THE Qualifications and Curriculum Authority’s Arts in the Curriculum project is due to report to the Secretary of State in March 2003. Work has included collecting information about international arts provision, national arts initiatives in England, describing and agreeing aims, objectives and outcomes and developing different means of collecting evidence. My article in the last Arts Curriculum Special (November 16, 2001) gave information about the trialling of the pupil questionnaire, just one of these means of collecting evidence. Other means being explored include teacher observation, the marking of pupils’ work, school data and a schoolcommunity questionnaire.
The project is exploring the contribution of the arts to pupils’ education through the investigation of different models of provision for arts education.
Over this term, QCA will be collecting information from two groups of schools. One group is made up of a stratified sample of secondary and primary schools. The second group is made up of schools identified as having good provision for the arts as recognised by receiving the Artsmark Gold award managed by the Arts Council of England. Researchers will be visiting these schools to collect information about school policies and provision and to explore the views of headteachers, arts staff and pupils about the ranges of arts experiences being given.
QCA would be interested in hearing about different and innovative ways in which schools are implementing their arts education and in receiving information about ways in which the timetable can be used flexibly to include different types of arts experiences. We would also like to find examples of ways in which schools are developing a coherent arts education programme that includes both the statutory provision and extended arts opportunities.
If you have any information about different models of provision for arts education which are proving to be particularly effective please contact Tony Knight, project leader, or Lucy Walters, project manager, tel: 020 7509 5408 or e-mail:waltersl@qca.org.uk.
Tony Knight Tony Knight is principal subject officer for music, the arts and culture at the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, 83 Piccadilly, London W1J 8QA. Tel: 020 7509 5555. Web: www.qca.org.uk
