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<p>All state-funded schools should teach a broad and balanced curriculum that promotes
pupils' cultural development. The best schools combine creative subjects with core
subjects, and the department is committed to ensuring that all pupils have access
to both.</p><p>Cultural education is therefore integral to a high-quality education.
Alongside drama as part of the English curriculum and dance as part of the physical
education curriculum, music and art and design, remain important pillars of the knowledge-rich
National Curriculum.</p><p>Drama is not an individual subject within the English National
Curriculum, but it is an important part of a pupil’s school experience. The main introduction
of drama to the primary programmes of study details the type of drama opportunities
pupils should be given and acknowledges the artistic practice of drama. Teachers will
use their professional judgement as to how and when such opportunities are created.</p><p>On
10 February 2017, the department announced an update to the content for the GCSE in
drama and the A level in drama and theatre studies to specify that all pupils will
now have the entitlement to experience live theatre, reaffirming the government’s
commitment to providing pupils with an enriching arts education.</p><p>A parent’s
income should not be a barrier to a pupil participating in a school trip. Schools
may not charge for school trips that take place during school hours, or which take
place outside school hours but are part of the National Curriculum, part of religious
education, or part of the syllabus for a public exam that the pupil is being prepared
for at the school. Parents can be asked for contributions towards the cost of a trip,
but schools must make clear that contributions are voluntary. The published advice,
‘Charging for School Activities’, is clear that no pupil should be excluded from an
activity simply because their parents are unwilling or unable to pay. The advice can
be found at: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/706830/Charging_for_school_activities.pdf"
target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/706830/Charging_for_school_activities.pdf</a>.</p><p>Finally,
pupil premium funding will rise to over £2.9 billion in the 2024/25 academic year.
The increase will ensure that this targeted funding continues to help schools to support
the educational outcomes of disadvantaged pupils. As set out in the menu of approaches,
schools are able to use pupil premium to fund extracurricular activities, including
school trips to theatres.</p><p> </p>
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