Skip to main content

To: Michael Gove, OFQUAL and the Department for Education

Keep Drama GCSE

Dear Michael Gove, please don't remove Drama from the list of GCSE subjects.

Why is this important?

JP Morgan identify teamwork, communication, project management, self-confidence and creativity as essential characteristics in graduates. Drama GCSE explicitly teaches and develops all these skills, which are desirable in any work environment.

Our nation is famed for its culture. The theatre industry and related tourism brings great revenue to the country, not to mention our fantastic exports in film and television. Far deeper than this is the impact of Drama on a person's character. Shakespeare needs to be performed, spoken, enacted and felt to truly be understood. Reading is not enough. Where will the next Shakespeare come from if we remove Drama GCSE?

It would easy to write Drama off as a sub-set of English. As a Head of Drama working for many years in the UK's most diverse postcode I am am keenly aware of the transformational, inspirational effect of practical Drama on young people's lives. Some of my former students are now professional actors. This would not have been possible without GCSE Drama.

By removing Drama from the GCSE roster, it would become the preserve of those well-off enough to afford private tuition. We must maintain access for all.

How it will be delivered

I will email the signatures to Michael Gove, OFQUAL and the Department for Education.

Category

Updates

2014-06-12 11:25:54 +0100

500 signatures reached

2014-06-07 10:08:24 +0100

100 signatures reached

2014-06-06 23:54:59 +0100

50 signatures reached

2014-06-06 21:42:58 +0100

25 signatures reached

2014-06-06 21:04:04 +0100

10 signatures reached