Art and design education in Scottish schools

Events of recent years have highlighted how teachers and educators have been at the forefront of supporting learners to navigate this world. Issues such as resilience, care and empathy have never been more important, as well as identity and connections to others. Art and design play a key role in exploring and developing our understanding of who we are and the world we live in. The purpose of this piece is to outline the rationale for art and design education, set this against the current policy context in Scotland and then draw on the voices of pupils and teachers in Scotland to illustrate the current situation in Scottish schools.