Insights into inspirational arts practice in schools: The art of doing at Queen Elizabeth’s High School

Context Queen Elizabeth’s High School is a state funded grammar school with 1200 pupils on roll and 7 per cent pupil premium. The art department has four members of staff, one head of department, who is also head of house and one of two A level teachers. The second A level teacher is assistant head and part-time art teacher. Another part-time art teacher and one art technician complement the department. The headline figures for the 2018-19 A level cohort are, without a doubt, quite remarkable. August 2018 saw our students collect five A*s [45.5%], one A [54.5% A*-A], two Bs, two Cs and one D between them. These results were even more extraordinary given the previous year, which disappointingly produced one A, two Bs, two Ds, two Us and two students who opted to retake. Following the 2017 results, we knew we had to work hard to respond to exam feedback to ensure that the next cohort were given the best learning opportunities possible. Added to that there were a number of furthe