Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the announcement on 19 June of new plans to give every child access to high-quality physical education and sport at school, whether dance activities will count towards the two hours of physical education schools will offer each week; and whether local dance schools and clubs will be included in the new national network of schools, local clubs and National Governing Bodies.

​​Dance is part of the physical education (PE) national curriculum at key stages 1, 2, and 3.

​One of the roles of the new national network is to support the delivery of high-quality PE, including dance. The department will engage schools and stakeholder organisations when drawing up the detailed design of networks, including how to make links to dance providers.

​In March the department also announced plans to establish a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education from September 2026 onwards. Its aim is to ensure young people across the country have greater access to high-quality arts education and wider creative opportunities. It will do this by supporting the delivery of high-quality arts education subjects, including art and design, drama, music and dance, through training and development for teachers, promoting opportunities for children and young people to pursue their artistic and creative interests in school, and by boosting partnerships between schools and cultural providers.

​The government is also developing an Enrichment Framework, ensuring that all young people have equal access to high-quality extracurricular activities.