Lack of arts access affecting children - report

A lack of access to the arts in the West Midlands could be leading to a decline in teenagers choosing to study the subject at GCSEs and A-levels, new research claims.

The Cultural Learning Alliance and the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) found problems were taking root in primary school, and called on the government to see it as an urgent priority.

Jacqui O'Hanlon, from the RSC in Stratford-upon-Avon, worked on the report and said they needed to "really make the case" on why arts subjects could "make a real difference to the life outcomes and learning outcomes for children".

The Department for Education (DfE) said the government was continuing to invest in high quality arts teaching.

According to the report, the West Midlands and the North East have both the highest proportions of pupils eligible for free school meals and the lowest proportions of arts GCSE entries.

For A-levels, the West Midlands has the lowest proportion of entries nationally.

"Perhaps young people in the West Midlands aren't getting the same access as students in the South and South West are, where we see much higher percentages of entries," O'Hanlon said.

Experts said they believed more teachers needed to be qualified to teach arts in schools, and more people needed to understand its importance.

"Young people who take arts subjects have more confidence, better communication skills, have really strong critical thinking skills," O'Hanlon claimed.

"These are all the kinds of skills employers want and are saying they are not seeing enough people with."

Across the West Midlands, organisations and activity groups are trying to make the arts more accessible to young people from all backgrounds.

At the Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham, free events are organized as part of a campaign, providing free tickets, workshops and creative-course places for children and young people.

Lynsey Rutter, from the centre, said: "The arts should be treated, I think, like eating your five a day, or going out and exercising. It should be fundamental to children's wellbeing.

"It's such an enormous area, that if we tell young people early on to put that aside, we are shutting them off from a massive amount of career options."

Elsewhere, in Shirley, near Solihull, a local business has started sponsoring children's dance lessons with the aim of making them financially accessible.

In one example, Mahnie's daughter Emily received a bursary from the programme, allowing her to have lessons at Jet Force Dance and Cheer.

"It's made a huge difference especially for our household. I don't work due to illnesses, we make it work, but it's tight, " Mahnie said.

"So it's just meant she can now progress more without it being a financial burden on us."

Emily is now considering starting her own dance school when she is older and said the lessons boosted her confidence.

"It helps a lot because I have something that makes me feel special and unique to other people. You can express your emotions, and everyone is just so supportive of you," she added.

The owners of Jet Force Dance and Cheer said they hoped to see more businesses follow suit, allowing more children to access the arts.

A spokesperson for the DfE said high-quality arts education "should not be the preserve of a privileged few".

"That's why we're revitalising the curriculum, removing school performance measures that constrain subject choice and making sure GCSEs in arts subjects are fit for purpose," they added.

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