Arts-rich report

Stratified sample report

Research at the universities of Surrey Roehampton and Keele -- led by David J Hargreaves and Alexandra Lamont -- investigated attitudes, plans and achievements for the arts in a stratified sample of schools.

Schools were randomly selected on the basis of size, geographical location and percentage of free school meals. However, schools did participate on a voluntary basis and some secondary schools were not as willing as primary schools to take part. The final sample may, therefore, have comprised schools with more positive attitudes towards the arts and QCA itself.

Main findings

• Primary and secondary schools value the arts highly, both for what they can do for the whole school and as separate subject areas. The arts are valued for their impact on pupils' intellectual, social, emotional and physical development.
• Art and design and music are the strongest artforms in terms of curriculum time and teaching. Dance and drama are less consistently offered.
• The arts are seen as an area requiring specialist skill and expertise. A lack of suitably qualified teachers is a major problem in primary schools. In particular, many teachers feel that music demands specialist expertise and are not confident in teaching the subject.
• The arts enable access to different contexts and cultures, and guarantee equality of participation. However, balancing issues of progression with those of access and inclusion can be problematic at every phase. The development of skills and expertise in the arts is often overshadowed by the social purposes of arts activities.
• The arts are often used as platforms to provide content for other curriculum areas. As a result, pupils' development and progression in the artforms themselves can be neglected. Detailed assessment in the arts is not always welcomed by teachers and is not clearly understood by pupils, contributing further to problems with progression.
• Effective liaison between different schools and with agencies beyond school can support successful arts teaching and learning. However, it was rarely found.
• Despite difficulties in finding time and resources for the arts, the research reveals that many schools plan to develop arts buildings and facilities, and continue to develop teachers' arts skills. Many schools also enhance their provision through productive partnerships with the professional world of the arts.

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