News and Blog – Southampton Cultural Education Partnership

Apply for Expo 2026: Showcase Your Creative Offer to Teachers & Schools

Opportunity for SCEP Members (Arts & Culture Orgs & Freelancers)

The Southampton Cultural Education Partnership (SCEP) and the Southampton Education Forum (SEF) are delighted to present our 2026 Expo:

Culture Connects: Inspiring Belonging, Creativity & Attendance Harnessing the power of arts and partnerships to keep every child engaged in learning

TWILIGHT SESSION
Thursday 23 April 2026, 4.00–6.00 pm
Hosted by Redbridge Community School, Cuckmere Lane, Southampton SO16 9RJ

This event will combine short CPD sessions with a marketplace of arts and cultural providers, helping teachers connect with partners who can offer support.

Sign-up for a Stall at the Expo

BOOKING FORM – SIGN-UP HERE Deadline Friday 27 March 2026

The Expo explores how arts and culture inspire belonging, creativity and attendance, supporting every child to stay engaged in learning.

Your stand should highlight opportunities you can offeer that enhance pupil engagement in learning—such as banners, displays, resource samples, interactive activities, or creative giveaways.

We will produce an exhibitor listing that includes your contact details and a concise 50‑word elevator pitch explaining how your offer supports student engagement through belonging, creativity and attendance.**

BOOKING FORM – SIGN-UP HERE Deadline Friday 27 March 2026

**Elevator Pitch Prompt (50 words):** Describe clearly and concisely how your organisation inspires belonging, creativity, and attendance in schools. Focus on the specific ways your arts or cultural offer supports pupil engagement and enhances learning. What makes your offer impactful, accessible, and valuable for teachers?

If you have any questions please email scep@soton.ac.uk

Exploring Creative Careers with Oasis Academy Lords Hill Students

On 10 December, Lucy Marder, SCEP Lead joined Oasis Academy Lord’s Hill for its first Careers Fair in years, alongside colleges, universities, and apprenticeship providers from across the city. Year 9–11 students explored future opportunities, and over 50 young people visited the SCEP stand to learn about creative career paths, share their own ambitions, watch video highlights from SCEP’s 2025 Collective Cultural Work Experience Week and pick up information about some of the fantastic cultural offers from SCEP member organisations.

The image below shows just some of their responses to the question: what will you create in your career?

Student responses to the question: what will you create in your career. Responses include: Houses, artwork, beauty, films, and devices that make people happy.

December Social and CPD with Kyriaki ‘Kiki’ Messiou

December’s SCEP member CPD focused on empowering the voice of primary pupils, an area often overlooked in youth voice work, which tends to centre on Key Stage 3 and above and brought participants from theatre, museums, visual arts and NHS backgrounds. Professor Kyriaki (Kiki) Messiou presented on student voice as a driver for inclusion, emphasising that inclusion is an ongoing process focused on removing contextual barriers rather than labelling students. She shared research and practical strategies, including creative methods like drawings, photo voice, and student researchers, to uncover silent voices and foster participation. Examples from EU-funded projects illustrated how empowering students as researchers improved engagement, confidence and teacher practice. Kiki highlighted the challenge for cultural educators who meet students briefly, urging them to create meaningful, inclusive experiences that may shape lifelong connections with culture.

The discussion explored sustaining project impact, asking deeper questions about pedagogy, balancing choice and structure, and managing power dynamics. Participants reflected on practical strategies – such as offering options, gamifying feedback, and upstream consultation – while acknowledging challenges of limited time, unfamiliar environments, and silent learners.

The key takeaway: connect with every child to inspire future engagement.

Watch the full presentation below.

Our Response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review

Following the recent Curriculum and Assessment review, the SCEP Chair, Kath Page, has shared her thoughts on the proposed changes.

“The recent Curriculum and Assessment Review marks a significant shift for arts education in England. By outlining the intention to remove barriers such as the EBacc, introducing a national entitlement to cultural experiences, and renewing curriculum content to be inclusive and future-focused, the review places creativity at the heart of learning. It promises equal status for arts subjects, investment in teacher development, and accountability measures that value a broad and balanced curriculum. These changes affirm the vital role of the arts in fostering confidence, creativity, and cultural understanding, creating new opportunities for partnerships to ensure every child benefits from high-quality arts education. The arts are not optional extras—they are essential for fostering imagination, confidence, and cultural understanding. Now is the time for schools, communities, and cultural partners to seize this opportunity and ensure every child experiences the transformative power of the arts.”

Kath Page, SCEP Chair

Southampton Cultural Education Partnership appoints Lucy Marder as new SCEP Lead

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Lucy Marder as our new SCEP Lead. Since 2017, Lucy has played an integral role supporting the development of the Southampton Cultural Education Partnership (SCEP) through her development role at Artswork. Lucy has also worked with many cultural organisations in the City and across the Hampshire region. She brings with her expertise in consultancy, coaching, and business development as well as a passion for cultural education.

Kath Page, SCEP Chair says, “I’m delighted to be working with Lucy. She will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge about CEPs to her new role with us and I’m looking forward to what the future holds!”

Lucy Marder says, “I’m excited to have this opportunity to nurture opportunities for creative education for all the young people in Southampton, my home city. I’ve worked with SCEP in the past, it’s a particularly imaginative and proactive partnership with amazing organisations and individuals around the table. I look forward to helping SCEP harness creativity to enrich children’s and young people’s lives.”

Lucy joins us at a pivotal time in the cultural education sector. With notable government consultations underway around Devolution and Young People, there are likely to be new challenges and opportunities for our sector.

As Lucy takes the reins from our current SCEP Lead Sam Cairns, who steps down in July, we look forward to working with Lucy to support the SCEP, and its members, to realise strategic aims and embrace the opportunities that come with change.