Art, Music, Drama and Media studies to go!

[ARimmer]

Heads are being contacted to sign a petition to save the above in schools! Seems our new government want to get rid and concentrate on English, Maths and Science. How is that a balanced curriculum, we need to let young folk explore their imagination. That was not in their manifesto was it! We are not all academics are we, there are many budding 'artists' out there. What is next, history, language, geography, pe, religion????

[southeastastra]

nooooooo!!! that's crazy!!

[cory]

And what do we do with all these students who reach university/college/working age and have no experience of anything except Maths and Science and English. And some of whom have no doubt done so badly at these ad become so disaffected that they could more correctly be said to have no experience of anything.

[ColdComfortFarm]

. Where is the evidence that these subjects will be removed from the curriculum?

[3plusbump]

Have not seen this? Where is this being suggested? Sounds bonkers

[brimfull]

where did you hear this from?
don't believe it

[mumeeee]

Are you sure this is happening. If DD2 had to go for scince based subjects she would not have got anywhere. She was much better at Drama and Music. She is now doing well at uni and using all her talents. Aslo my nephew has just started a creative music technology degree at uni. Yes he needed Maths but he also needed music.

[TheCrackFox]

I need a link because it doesn't sound that believable TBH.

[Madsometimes]

I do not believe this. I particularly cannot believe that art and music are going to be axed, although maybe media studies...

[FranSanDisco]

Where did you get this from please? What will happen to specialist status schools? Our local comp has specialist music and maths status for instance.

[GypsyMoth]

doesnt bode well for my dc's upper school which has 'performng arts' status!!

the media suite was mega expensive and fairly new....what a waste!

[Kez100]

I don't believe it. Music and Art, particularly, are important for education. Drama is also not a waste when looked at from the angles of supporting confidence, self esteem and literacy.

Media studies, perhaps, we can all do without.....

[onimolap]

Link?

I find it hard to get worked up about media studies (as it didn't exist in schools in my day).

But who exactly is making these proposals?

[1234ThumbWar]

marking my place while waiting for link

[tokyonambu]

"Heads are being contacted to sign a petition to save the above in schools! Seems our new government want to get rid and concentrate on English, Maths and Science."

It's always best, if claiming that the sky is falling, to have some evidence that the sky is in fact falling. Otherwise people might think you're talking, well, bollocks.

Let's see. September 27th 2010 (ten days ago), from Michael Gove's own web page.

"All young people should have the chance to learn an instrument, read music and receive top quality music education, Education Secretary Michael Gove said today.

Launching an independent review of music education, which will be led by Darren Henley, Managing Director of Classic FM, Mr Gove said broadening the access and opportunities young people have to experience and understand music is central to raising standards.

Research shows that quality music education improves behaviour, attention and concentration, and has a hugely positive affect on numeracy and language skills. Giving all young people the best possible music education will help the Government achieve its twin aims of driving up standards and reducing the attainment gap."

I wonder. Has he changed his mind in secret, telling no-one apart from the people who needed to assemble a petition to "save" music teaching? Or are you, in fact, wrong?

[ARimmer]

Arts council UK have contacted secondary heads to stop cuts to arts funding, which will pass down to schools, so if sa specialist arts school etc, the extra cash will go. Doesn't take many brain cells to work out the rest. 'Arts' will be optional depending upon the head of the school. My information is direct from a secondary head, obviously cannot reveal who/where. Specialist schools are to go allegedly under this government!

[ARimmer]

Arts council UK have contacted secondary heads to stop cuts to arts funding, which will pass down to schools, so if sa specialist arts school etc, the extra cash will go. Doesn't take many brain cells to work out the rest. 'Arts' will be optional depending upon the head of the school. My information is direct from a secondary head, obviously cannot reveal who/where. Specialist schools are to go allegedly under this government!

[purits]

Now, if you were talking about cutting the Arts Council itself then that would be a good move.

[onimolap]

What cuts have been proposed?

Is it possible that this is a special interest group setting out its stall ahead of possible spending review cuts (as many are doing), rather than an actual proposal?

Are there any other predictions on education funding and forthcoming cuts?

[purits]

"What cuts have been proposed?"

According to ARimmer, the Arts Council are saying that if their funding is cut then they will take it out on the kids. Nice, eh?

"Doesn't take many brain cells to work out the rest"

Sorry, my brain cells manage to work out that all schools currently do art, despite most of them not being specialist schools and not getting extra bunce from AC. There is a difference between changing funding and changing curriculum, you know.

[tokyonambu]

Which is odd, because I had a meeting this morning with the head of one of the largest city music services, who said that although they were being expected to justify their spend they had the full support of the council and also that Gove's statement was being interpreted in a very positive light.

I suspect that the OP's story has got rather confused in the re-telling. There are theatre, art and drama companies that do visiting work in schools as part of their obligations to receive Arts Council money, and if they fold their tents because of cuts to Arts Council funding, then those visits will no longer take place. Which is a shame, but there's a limit to how many groups of semi-pro actors doing bad abridgements of Shakespeare or rap performances to help drug prevention the world needs.

This is not about curriculum review, rather about the funding for travelling arts groups. The Arts Council has nothing to do with funding art/drama/music teaching in schools delivered by teachers as part of the curriculum, so most of the OP is (successful) scare stories from a special interest group.

[anitanee]

I think the problem has been that it's difficult to interpret Gove's intentions - and people are bound to be pessimistic given the governments priority is to find ways to reduce public spending.

The fact that he's reviewing music education at all, and the language he uses, has meant that some commentators have read between the lines and feel that music will be merged with a 'cultural learning' offer, and will be removed from the national curriculum. Music Services are worried because the last time govt 'looked at' music education back in the late 80s/early 90s it nearly killed off music services, and 50 of them went under. There's a very long explanation of the concerns here: jsavage.org.uk/?p=977

I've put together some links and info here:
inspiredbymusic.wordpress.com/

[TethHearseEnd]

This has made my day, thank you so much, tokyo:

Research shows that quality music education improves behaviour, attention and concentration, and has a hugely positive affect on numeracy and language skills.

The irony stings a little, doesn't it?

[eatyourveg]

ARimmer - are you getting muddled with the announcement that funding for arts courses is going to be scrapped at some universities?

There is a thread about it somewhere on mn. The story was in The Telegraph. It gave a list of unis affected.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/8111054/Higher-education-universities-with-arts-courses-bear-the-brunt.html

[woodwindmum]

look at music service cuts as several authorities are particularly vulnerable at present reducing funds to, for example zero in Bedfordshire by 2012. others to keep tabs on I suggest you look at Warwick Northampton North Yorks and scotland Fife and Midlothian see Michael Rose website for Bedfordshire music