This paper reports on a small-scale research project that aimed to examine the impact of assessment changes to a second-year course called Tuhura Nga Toi Ahuatanga: Exploring the Role of the Expressive Arts in Education. This 30-credit course is part of a Bachelor of Education (Early childhood teaching) at a pre-service education provider in Auckland, in New Zealand. The adjustments to the arts course were instigated as part of a wider programme review undertaken between 2018-2019. These changes responded to the literature and also to the findings of the author's doctoral research. They resulted in a stronger emphasis on self-reflection about student's personal history of the arts and an assessment dedicated to developing practical skills in relation to a chosen arts domain.