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Artsmark discusses ways in which we can activate dance in primary schools.

They rely on dance schools and retired practitioners to fund there initiative.

The success of these programmes and services tends to come from dance organisations offering highly relevant and engaging opportunities for schools, by trained and experienced dance practitioners.

They also provide a guid for schools on ' how can we improve our dance in education'.

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Claire Somerville, Head of Children and Young People's Dance at One Dance UK, explains more about the PE & Sport Premium and how it can be used to benefit dance in primary schools.
In 2015, the Department for Education (DfE) published a report on their PE & Sport Premium funding which had been providing £9,000 a year to every primary school in England since 2013/14. It showed that primary schools were using the Premium to improve and increase their dance offer. Indeed, the most popular extra-curricular activity on which primary schools spent their Premium was dance (29% of schools, followed by multi-skills at 25% and gymnastics at 20%). In curriculum time, 23% of primary schools used their Premium to support their dance teaching (second to multi-sports at 25%). These findings highlighted both the school's need to develop their dance provision as well as their commitment to using the Premium to do so.

In October 2017, DfE updated their guidance to schools regarding the Premium and confirmed that all primary schools will now receive at least £16,000 a year each until 2020.

Photo © Andrew Ford
So how is the Premium being used in schools and by organisations to support dance?
We've gathered (and are still gathering) case studies from schools and organisations who are using the Premium to support dance. These can be found on our website. Typically, they tend to fall into the following categories:

Dance practitioners/organisations who go into schools to work with their pupils and staff to build a lasting partnership

One-off dance projects that have improving the confidence and skills of teachers to ensure they continue to lead high quality dance, as a core outcome

Schools that pool part of their funding to pay for a dedicated dance specialist teacher to work across all the schools

CPD for classroom teachers and teaching assistants to improve their dance teaching practice

What can primary schools be doing to develop their dance offer?
Happily, dance is a compulsory part of the PE Curriculum from Key Stage 1 to 3, so the framework is there for dance to be a valuable part of every child's primary education. As the Subject Association for dance we offer some guidance to schools on how the PE & Sport Premium can be used for dance in this handy guide and we've created a downloadable guide on how dance can be used to support schools' Artsmark journey.

We also provide teaching resources as part of our Teacher/School Membership Package aimed at primary school teachers, and CPD packages for primary schools.

For those who may need to make the case for dance with their Senior Leadership Team or school governors/trustees, we worked with Arts Council England and the National Governors Association to create Dance Education: Guidance for School Governors and Trustees.
What makes these initiatives a success?
The success of these programmes and services tends to come from dance organisations offering highly relevant and engaging opportunities for schools, by trained and experienced dance practitioners. Look out for organisations that highlight how their offer will support whole school improvement plans, the health and wellbeing of your pupils and connect with other curriculum areas. By combining all these elements with bespoke approaches to schools, the dance sector has a lot to offer.

We hope the PE & Sport Premium will continue to support the widespread improvement in the quantity and quality of dance provision for all primary school children.
One Dance UK is the Sector Support organisation for dance and the Subject Association for Dance in Schools. It is a membership organisation that advocates for dance, provides support and creates opportunities where there are gaps. For more information see www.onedanceuk.org

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Claire Somerville, Head of Children and Young People's Dance at One Dance UK, explains more about the PE & Sport Premium and how it can be used to benefit dance in primary schools. In 2015, the Department for Education (DfE) published a report on their PE & Sport Premium funding which had been providing £9,000 a year to every primary school in England since 2013/14.

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The Scottish youth dance company created the dance initiative to provide better results in schools on the subject of dance.

The Dance in Schools Initiative (DISI) was funded by the Scottish Government Health Department and aimed to get young people active, promote a sense of well-being and a respect for healthy living through a programme of in-school dance workshops.

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Dance in Schools Initiative (2005 - 2008)

The Dance in Schools Initiative (DISI) was funded by the Scottish Government Health Department and aimed to get young people active, promote a sense of well-being and a respect for healthy living through a programme of in-school dance workshops. The initiative also worked to ensure that teachers had the necessary skills, experience and resources to ensure sustainability of dance in schools at the end of the project through an in-service training programme and the provision of interactive dance CD-ROMs - AnyBodyCanDance (for ages 8 to 14) and the BAFTA-nominated 321Go! (for ages 4 to 7).

'I think this programme was fantastic. It is excellent that children can be active and learn current dance routines to current music. The tutors were very motivated and enthusiastic - an excellent programme, I hope you can come back.'
Michelle MacKay, Murroes Primary School

Key statistics for DISI:

12 full time Dance Tutors were employed for a 3 year period

Rolled out in 732 schools in 31 local authorities in Scotland

It got 234,817 young people aged between 5 and 14 active through dance

'Throughout the lessons there was a noticeable improvement in the children's motor coordination and ability to interpret the music.'
Oonagh Grassie, Scotstown Primary School

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The Dance in Schools Initiative (DISI) was funded by the Scottish Government Health Department and aimed to get young people active, promote a sense of well-being and a respect for healthy living through a programme of in-school dance workshops.

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Through research i came across this website that discusses the state of Arts funding in our schools to date.

Nick Gibb who is minister of the state school standards, decided to endorse more funds into arts education. The drop if figures of participation in the arts means less kids are getting physical education.

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What is the current state of the arts in schools?

23 April 2018

On 10 April Nick Gibb, Minster of State for School Standards, announced that there is now funding to the tune of £496 million for arts in schools. The Department for Education (DfE) news story stated:

'Music, art and design, drama and dance are included in the national curriculum and compulsory in all maintained schools from the age of 5 to 14. The additional £96m takes the total level of support for music and arts programmes to £496 million since 2016.'

Given all this you would be forgiven for thinking the crisis in the arts in schools than much has been written on recently (see BBC, Daily Mail, Economist, Evening Standard and Guardian articles) has been averted. This is not the case.

It is good news that the Department for Education (DfE) is continuing to fund existing programmes that support talented young people to progress, and credit must be given to all the hard work of the funded organisations, Arts Council England, and colleagues at the DfE and DCMS - and to Nick Gibb himself for making the case for continued funding in an economic environment when every penny for education is precious, and there just isn't enough to go around.

However, this money is not a fix for the arts in schools. As ever, the devil is in the detail (and more on the detail at the end of this piece) but all is not as it may first appear ...

Funds for programmes already running

The funds are for programmes that are already running, and will not now have to close. They are for programmes:

' to support talented music, drama and dance pupils to realise their potential and kick-start a career in the arts'.

For example, bursaries for dancers to attend advanced training; and Art and Design students to develop their skills outside of school. Removing funding would have decimated already precarious routes in to arts professions for young people.

A perfect storm

The bigger picture for the arts subjects in schools is one of a perfect storm of changes in school accountability, and cuts to funding in education and local authorities. These all used to support arts activities for children and young people in and out of school. Up and down the country these activities, including youth clubs, school trips to museums and theatres and summer art projects, can no longer be afforded.

Currently many schools are having to choose which subjects they can afford to run. Arts subjects are not included in league tables or performance measures so are less damaging to cut in accountability terms.

We are seeing a decline in the number of arts qualifications taken at GCSE level: the number of arts entries to GCSEs has fallen 28% since 2010; the number of hours arts subjects are taught in secondary schools has fallen 17% since 2010; and the number of arts teachers is down by 16%.

Loss of opportunity

This annual £124 million funding aimed at the most talented children cannot make up for the loss of opportunity to take part in the arts for every child in and out of school. It is a drop in the ocean compared to the losses to arts provision across the education system which is only just running on £42 billion a year.

Since 2010 local authorities have seen their education budgets slashed and schools are also experiencing a funding crisis. In 2016 the National Audit Office reported schools had to find £3 billion of efficiency savings by 2019 and various reports this year show schools are now resorting to cutting staff.

What was actually announced?

The £496 million covers funding for programmes over a four-year period, 2016-2020. It includes the £96 million announced on 10 April to pay for the following programmes which are already running, during the period 2018-2020:

£90 million of combined funding to the Music and Dance Scheme (MDS) and the Dance and Drama Awards (DaDa)

£2.4 million for the Museums and Schools

£1.23 million for Bridge Organisations to connect children, young people, schools and communities with arts and cultural experiences. Arts Council England also provides funding for Bridges.

£400,000 for the National Youth Dance Company to provide 30 new talented 16-19-year-old performers with intensive training. This is in addition to £500,000 from Arts Council England.

£260,000 National Art & Design Saturday Clubs this is in addition to £700,000 from Arts Council England.

£1 million for In Harmony. Arts Council England also provide £900,000 funding.

The announcement also included funding that had already been announced through to 2020:

In case any of you are doing the sums in your head to try and get to the £496 million - all of the above are the amounts for two years' worth of funding, and if you multiply this by two it adds up to approximately 496.

Photo credit: Adults and children enjoying Family Dance Day at The Place, WC1H 9PY. Photo by Jalaikon

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What is the current state of the arts in schools?

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On 10 April Nick Gibb, Minster of State for School Standards, announced that there is now funding to the tune of £496 million for arts in schools. The Department for Education (DfE) news story stated: 'Music, art and design, drama and dance are included in the national curriculum and compulsory in all maintained schools from...

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Prior to my ballet technique workshop with the participants.