NOTES FROM THE BOARDROOM
es that every student is well-equipped to pr
“
of cur ensur
ogr
successfully in life. (Matravers Vision Statement)
We believe in laying strong foundations for lifelong learning by giving our students access to the best of what has been thought, said and done in the fields of human discovery and achievement. This will enrich our students’ understanding of themselves and the world in which we live.
With an eye to the School Performance Tables, some schools have narrowed the range of subjects available for young people to study. That way they can give more time to ‘core subjects’ such as English and Maths. We accept that those two subjects are massively important. But a balance needs to be struck between the getting basics right and providing a breadth of curriculum opportunity.
Where schools have trimmed their curriculum offer, it tends to be the arts subjects that have suffered. Especially Dance, Design, Drama and Music. That is a great shame. At Matravers we value the arts, and well we might. Top Independent schools definitely haven’t been cutting back on arts subjects. They know that studying Music, Drama and the like helps to develop cultured and confident young people who are able to hold their own in the world.
Parents shouldn’t need to be wealthy enough to afford private school fees to ensure their children benefit from an arts-rich curriculum. Geoff Barton, General Secretary of ASCL, the Headteacher’s union recently said, “Arts education is a birthright for everyone”. I agree. It makes sense even from the standpoint of hard-headed economics. Creative industries contribute a good chunk of the UK’s GDP.
In defence of a board, balanced arts-rich curriculum Our extensive range riculum opportunity
ess
This term governors spent time in the school for one of our twice-yearly Visit Days. We enjoyed visiting lessons and speaking to panels of Key Stage 3 students. We were especially interested in their views on the curriculum. Students spoke enthusiastically of the wide range of subjects available to them. They found the curriculum stretching and stimulating. Our students relished the opportunity to study a variety of arts subjects. Some were involved in the school’s outstanding performance of Beauty and the Beast.
We think that it is only right that young people are exposed to a diverse range of lessons in Key Stage 3, before they narrow things down in order to focus on their GCSEs in Key Stage 4. In some schools students choose their GCSE options in Year 8 and start working towards their exams in Year 9. The intention is that having pupils study GCSEs over three years will improve results. That in turn will enhance the school’s standing in the Performance Tables. Head of Ofsted, Amanda Spielman has expressed justifiable concern about this practice. Moving a few notches up the Performance Tables is not to be pursued at the expense of prematurely narrowing the range of subjects available to students. For that reason, we intend to maintain a three year Key Stage 3.
The curriculum is in essence a body of knowledge. We want our students’ knowledge of the world to be as broad and deep as possible. After all, ‘knowledge is power’. We believe that our broad, balanced, arts-rich curriculum has the power to change young people’s lives and open up their life chances in ways they never could have expected.
Guy Davies,
Chair of the Board of Governors
www.matravers.wilts.sch.uk
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