Oak Breakfast Brush Up | Session 2

Session 2 | How to adapt the Oak Art and Design Curriculum for your setting

For this session Emily is joined by Aletia Aston-Swords. Aletia will share more about her role on the project and discuss the practical ways in which the lessons can be adapted across different primary and secondary settings.

Format:
Introduction to the breakfast brush up session and guests | Emily Gopaul (5 mins)
In conversation | Emily Gopaul & Aletia Aston-Swords (25 mins)
Q&A | Emily Gopaul & Aletia Aston-Swords (5mins)

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Register now

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About the Oak Breakfast Brush Up Sessions

Join Emily Gopaul and members of the NSEAD creator team for a series of focused conversations exploring key questions and themes within the art and design curriculum.

Each 30-minute session offers insights into the thinking behind the resources, along with practical guidance on how to use them effectively in your teaching.

Oak Breakfast Brush Up | Session 1

Session 1 | Setting the tone: how principles and partnerships shaped the curriculum

For this session Emily is joined by Michele Gregson, General Secretary and CEO of NSEAD. Michele and Emily will discuss our shared commitment to access, inclusion, and teacher support, the assembly of a diverse, expert team, and how frameworks like Big Landscape, Visualise and the National Curriculum shaped a rigorous and inclusive curriculum.

Discover the story behind the partnership and the practical insights it offers for teaching art and design today.

Format:
Introduction to the breakfast brush up sessions | Emily Gopaul (5 mins)
In conversation | Emily Gopaul & Michele Gregson (25 mins)
Q&A | Emily Gopaul & Michele Gregson (5 mins)

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Register now

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About the Oak Breakfast Brush Up Sessions

Join Emily Gopaul and members of the NSEAD creator team for a series of focused conversations exploring key questions and themes within the art and design curriculum.

Each 30-minute session offers insights into the thinking behind the resources, along with practical guidance on how to use them effectively in your teaching.

SEAD Autumn Event

Join the NSEAD London & South-East Art & Design (SEAD) Network Group for their Autumn event, which will focus on the subject, 'Critique - the purpose & process of critical review'.

Using DON’T KILL THE ART SCHOOL (the documentary film about the Slade School of Fine Art) as context, participants will be encouraged to explore approaches to critique and critical review. This event aims to develop critical practice and the management of approaches and the pedagogy of critique.

There is no cost for attending. Please email Ged Gast gedgast@nsead.org to secure a place. There are limited spaces for this event - places will be allocated in order of receipt.

Please note this is a Sunday event, to give members who have been unable to attend on Saturdays an additional option. The SEAD organisers will take soundings about the alternative day: they aim to listen, and be flexible and responsive to your thoughts.

ECT Action Learning Community Drop-in Session (July 2026)

Part of the Mind the Art Gap ECT Ecosystem Programme.

Action Learning Community Drop-in Sessions are monthly collaborative problem-solving groups, led by Ollie Briggs, that members of the programme can join on a flexible basis.

The MTAG Ecosystem is a CPLD programme designed to support Early Career Teachers in Secondary & FE art and design by establishing a relational, self-organising learning ecosystem rooted in participatory action research and co-created knowledge.

Enrolment includes:
- Mind the Art Gap (Secondary) course
- ECT action learning community drop-in sessions
- Membership of the NSEAD online ECT network
- Full access to the Big Landscape art and design better practice hub
- Full access to the ECT resource library
- Free attendance at the NSEAD National Conference and cultural partner events

ECT Action Learning Community Drop-in Session (June 2026)

Part of the Mind the Art Gap ECT Ecosystem Programme.

Action Learning Community Drop-in Sessions are monthly collaborative problem-solving groups, led by Ollie Briggs, that members of the programme can join on a flexible basis.

The MTAG Ecosystem is a CPLD programme designed to support Early Career Teachers in Secondary & FE art and design by establishing a relational, self-organising learning ecosystem rooted in participatory action research and co-created knowledge.

Enrolment includes:
- Mind the Art Gap (Secondary) course
- ECT action learning community drop-in sessions
- Membership of the NSEAD online ECT network
- Full access to the Big Landscape art and design better practice hub
- Full access to the ECT resource library
- Free attendance at the NSEAD National Conference and cultural partner events

ECT Action Learning Community Drop-in Session (May 2026)

Part of the Mind the Art Gap ECT Ecosystem Programme.

Action Learning Community Drop-in Sessions are monthly collaborative problem-solving groups, led by Ollie Briggs, that members of the programme can join on a flexible basis.

The MTAG Ecosystem is a CPLD programme designed to support Early Career Teachers in Secondary & FE art and design by establishing a relational, self-organising learning ecosystem rooted in participatory action research and co-created knowledge.

Enrolment includes:
- Mind the Art Gap (Secondary) course
- ECT action learning community drop-in sessions
- Membership of the NSEAD online ECT network
- Full access to the Big Landscape art and design better practice hub
- Full access to the ECT resource library
- Free attendance at the NSEAD National Conference and cultural partner events

ECT Action Learning Community Drop-in Session (April 2026)

Part of the Mind the Art Gap ECT Ecosystem Programme.

Action Learning Community Drop-in Sessions are monthly collaborative problem-solving groups, led by Ollie Briggs, that members of the programme can join on a flexible basis.

The MTAG Ecosystem is a CPLD programme designed to support Early Career Teachers in Secondary & FE art and design by establishing a relational, self-organising learning ecosystem rooted in participatory action research and co-created knowledge.

Enrolment includes:
- Mind the Art Gap (Secondary) course
- ECT action learning community drop-in sessions
- Membership of the NSEAD online ECT network
- Full access to the Big Landscape art and design better practice hub
- Full access to the ECT resource library
- Free attendance at the NSEAD National Conference and cultural partner events

ECT Action Learning Community Drop-in Session (February 2026)

Part of the Mind the Art Gap ECT Ecosystem Programme.

Action Learning Community Drop-in Sessions are monthly collaborative problem-solving groups, led by Ollie Briggs, that members of the programme can join on a flexible basis.

The MTAG Ecosystem is a CPLD programme designed to support Early Career Teachers in Secondary & FE art and design by establishing a relational, self-organising learning ecosystem rooted in participatory action research and co-created knowledge.

Enrolment includes:
- Mind the Art Gap (Secondary) course
- ECT action learning community drop-in sessions
- Membership of the NSEAD online ECT network
- Full access to the Big Landscape art and design better practice hub
- Full access to the ECT resource library
- Free attendance at the NSEAD National Conference and cultural partner events

ECT Action Learning Community Drop-in Session (January 2026)

Part of the Mind the Art Gap ECT Ecosystem Programme.

Action Learning Community Drop-in Sessions are monthly collaborative problem-solving groups, led by Ollie Briggs, that members of the programme can join on a flexible basis.

The MTAG Ecosystem is a CPLD programme designed to support Early Career Teachers in Secondary & FE art and design by establishing a relational, self-organising learning ecosystem rooted in participatory action research and co-created knowledge.

Enrolment includes:
- Mind the Art Gap (Secondary) course
- ECT action learning community drop-in sessions
- Membership of the NSEAD online ECT network
- Full access to the Big Landscape art and design better practice hub
- Full access to the ECT resource library
- Free attendance at the NSEAD National Conference and cultural partner events

NSEAD Awards 2026

The NSEAD Awards will take place on Saturday 20 June 2026.

Nominations open 3 November 2025 and more details will be announced soon. To receive updates directly to your inbox, subscribe to the NSEAD Awards 2026 newsletter.