We collaborate and partner with other local arts organisations, all focused on developing the teaching of arts within local state schools.

All our partners have been developing programmes individually in the last few years aimed at helping children. Our aim is to work together, supporting each other, sharing knowledge and resources wherever possible. These partners support the work of CATS:

We are also supported by regional and national organisations:

Other organisations like Community Albums will help with delivery in the future.

Sculpture at Kingham Lodge (SaKL)

Over the last ten years SaKL has involved local schools in exhibiting at and visiting this biennial show. 34 schools exhibited at SaKL in May 2025 and 4000 participating children came to see the show, with their own work displayed, before the public opening. All schools and artists report what a difference art makes to children’s self-confidence, enthusiasm, willingness to participate, and general well-being. Read more about Sculpture at Kingham Lodge here.

The Theatre, Chipping Norton

The Theatre offers a ticketed programme (with bursaries for about a third of places). Youth theatre groups meet in weekly during school terms and a Saturday group focuses on drama & musical theatre; and an early years group dedicated to music, song and dance for 16 children plus their carers.

The Theatre also offers school holiday workshops (ticketed but bursaries available) and drama experiences in Key-stage 3 with local secondary schools such as mask, mime, character, combat, and movement. Also, a mental health drama workshop for children in local secondary school (years 7, 9 and 10) using theatre and dance to support anxiety and low mood.  They are also offering anti-bullying workshops using exercises, games and drama scenes focused to each school’s needs.

CATS is coordinating its program with The Theatre to reach the maximum number of schools. Other organisations like The Branch in Chipping Norton and At the Bus in Oxford can offer specialist help in cases of mental health and well-being work and we are in talks with them to partner up in our programme.

Longborough Festival Opera (LFO)

The LFO outreach programme is supporting Arts education in local schools with hundreds of children taking part in workshops, and performances watched by even more of their peers. Each element of LFO’s education work is carefully designed to spark a love of music, raise aspirations, encourage young people to get involved and develop a life-long love of the arts. Read more about LFO’s work here. 

Chipping Norton Music Festival

Offers an annual festival with opportunities for schools and individual children to perform in an adjudicated forum with the award of certificates and trophies. They will use their contacts to help deliver more lessons in schools.

Chipping Camden Music Festival

Offered top quality performances by international artists to a knowledgeable local audience that has grown over the past 20 years. The Festival has recognised the need to promote music in schools and is keen to offer help to reach local primary schools with specialist workshops from visiting musicians, performance opportunities as well as developing a tiered local youth orchestra scheme.

Dean and Chadlington Music Festival

This festival is over one weekend in early summer and focuses around singing performances by professional artists. Some involved are keen to help with school workshops and doing lessons in schools.

Shipston Proms

The Shipston Proms aims to bring the community a varied and exciting programme of music over the fortnight June/July. It involves professionals and plenty of community participation.

The Royal Ballet School (RBS)

RBS have developed their ‘Primary Steps’ programme, where children use screen based learning to develop the positions, moves and discipline of ballet. The teacher in the room does not have to be specifically ballet trained to facilitate the programme and most schools have a hall with a TV to facilitate this. In the Autumn of 2024 we helped 11 schools onto this programme, lasting for a full school year.

We are also in discussions with local dance teachers who are willing to offer other dancing experiences into schools we are connected to with our work.

English Speaking Board (ESB)

EBS has a system with adjudicators offering awards for public speaking graded by year group. These have been used for many years in a local prep school with excellent results. If funding can be made available the partners wish to extend the offering to all state schools.