainsbury Centre and reporting back on Thursday 7^th March 4.30 – 6.30 pm at the Professional Development Centre. For further information and bookings please contact Sophie Dawson (SCVA Education & Events Assistant) on 01603 591033 or by email sophie.dawson@uea.ac.uk or SCVA Education & Events Assistant, FREEPOST, SCVA, UEA, Norwich NR4 7BR.

Yours sincerely

Veronica Sekules, Patrice Baldwin

Head of Education, SCVA Adviser (Promotion of the Arts in Schools)