Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help support the funding of training for young dancers from (a) disadvantaged backgrounds and (b) all backgrounds; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of such support on the future of the (a) performing acts and (b) creative industries sectors.

The department provides funding for the Music and Dance Scheme (MDS) for means-tested bursaries for 11 to 19 year-olds and the Dance and Drama Awards (DaDA) means-tested grants for 16 to 19 year-olds to improve access to specialist dance education. These routes give students training at professional level in contemporary dance and classical ballet, and the funding is targeted towards those from lower income households.

Dance is an important part of our creative industries. The creative industries have been announced as one of eight growth-driving sectors within the Industrial Strategy published in the summer, alongside the Creative Industries’ Sector Plan.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review is considering dance as part of the physical education (PE) national curriculum, and the Review’s final report and government response will be published in the autumn.

The department will launch a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education next year, to promote high quality arts education in schools, including in dance. We will also support dance teaching as part of PE through the new PE and School Sport Partnerships.