National Portrait Gallery Logo - link to our homepage NPG nav image for Friday
National Portrait Gallery Homepage Search The Collection What's On? About the Gallery
Visitor Information National Portrait Gallery Around the Country Search the Website
Education Research Publications Picture Library Gift & Bookshop Membership Sponsorship Venue Hire Press
You are in National Portrait Gallery | Education | Schools | SEN Schools
Educationregister for our e-newsletter


SEN Schools and Units

Gallery Sessions

The Education Department offers a wide range of sessions for SEN School and Units. Our cross curricular workshops complement many facets of the National Curriculum and the QCA's schemes of work including, Literacy, Citizenship, History and Art & Design.

The sessions are taught by experienced art educators, these practical art sessions explore Pose, Character, Expression, Colour and Symbols in portraiture using painting and sculpture. We welcome the opportunity to tailor-make a session with you.

The sessions take place in front of the Gallery's portraits. All sessions last 1 1/2 hours. We provide all the materials needed for practical activities in the Gallery. The maximum group size is 12 pupils (plus teachers).

Choose from the following areas:

What's in a Portrait?
Using practical art activities, groups will explore the elements of portraiture

3D Objects
Combines discussion of the works on display with practical hands-on activities. Using the collection as inspiration, participants are able to develop ideas and create their own sculptures.

Telling Tales with Pictures
These exciting cross-curricular storytelling workshops enable pupils to find out about key figures in history. These workshops support the following National Curriculum links: Literacy - speaking and listening, citizenship, drama and encouraging creativity.
Choose from one of the following topics:
- Guy Fawkes: Find out why Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament and what happened to the plotters! The session will also include object handling and role play.
- Beatrix Potter: Peter Rabbit, Squirrel Nutkin and Jemima Puddleduck are among the best-loved children's stories. Using role play, find out how and why Beatrix Potter came to write these enduring tales.
- Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole:Two great nurses. One became a great heroine, the other was largely forgotten - until now. Using role play and handling objects, find out more about these remarkable women.


Sir Robert ('Bobby') Charlton
by Peter Edwards,1991

Visual Literacy

One-Day Workshops for SEN Pupils

Led by experienced art educators, these one-day workshops use a variety of teaching aids such as drama, props and practical art activities to explore the elements of portraiture - pose, expression, background, accessories and composition. The session will include making plaster jewellery and a visit to the appropriate Gallery. For pupils to participate in all the activities please plan to stay for the full time. These sessions are taking place in November (Tudors), March (Victorians) and June (Photography)

SEN Photography (PDF file) All the Visual Literacy workshops are now Fully booked
SEN Tudor (PDF file)
SEN Victorians (PDF file)


Contact and Booking Information

Education Programme 2008-09 - Primary (PDF file) | Education Programme 2008-09 - Secondary (PDF file) | Meet the Artist (PDF file)




home | search the collection | what's on? | about the gallery | visitor information | npg around the country | search the website
education | research | publications | picture library | gift & bookshop | membership | sponsorship | venue hire | press

Betsie icon Go to a large print, text-only
version of this site

All images and text are subject to copyright protection. 25 July 2008


Comments and suggestions

National Portrait Gallery, St Martin's Place, London WC2H 0HE. Tel: 020 7306 0055