Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate she has made of the uptake of school theatre visits.

The Department for Education does not collect data on the uptake of school theatre visits. Teachers and head teachers are in the best position to use their professional judgement to decide how theatre visits and similar activities meet the needs of their pupils, and to plan lessons and use their budgets accordingly.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Taking Part 2014/15 Annual Child Report published in July 2015 shows that almost all children aged 5-15 (98.1%) had engaged with the arts in the preceding year. Figures are available in the DCMS Taking Part 2014/15 Annual Child Report published in July 2015 online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/447730/Taking_Part_2014_15_Child_Report__Repaired_.pdf

The government recognises the importance of cultural education. That is why we are supporting Arts Council England’s Cultural Education Challenge, which calls for arts and cultural organisations together with the education sector to offer consistent cultural education to all children and young people.