The Arts in Schools - Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

'to teach children about human achievement andaspirations in the arts and sciences, in religion and inthe search for a more just social order.' (HMSO, 1977,para 1.19)In our own view, teaching people about achievementsand aspirations in the arts may amount to little morethan providing courses in the history and sociology ofthe arts. Arts education, as we have indicated, involves agreat deal more than that.b Curriculum 11—16The balance of comment was partly redressed in Curriculum11—16 (DBS, 1977 and 1979), a contribution tothe debate by a group of HMIs. They wanted to putforward for consideration 'a much broader curriculumfor all pupils in secondary schools.' As their startingpoint they look to the aims and objectives which pupils'have a reasonable right to expect', given that they areobliged to be in school until they are 16. Among themost important outcomes of education they saw thefollowing:'. .. pupils are members of a complicated civilisationand culture, and it is reasonable to argue that theyhave nothing less than a right to be introduced to aselection of its essential elements. Options systemsmay well prevent this from happening: the freedomto stop studying history or art or music or biology at14 means that pupils are not being given the introductionto their own cultural inheritance to which webelieve they have a right. No one disputes the irrefutablecase for basic skills and techniques: equallythere is a case for cultural experiences and an introductionto values.' (DBS, 1977, p5)The HMIs go on to say that:'We see the curriculum to be concerned with introducingpupils during the period of compulsoryschooling to certain essential "areas of experience." '(DBS, 1977, p6)One of these is the 'aesthetic and creative'. They recommendthat work in art/craft/music should form part ofthe compulsory curriculum. As far as it goes, this commandsour full support. We want to take the argumentfurther. For on what grounds are these areas of experi-13