CENTRE STAGE

Drama lessons are making a comeback in schools, but how valuable are they to our children's development asks Melanie Cable-Alexander

The level of drama taught in schools has been a subject of political debate ever since a 'shoot from the hip' outburst by the outspoken theatrical heavyweight Nicholas Hytner, earlier this year. Hytner described it as "a scandal, an absolute scandal" that there was a generation of children who had grown up deprived of an interest in theatre. And he blamed this entirely on schooling and the culture of a results-driven curriculum: "Every theatre in the country is busting a gut with departments filled with fantastically idealistic and committed people trying to undo the damage which has been done by decades of neglect in schools." The government's response: to propose five hours of culture lessons per week. Some regard this as merely a palliative measure, but the debate has refocused people's attention on the value of teaching drama.

Chris Woodhead, former Chief Inspector of Schools and now chairman of the independent schools group Cognita, speaks for many schools within the sector when he describes drama lessons as valuable and having benefi ts across the curriculum by helping children bring to life subjects as diverse as history, geography, or religious education and at the same time encouraging children to act out how they feel and develop a deeper understanding of set texts. It can also help with confidence as I have discovered with my own dyslexic 10-year-old son, who finds many subjects a challenge to his reading skills even though intellectually, he is up to scratch. This can make him feel frustrated, stupid and bad at everything. But he flourishes on the stage, which counteracts a good deal of the negative feelings that his dyslexia can inspire.

Alison Venns, who runs the nine-strong drama department at James Allen Girls' School (JAGS), London, has noticed this too. Since the start of her tenure in 1992, the drama department has grown so strong that casting agents now pay regular visits to spot new talent. "Drama is about confidence building, working with different groups, learning self-expression and much, much more." She also points to "a revolution in the thinking of the subject". Independent schools are more aware that drama can give children "a passport for life and provide a full education in the widest sense". Consequently, drama departments all over the country have been expanded and drama is now a regular fixture on the curriculum. St Edward's Oxford has built inspirational new theatre, dance studio and theatre studies centre which has the backing of theatrical heavy weights such as Hytner, Alan Bennet, Judi Dench and Richard Attenborough.

Likewise, drama is being recognised academically as a serious subject to consider. A pupil at JAGS (now at Oxford University) received top marks for her A Level drama paper out of 330,000 general arts papers: "In days gone by," says Venn, "she might have been talked out of doing the subject in the first place or the exam body would never have awarded the prize to a pupil taking drama and instead picked another subject to nominate."

More actors are emerging from the independent sector: Oscar winning author of Gosford Park Julian Fellowes recalls, "when I became an actor it was regarded as an insane decision so you had to insist you knew what you were doing and break away a bit. It was quite lonely really. That is not true today of my equivalents since the expectation has now transferred to being successful whatever your career."