The Teacher Artist Partnership Programme (TAPP) is a professional development model for artists and teachers working in partnership.
The full TAPP programme ran for two years and was the first of its kind, meeting a need that enabled professional artists and teachers to come together creating innovative learning programmes.
CapeUK’s role was to share learning from the programme nationally. Other partners were involved in developing, designing and delivering the professional learning and linking the programme with practice in the London boroughs.
Evaluation of the programme which included a survey of all participants indicated that it has been inspirational, rekindling imagination and helping them to develop skills usable in the classroom.
Teachers that were engaged in the programme found that working with an artist skilled within their profession provided confidence and security. It enabled them to feel comfortable enough to take the risk of breaking conventions to the usual routines of classroom teaching “the programme had a transformative effect, enabling me to apply creative thinking in the learning experience.” Siobhan O’Shea, TAPP graduate.
TAPP has made an exceptional impact on the graduates and the model has been adopted widely, now being used beyond the original sector and adopted into the health and social care settings. The programme has been adapted to meet the needs of other practitioners for many inspirational projects and it has also travelled widely, informing a large number of programmes across the UK and abroad.
Resource Pack
The resource pack produced is now used by a range of organisations such as the Universities of Exeter, Sussex, West of Scotland and Manchester Metropolitan.
Networks of practitioners have also adopted TAPP such as Eastfeast and other inspiring projects in the East of England (which work with schools to develop increased understanding of sustainability) and Creative Partnerships, England’s flagship national programme about creativity and learning.
CapeUK have also been invited to join a panel of national experts in CPD for creativity, redeveloping a programme for international audiences.
TAPP participants are regularly invited to share their experience at conferences and have presented at a number such as:
• Palatine (from practice as research to practice for learning) in Winchester
• Bath Spa University
• King’s College
• CapeUK National Conference 2009
TAPP was sponsored by;
