In-Schools Touring

Bringing high quality arts experiences into your school through performances and workshops

Booking for the Primary Arts In-Schools Touring programme 2026/2027 opens 8am on Wednesday 9 September 2026.

Participating schools receive:

  • A performance (or experience) lasting around 1 hour, for all classes in one year group.
  • An in-class workshop lasting 45 minutes to 1 hour, for each class in the same year group, that further explores the artform, themes and curriculum areas linked to the performance.
  • A teacher twilight CPD session lasting 1 to 1.5 hours, held in your school during the month before the performance. This will support preparation, whole-school engagement, and teacher and pupil learning.
  • A range of resources to support communication and learning about the performance, including information for pupils, staff and families, and classroom activities.
  • A box of creative materials worth around £250 to support creative classroom activities.
  • Booklists linked to the programme, curated by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education.
  • A set of books worth around £150 to support reading for pleasure linked to the programme.

10 cultural organisations are working with us to deliver the programme; their offers are outlined on the pages that follow. The activity will take place in Spring Term 2: February/March 2027.

Access & Inclusion

Each offer is suitable for at least one Key Stage and can be adapted to work for pupils with additional needs whether in mainstream or SEND settings. Where needed, we will liaise with your school to ensure that the programme is inclusive for all your participating pupils.

Inclusion adaptations are flagged online and in our brochure. If you need more information about inclusion, please contact us by emailing schools@anewdirection.org.uk

Eligibility

Primary Arts is open to all state primary schools and some special schools in London. It is designed to include children in all primary year groups from Reception to Year 6 in mainstream and special schools, and most offers should also be suitable for older pupils in SEND settings if they are learning using primary curriculum content. Your school must be in a London borough to be eligible for the programme.

If your school or a member of your staff is participating in another area of the Primary Arts programme, you are still eligible to make a booking request for In-Schools Touring.

How to Make a Booking Request

  • How to make an In-Schools Touring Booking Request

    Only one In-Schools Touring booking will be considered per school per year.

    There are places available for 120 schools on In-Schools Touring in 2026/27. We will prioritise schools that have not previously taken part. If your school participated in In-Schools Touring between 2023 and 2026, you might not be allocated a place this year, but we warmly encourage you to still submit a booking request.

    Please read the descriptions carefully on the pages that follow, consider your school's needs and interests, and identify your first and second choice of offer. Please ensure the offer you are interested in is suitable for the year group you would like to take part.

    When you are ready, please log in to the booking platform, select In-Schools Touring, and complete the booking request form. All booking requests must be submitted by 5pm on Friday 2 October 2026.

    The form asks for practical information as well as date availability and should take around 10 to 15 minutes to complete. If you would like support to complete the booking form, please email schools@anewdirection.org.uk and we will be happy to help.

    Once you have submitted the booking request form, we will contact you by Wednesday 14 October 2026 to let you know whether we are able to offer your school a place.

    Please note that while In-Schools Touring is free of charge to schools, we may charge a fee of up to £1,000 for cancellations with less than three weeks' notice (excluding school holidays). For more information about our cancellation policy, please see our cancellations page.

    If you have any questions about In-Schools Touring, please email schools@anewdirection.org.uk using 'Primary Arts: In-Schools Touring' in the subject line.

    Access & Inclusion

    Each offer is suitable for at least one Key Stage and can be adapted to work for pupils with additional needs, whether in mainstream or SEND settings. Where needed, we will liaise with your school to ensure that the programme is inclusive for all your participating pupils. Inclusion adaptations for each offer are flagged on each webpage. If you need more information about inclusion sentence needs an email address for people to contact you.

    Eligibility

    Primary Arts is open to all state primary mainstream and special schools in London. The programme is designed to include children in all primary year groups from Reception to Year 6. Your school must be in a London borough to be eligible for the programme.

    If your school or a member of your school staff is participating in another area of the Primary Arts programme, you are still eligible to make a booking request for this strand of the programme.