To think that dance and drama aren't the same thing

[OddBoots]

The dept for education is doing all sorts of tinkering in various areas, much of it quietly and if I were cynical I'd think that was intentional so we don't notice.

One of these changes is to the 'discount codes' for GCSEs, these codes are the codes given to qualifications for performance tabling so that you can't take, say English in 3 different exam boards and count them all.

It has now been decided that Dance and Drama will have the same code so any school offering the chance to students to do both will only be able to count one of them even if the students do really well in both.

I'm a science kind of woman, I'm a biochemistry undergrad who did neither dance or drama at GCSE but even I can see this is wrong. Creativity and expression are hugely valuable for a civilised society and we would be so much poorer without them.

I'm not sure there is much we can do, Gove and his mates seem deaf to most objections but I do think this is an absolute disgrace.

I can see that Dance and Drama are similar, and I can see why many children might do better not to take both, but it seems OTT to make it impossible for them to take both. What about a child who wants to make a career of either of them?

Which year is this coming in for?

& would it differentiate between GCSE Dance & BTEC Dance, as DD could have chosen to do both - but she now might not be allowed BTEC Dance & BTEC Drama

I teach both and I have not come across this! Is there a link please?

She should do the GCSEs! Don't let schools con you in to thinking that a BTEC is a worthwhile course. Not if she is interested in As and university anyway.

www.raiseonline.org/documentlibrary/ViewDocumentLibrary.aspx
Bottom section, in an XLS table which you have to change tabs and scroll past empty fields to read - not at all sneaky, oh no.

BTEC are the same, all dance, drama, performing arts and expressive arts come until LC11 in the tables.

It's coming in for exams taken in 2014.

Oddly biology and human biology have different codes. ICT, Computing and IT all have different codes. Food Technology and Home Economics: Food & Nutrition have different codes. These subjects seem to have as much if not more cross over.

The doc you've linked wont open can you give me more information about where to find this stuff?

I'm at the thought you might be right. raging in fact.

Strictly speaking there is no ban on taking both and for the students they can list them on their CV etc individually but the school's results would suffer if they allowed it so they would have to choose between performance and allowing their students to do what is best for them.

The vast majority of jobs don't involve any of the performing arts and if I was an employer and saw either of these on a candidate's CV, I would be inclined to ignore them and would place them in the same category as any subject with the word "Studies" in the name.

Thank you so much for link. Will look now.

I think there is some overlap between the two just like there is between physics and maths or biology and chemistry but no one worries about taking these combinations. I feel strongly that just like these other 'rigorous' subjects children should not be discouraged from taking more than one performing or creative art.

My DD would have liked to have taken both but was only allowed one - instead she has been forced to take triple science when she has no real inclination. One or two sciences and both drama and dance would have suited her so much better.

web.aqa.org.uk/support/changes-to-GCSEs/discount-codes.php This link is only ACA but it applies to all boards.

The thing to remember, particularly if you have DC who want to do this, is that this is a measure for schools, and not for children. No one is going to stop a child writing Drama and then Dance on their CV. It remains to be seen whether schools will continue to run both, of course.

I teach Performing Arts at GCSE and BTEC. Where does that stand with this? Same code?

countrykitten - I find your comment unhelpful. BTEC Performing Arts at Level 2 involves almost exactly the same as GCSE Performing Arts. The only difference is that students can choose to do a different discipline for their external assessment. BTEC Performing Arts at Level 3 is a phenomenal amount of work. Last year, 3/4 of my 6th form class went to university (the others didn't apply) so it's untrue to say that a BTEC isn't worth having.

milbra - what's wrong with 'studies' in the name? Are you in a very specialized type of work, then?

She isn't interested in A levels or Uni; thanks anyway

milbra - drama/performing arts can help students develop a host of transferable skills. You say that the majority of jobs don't involve any performing. So no presentations then? No communicating with clients? No running training courses? No speeches? No need for clear vocal skills?

Ah ok, I've calmed down a little and read a bit more.

So they won't count in league tables- meaning what that if student X takes both and gets a B in both they only count as one grade for recording purposes?

What if they get say an A* and an E?

I taught BTEC Level 2 for quite a few years. I should perhaps rephrase what I said. I think it is good for lower ability pupils. If a pupil is able to take a GCSE and pass, the GCSE is the better qualification. In my opinion that is. I currently teach in a very academic school which would never entertain BTECs - just not on their radar - and I understand this completely.

The Level 3 I understand is a more demanding qualification but I was referring to the Level 2.

What if, as happened 'back in my day' (1998) students took drama at school and dance with their dance schools? Surely any student taking dance would already be enrolled in a dance school/academy locally anyway?

Yes, a B in Dance and a B in Drama would count as a single B, an A and an E would count as an A.

I can't see any but the most dedicated schools allowing both to be taken if instead they could permit only one and the remaining time be used for a subject which counts.

bloody Gove.

LRD and EvilTwins Courses with "studies" in the title tend to lack depth as the scope of the subject is so wide. I'm not in a specialized type of work but historically a more specific subject is going to be of more value in whatever the area it is in. I do not see the connection with drama/dance with a general level of presentation and communication skills that is required.

A degree has lost much of the value it used to have because it has become so widespread. Everybody feels they have to go to "uni" but when it comes down to it, folks are competing against each other. There has been a sort of academic qualification inflation of the last few decades and who knows where it will end?

Wow milbra...You do know that music is one of the seven liberal arts considered essential to a rounded education by the Greeks and Romans? I've got 3 As at A-level (Music, French, Politics), a degree in music from Oxford and part of my job as a Head of Department is to teach performing arts, but my CV would go in your bin?

Really?

'Religious Studies' is wider than 'History', is it?

I think the OP is talking about GCSEs, btw, not degrees. So I'm not quite clear whether your point about 'studies' courses is referring to GCSE or degree level>

Maybe I'm just bitter because my PhD is in something 'studies'.