The Arts in Schools - Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

5 Provision: the arts in secondary schools91 Reasons In this chapter we consider how opportunities can be proforthe vided for children to pursue the arts in secondary schools.chapter We look at some of the major constraints on this work atpresent. We ask what can be done and suggest some strategies.92 In In some schools, and in some authorities, the arts are wellgenera/established and make a vital contribution both to individualeducation and to the quality of school life in general. Itwould be wrong to suggest otherwise. It would be equallywrong to suppose that this is the case in all schools or in allauthorities.In the previous chapter we discussed the cycle of constraintswhich can affect the arts in primary schools. Insecondary schools these can be more severe and more difficultto remedy. A constant reason for this is that the secondaryschool curriculum is teachers-based (Bernstein, 1971)and its organisation is considerably more complicated. Thereare, in addition, the problems in staffing and facilities resultingfrom cuts in public spending and falling rolls. The effectsof these have been monitored by a number of independentsources. 1 These have drawn attention to worsening pupilteacherratios, longer hours for teachers and a reduction inthe range of subject options. There is also evidence thatexamination courses tend to be protected at the expense ofnon-examination courses and of courses for 'less able' children.All levels and areas of education are being affected bycuts in book-stocks, equipment and specialist materials. Inthese circumstances we can expect the gap to widen betweenthose areas where parents can be generous to education andcan afford to give schools substantial help, and those wherefamilies are less well-off. The arts have never been lavishlyprovided for in schools as a whole. Given this general backgroundof deteriorating provision, the danger now is that61