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About the case study

All the students at Stantonbury Campus (Milton Keynes) study the arts as part of the core curriculum and a large proportion are involved in at least one of the wide range of extracurricular activities in the arts that the school makes available. The school’s commitment to the arts was recognised when it achieved arts college status and the Gold Artsmark award.

The school

Stantonbury Campus is a large comprehensive school (2,600 students, including 550 post 16) in Milton Keynes. The campus has had a systematic community focus since its opening in 1974 and has been a specialist arts college since 1998. Students at the campus represent all levels of ability. Around 25 per cent of students have special educational needs without statements.

The school is committed to the notion of equal value and has a determined optimism about all students’ capacity for success.

The arts entitlement area

The school provides the following courses that meet the requirements for the arts entitlement area:

• GCSE dance
• GCSE media studies
• GCSE art and design
• GCSE drama
• GCSE music
• GCSE applied art and design.

The school does not operate an option structure. The vast majority of students follow a common curriculum with a core that includes GCSE media studies. Other core subjects include English (language and literature), mathematics, science (double award), a modern foreign language, integrated humanities and PE. It also includes GCSE design, which gives students an arts experience but does not fully meet the non-statutory requirements for the arts entitlement area.

In addition to the core, students can study the arts in various combinations. The 50 per cent of the cohort who study PE to GCSE level choose one arts subject or discipline from art and design, dance, drama and music. The other half of the cohort, whose PE course does not lead to a GCSE qualification, study two arts subjects or disciplines chosen from art and design, music, dance and drama. Alternatively, they could choose GCSE applied art and design, which is equivalent to two subjects. All the arts subjects are timetabled simultaneously to allow for cooperation and flexibility.

A very small number of students (approximately 12) out of the whole cohort follow a work-related curriculum. This is developed in an individual way and can include arts components.

Most students are involved in at least one of the following arts enrichment activities provided by the school: