Dance in Education Advocacy
Dance has the power to transform lives, and its place in education matters now more than ever.
The past two years have marked an important turning point for arts education in England. The publication of the Curriculum and Assessment Review, alongside government proposals to reform Progress 8, recognises the need for a broader, richer curriculum that better reflects the full range of knowledge, skills and creativity that young people need to thrive. The proposed changes to Progress 8 would place creative subjects on a more equal footing within school accountability measures, helping schools to offer a genuinely broad and balanced education.
These developments represent significant progress for dance education. They acknowledge what the sector has long championed: that dance supports physical health, mental wellbeing, creativity, confidence, collaboration and cultural understanding, while contributing to one of the UK's world-leading creative industries.
At DLG, we welcome this renewed commitment to creativity in education. But policy change is only the beginning. We will continue to work alongside partners across the sector to ensure these ambitions translate into meaningful opportunities for every child and young person.
Together with One Dance UK, and in support of the wider Arts & Minds campaign, DLG continues to champion the transformative power of dance in education. Through advocacy, research and a series of four films created for Government & Policy Makers, Head Teachers & Governors, Parents and Young People, we are making the case for dance as an essential part of every child's education.
"Access to high-quality dance education is the birthright of every child, not a luxury"
Andrew Hurst, Chief Executive of One Dance UK
For too long, dance education has been constrained by accountability measures and curriculum pressures that have narrowed opportunities for young people to engage with creative learning. This has contributed to declining curriculum time, reduced examination entries and unequal access to high-quality dance education across England.
Today, there is renewed momentum for change. The Curriculum and Assessment Review has reaffirmed the importance of a broad and balanced education, recognising that creative subjects play a vital role in preparing young people for life, work and participation in society. Proposed reforms to Progress 8 further support this direction by giving schools greater flexibility to value creativity alongside academic achievement.
The evidence for dance has never been stronger. Dance improves physical and mental wellbeing, develops communication, collaboration and resilience, and enables young people to express themselves creatively while building confidence and a sense of belonging. It also provides pathways into the UK's internationally recognised creative industries, one of the country's fastest-growing economic sectors.
Now is the opportunity to build an education system where creativity is recognised as fundamental, not optional. Dance should be available to every child, regardless of background or postcode, delivered through high-quality teaching and meaningful cultural experiences.
DLG will continue to work with One Dance UK, the Arts & Minds campaign and partners across education and the cultural sector to ensure that dance is recognised as an essential entitlement for all young people—not a privilege for a few.
How To Support The Campaign
Share on social media
Tag relevant stakeholders, policy makers and changemakers and encourage followers to engage with the content to increase its reach.
Use the campaign hashtag #SaveOurSubjects
Download the guidance for social media amplification below
Add the film(s) onto your own website
Identify the most appropriate target audience that you or your organisation has, and embed them directly from the DLG You Tube channel.
Newsletter Features
Include information about the campaign in newsletters and blogs to highlight the importance of dance in education.
Engage with Educational Institutions
Offer to partner with local schools to support their dance programs, providing resources, expertise, or workshops that align with the campaign’s goals.
Advocacy to Headteachers & Governors: Directly engage with school leadership, sharing the campaign films and offering to present at school board meetings about the importance of dance in education.
Lobbying Efforts
Join forces with the Dance Leaders Group to lobby local and national government officials. Share the campaign materials during meetings with policymakers to push for stronger support for dance in the curriculum.
Engage with Parents and Young People
Parent Outreach: Distribute the parents campaign film through parent networks to inform and encourage parental support.
Youth Engagement: Use the campaign’s films for young people in workshops, dance classes, or social media channels. Empower young dancers to be advocates for dance education within their own schools.
Appealing to your local MP
Local MPs can play a pivotal role in supporting a campaign for arts in education by leveraging their influence and resources. One of the key ways to demonstrate the impact of the arts to local leaders is to invite them to see activity first hand.
Director of Birmingham Arts School, Steve Ball has provided a letter template to invite your local MP to classes, events or performances to inspire their support of our campaign to prioritise dance.
In Partnership with
Funded by
The DLG dance in education strategy group was convened as part of the ‘DLG & Critical Mass What Next 2022-24’ programme, and comprised 14 representatives with diverse backgrounds in dance education, who came together to develop an ambitious approach for advocating for dance in education.
Alison Haynes - Independent
Alison Penn - Independent
Anna Belyavin - Shropshire Inclusive Dance
Becky Bailey - FABRIC
Chris Radford & Sara Macqueen - Linden Dance Company
Emma Morgan - Independent
Katy Sterran - Flexus Dance Collective
Marcia Edwards & Fleur Hall- ME Dance
Mark Anderson- Infuse Dance
Ogechi Ochiagha - Independent Dance Artist
Paul Golz - University of Worcester
Rebecca Brookes - Birmingham Royal Ballet
Sam Lane - OneDanceUK
Steve Ball - Birmingham Arts School
Filmmaker - Ryan Charles
Project Manager - Katie Holtom