An exploration of primary school teachers’ understanding of art and the place of art in the primary school curriculum

Some research within developmental psychology shows a slow period of development in children’s expressive drawings during the primary school years (Davis, 1997; Ives 1984; Jolley, Fenn and Jones, 2004). Developmental researchers suggest that ‘educational factors’ could contribute to this dip in development but have not explored these factors. This study explores links between educational policy – in terms of the English National Curriculum - and the development of expression in child art. A Foucauldian style analysis of interviews is presented which investigates how ten primary school teachers working in two Staffordshire schools approach art. A specific concern is to explore how different understandings of art and teaching practices are shaped and managed by the curriculum. This allows links between the demands of the curriculum and the observed dip in expressive drawing development to be investigated