News

Findings: Drama in Schools Survey

19 September 2012

Thanks so much to every single person who took the time to send us a response to our survey on Drama in Schools. Even though we ran this consultation for three weeks through the August holiday season, we were overwhelmed by the strength of feeling and expertise of Alliance members. We received over 300 articulate and persuasive responses to our questions.

We have compiled all your comments into a document and sent them through to representatives at the Department of Education, but we have also pulled together and submitted the attached summary paper which gives some of the headlines from the consultation. We hope that this will be of use to all colleagues lobbying for Drama in their own school and setting.

Our paper shows that over 90% of members feel that the draft curriculum doesn't set out the right prioirties for English, and that over 98% of you think that Drama will not be taught adequately in schools if this Curriculum comes into force.

We have also included comments and evidence from teachers, young people, parents, artists, academic institutions (such as the Institue of Education and Goldsmiths College), cultural organisations (such as the National Theatre and the Barbican Guildhall School of Music and Drama) and leading educational bodies (including the National Association for the Teaching of English and National Drama).

In the words of Writer Michael Morpurgo, 'Drama is essential', and it is critical that CLA members continue to call for its inclusion in the education and learning of every single child.