In defence of the arts

As the focus of Ofsted moves to a broad and balanced curriculum and ensuring that cultural capital is developed alongside knowledge, the inclusion of the performing arts should be at the forefront of any debate around which subjects should be taught at school. There is a strong argument for teaching ‘art for art’s sake’ to ensure that students learn about our rich cultural history; teaching the performing arts supports one of our biggest industries and, through the arts, students can extend their learning beyond their lived experience.  For me, one of the strongest arguments for the arts is the potential for character development – through the rich socio-emotional learning opportunities created by group work and the development of empathy and emotional intelligence. At the start of her curriculum review, Amanda Spielman criticised ‘lessons where everything is about the exam’ and promised a review into the ‘substance of education’ (Spielman, 2017). The consultation d