Good morning, everyone.

My name is Sophie Smith-Tong, and I’m a Reception teacher working with a brilliant class of 4 and 5 year-olds and the founder of mindfulness for learning – the wellbeing centre for educators and families.

I’ve been teaching in inner london primary schools for almost 16 years now, and although I have taught every primary age, the early years is what I absolutely love – because at this stage, learning is still full of wonder, movement, imagination, and curiosity.

But I’m not just speaking today as a teacher – I’m also speaking as someone who knows what it feels like to not quite fit the mould at school. When I was younger, I struggled. I didn’t find my strength in phonics or times tables.

The focus on academic performance often left little room for the things I was actually good at – expression, creativity, and movement. And so I learned early on how easy it is for a child to feel like they’re not enough.

That feeling stays with you… and it’s something I think about often when I’m in the classroom.

Because despite our best intentions, the current education system is making it harder and harder for us, as teachers, to provide those creative experiences that so many children need to thrive.

Workload, time pressures, scripts, tick-boxes, prescriptive schemes – they all chip away at the kind of teaching we want to do. The kind that responds to children, that brings learning to life, that leaves space for wonder and joy.

That’s why I’m so grateful for Artis. Artis now has an online platform that brings creative lessons directly into our classroom – and it does so in a way that’s easy to deliver, curriculum-linked, and absolutely joyful.

We do it every week – and that consistency matters. For us as teachers, it guarantees a dedicated space for creativity in our packed timetable. And for the children, especially those who find change, transition or open-ended spaces overwhelming, it becomes something predictable, familiar, and safe. A part of the week they can look forward to and feel secure in.

In a time where more and more children are struggling with emotional regulation, sensory needs, and communication differences, we are seeing – and feeling – the impact of the SEND crisis in our classrooms.The pressures are rising, but the support isn’t. And yet, week after week, Artis helps me hold space for wellbeing in my classroom. It helps children find their voices, their bodies, their confidence – at a time when they’re often expected to sit still, be quiet, and comply.

And what’s brilliant is that Artis isn’t just ‘creative for creativity’s sake’. Every module is connected to curriculum content, which means we can deliver high-quality, engaging sessions and feel confident that we’re covering key topics and meeting those all-important accountability measures. It bridges the gap between what we have to teach and what we want to offer.

So yes – it’s joyful. Yes – it’s easy to use. But more than that, Artis helps us do what we came into this profession to do: support the whole child. Emotionally, physically, cognitively, socially.

And as a teacher, it reminds me that creativity isn’t extra. It’s essential.

To the team at Artis – thank you. You’ve created something that not only uplifts our children, but re-energises us as educators.

You’ve given us back a little piece of what’s been lost and I hope you know how much that means.

Thank you.