Creativity in the Classroom – Art CPD for Schools: Progression Series:
Developing Sketchbook Practice in the Primary Classroom
Workshop details
Date: Friday 14th November
Time: 9.30am-3.30pm
Venue: Wolverhampton School of Art
Cost: £95 (Refreshments provided on welcome, please bring your own lunch)
Student Discount: We are delighted to offer a 50% discount on all of our CPD workshops for students in Initial Teacher Education, or those studying full-time teaching degrees either at an undergraduate or postgraduate level and registered at a university or institution in the UK. In order to claim this discount students must have valid student ID and we’ll ask for this when we confirm your booking.
Who is it for? Primary teachers, primary Art Leads
Book: Places on this workshop are limited and we anticipate a strong demand for tickets, so please do secure your space early to avoid disappointment.
Paying by invoice: if you would prefer to pay by invoice then please contact us directly by emailing Felicity Martin.
The programme
The programme
The Creativity in the Classroom – Art CPD for Schools programme is designed for teachers of all stages of experience and expertise and offers a range of practical CPD workshops led by leading art educators.
Each CPD workshop will build your art teaching skills, extend your repertoire of art techniques and grow your subject knowledge to apply and use in the classroom.
Progression Series
The workshops in the Progression Series are designed for primary school teachers and primary Art Leads who have a secure grounding in the teaching of visual art and who want to develop their skills and knowledge to broaden and enhance their art curriculum. The series supports teachers to fulfil the requirements of the national curriculum and responds to the findings of the Ofsted 2023 art and design subject review.
What will this workshop involve?
This session will build your skills and confidence in expanding the impact of sketchbooks for learning with KS1 and KS2 pupils and provide you with ideas and activities that can be easily adapted for your pupils and curriculum needs.
Through the workshop you will build your understanding of sketchbook practice, with reference to the many ways that artists use them and explore how they can be an effective tool to record learning and support progression in art. You will be introduced to a variety of sketchbook making processes and try out different visual recording techniques that will support pupils to create unique and purposeful sketchbooks.
The workshop will be led by Becky Thompson, Arts Connect’s Education Producer, visual artist and qualified art teacher with 15 years of experience of working in schools.
What will I learn on the day?
On the day you will:
- Build your knowledge of sketchbook practice and how to use them with your pupils.
- Grow your understanding of what effective sketchbooks look like.
- Learn how to make different types of sketchbooks from easily accessible materials.
- Explore a variety of visual note taking techniques suitable for sketchbooks including drawing, printing and collage.
- Discuss learning strategies and the sequencing of art activities and how they can be adapted for pupils’ needs.
- Consider how sketchbook practice can be embedded in different curriculum areas.
About Becky
Becky Thompson is a qualified art teacher with 15 years of experience of working in schools as a subject specialist and art lead. As Education Producer for Arts Connect, Becky designs and delivers professional development and learning programmes with teachers and art educators. Through her role she supports primary and secondary teachers to build their art skills and knowledge, enhance their art curriculum and grow cultural opportunities for children and young people.
Becky is also a practicing visual artist who specialises in developing and leading art and craft workshops with young people and community groups. She has recently led on an art-based youth voice programme with The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and is part of an artist collaborative residency working across the Dudley borough as part of the Dudley Creates cultural strategy. Becky is a Trustee of the New Art Gallery Walsall.
All workshops in the programme
- Essentials Series: Teaching Painting in the Primary Classroom. Friday 12th December 2025
- Essentials Series: Teaching Drawing in the Primary Classroom. Friday 23rd January 2026
- Essentials Series: Teaching Sculpture in the Primary Classroom. Friday 6th March 2026
- Progression Series: Developing Sketchbook Practice in the Primary Classroom. Friday 14th November 2025
- Progression Series: Textiles in the Primary Classroom. Friday 6th February, 2026
- Progression Series: Developing an Ambitious Art Curriculum. Friday 12th June 2026
- Guest Artist Series: Build your Cardboard Sculpting Skills for Primary Teachers- Creating free standing sculptures with Darrell Wakelam. Friday 27th February 2026
Accessibility
For the accessibility guide for the Wolverhampton School of Art, please go here.
To complete our Access Survey and let us know about your requirements please go here.
For questions or further information around accessibility, please contact Felicity Martin, Communications and Marketing Manager .
Get in touch
Please contact Arts Connect for further information about this workshop or the Creativity in the Classroom, Art CPD for Schools programme.