Art and design education in Scottish Primary Schools: a teacher’s perspective

Art education research in the United Kingdom predominantly represents England; with different education systems in place in the different nations, this is problematic. Additionally the ever-changing UK political landscape highlights the differences between the four nations further; for example the issue of independence is to the fore and young people aged 16 and over have the right to vote in Scottish Parliament elections and referendums. We therefore have a responsibility to support children and young people as they explore these issues in addition to their own sense of identity and place in the world. Art and design education can play a key role here. In Scotland however the value and identity of the subject is currently difficult to determine, due to the limited research specifically concerning art education in Scottish schools. This paper will begin to address this by focusing on the findings from a survey of Scottish primary teachers undertaken in May 2022, ascertaining their thoughts about current art and design education in Scottish primary schools and setting this against the wider Scottish research context. It will also identify future research and practice needs in this area.