Include opportunities for reflection on the experiential learning (reflection in action) through structured sessions or additional facilitation for participants to make links between professional creative practice and how that practice could be applied in day to day work in settings.
Allow time for an effective negotiation of approaches and understanding between artists and practitioners.
There is a need to focus on growing local art talent – perhaps through establishing local hubs to effectively support this kind of creative work in early years settings in the future: travel costs for artists can be prohibitive for sessional work.
Find ways for the wider involvement of staff in settings through establishing aims of the partnership with whole staff team at the outset (including establishing what the perceived barriers to creativity are) and through whole staff training sessions at some point during project.
Make the most of opportunities for parent and community involvement – EYFS key principles require settings to work with parents – the main ingredients from the project for developing positive relationships can be applied to developing relationships with parents.
Promote ideas for the use of simple /cheap materials and communicate this to parents to support creative activities at home (e.g. booklets developed as part of artist/practitioner collaboration).
Identify where creative skills develop maths and science as well, and communicate this to parents too – as a way of stimulating interest in basic skills learning, or to widen people’s perception of the value of creative practice.
Link projects to local creative and cultural sector opportunities and resources.