We were delighted to welcome Dawn Airey CBE, newly appointed Chair of Arts Council England, to the school on 15 September as one of her first visits around the country.
We are passionately committed to arts education and know the transformational impact the arts can have on young people’s lives. At Dowdales, the arts sit firmly at the heart of the curriculum and are complemented by a wide and varied programme of extracurricular opportunities.
We are proud to work in partnership with three leading national arts organisations – the Royal Shakespeare Company, Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. In conjunction with our curriculum, these partnerships give students access to outstanding arts experiences. In addition, we provide valuable professional development for Dowdales’ committed arts staff.
Representatives from all three partner organisations joined the visit, alongside colleagues from Arts Council England and The Guardian. Visitors were able to see the school’s arts provision first-hand, including an RSC rehearsal session and a dance performance choreographed following a workshop with Birmingham Royal Ballet. They also spoke directly with students Oscar, Alma, George, Martha and Ava and former student Marco, about the impact that the arts and the school’s partnership work have had on their experiences and education.
During the visit, Dawn Airey recognised the school’s approach to arts education as trailblazing, reflecting Dowdales School’s determination to ensure that creativity and cultural opportunity remain central to school life.
Headteacher Ms Emma Aubrey said:
“When setting the ethos of Dowdales, with our students firmly at its centre, I knew that the arts had to sit very firmly there too. Arts education only truly thrives when it is embedded in the life and curriculum of a school, rather than being seen as something additional.
That has not always been easy amid the shifting sands of educational change, but you have to hold on to what you believe is right. We have never lost sight of the transformational impact the arts can have on young people, and we are immensely proud of the opportunities our students experience as a result.”
We would like to thank Dawn Airey for taking the time to visit and all the partners for their continued work with Dowdales School. Dawn’s interest in the school’s work meant a great deal to both students and staff and reinforced the importance of ensuring that arts education continues to have a prominent place in young people’s education, particularly in an increasingly technological world.
Former student, Marco Fawcett
"It was a real honour to be invited back to Dowdales to champion the effects of the Arts on the school and its students. To meet with representatives of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Birmingham Royal Ballet, and the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra was a particular privilege, and provided a unique opportunity to discuss the challenges faced by the Arts, and the importance of the efforts of Schools like Dowdales in continuing to champion its cause. These organisations understand the importance of the Arts for students at Dowdales, in terms of confidence, social skills, and cross-curricular agency. I can speak from experience when I acknowledge the effects of RSC pedagogy and active approaches to learning. Taking hold of the language, understanding it in one's own terms, is such a valuable skill. In Literature, it allowed me to transform the language and narrative on the page from a dormant object to a living, breathing, and relevant lesson. Students from the school's RSC ambassador programme, who spoke with Dawn Airey CBE, agreed with me that the approaches they take in the rehearsal room build confidence and agency across every academic discipline. Dowdales has long been a stalwart for the Arts. In my own experience, this is not a deviation from standard academic practices, but instead a vital part of it. The RSC, BRB, and the Liverpool Philharmonic allow Dowdales to give their students opportunities that may not have been otherwise available. It is these opportunities that make Dowdales students well-rounded both socially and academically, allowing them to broaden their own horizons. Through these programmes, and through the work of Dowdales, students are shown that the Arts is a realistic and tangible option post-16, and that if they have a passion for dancing, for acting, for playing an instrument - they can and should pursue it."
