Connecting Classrooms: Strengthening Art-Based Teaching of History in Birmingham
In 2026, Sampad South Asian Arts and Heritage were delighted to receive funding from Paul Hamlyn Foundation for Connecting Classrooms: Strengthening Art-Based Teaching of History in Birmingham. This two-year teacher development project will explore how dance and drama can transform the teaching of History in eight Birmingham primary schools.
Bringing together the Sampad learning team, teachers and artist-practitioners, the project will explore how creative approaches can enrich the History curriculum and support more equitable learning experiences for children. Combining professional development, hands-on creative practice and time spent working directly with pupils in the classroom, up to three members of staff from each participating school will work alongside Sampad and professional dance and drama artist-practitioners to develop new approaches to teaching History. Alongside the participating teachers, the project will develop Equity Champions, helping to keep questions of equity and inclusion at the centre of the work.
The first year of the programme will include:
- A launch bringing together participating schools, teachers, artists and Sampad
- Eight professional development days combining theory, practical workshops and planning
- Artist-practitioner visits to schools
- A four-week classroom case study in spring 2027
- Reflection and evaluation with teachers and artist-practitioners
- A second four-week case study in summer 2027
- Planning for the programme’s second year
- Whole-school CPD sessions to share learning more widely
The programme will continue into a second year, building on the learning and experience developed by each school.
Evaluation is embedded throughout the programme. Teachers, artist-practitioners and Sampad will continually reflect on the work, sharing learning and adapting their approaches. We will also connect with learning from previous Teacher Development Fund projects, helping to build on what has already been discovered and contribute new learning to the wider field. It is not a programme where all the answers are decided at the start. Instead, teachers, artist-practitioners and Sampad will learn together, test ideas, reflect on what works and adapt the programme as it develops.
