An inside story: tracking experiences, challenges and successes in a joint specialist performing arts college

Abstract

In England the government's specialist schools initiative is transforming the nature of secondary education. A three-year longitudinal case study tracked the effects of specialist performing arts college status on two schools. The sites were a mainstream school drawing pupils from an area of high social deprivation and disadvantage, and a special school cWtering for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties, which were awarded joint performing arts college status. The government's preferred criterion for judging the success of specialist schools is improvement in whole-school examination results. The authors argue that this is a crude and inappropriate measure for these case study schools and probably others. Using questionnaires, interviews and documentation they tell an 'inside story' of experiences, challenges and achievements, from the perspectives of the schools' mangers, staff and pupils. Alternative 'value-added' features emerged that were positive indicators of enrichment and success in both schools. IntroductionThe authors challenge the political preference for measurement of specialist schools' success in England by examination results. They encourage recognition of other ways in which resources attached to specialist status can enrich the lives of all involved. A team of researchers was invited by the two schools in the case study to track effects of the first three years of their specialist Performing Arts College Status (PACS) designation from 2000 to 2003. The three researchers have many years' experience in schools, higher education and in teacher education. They also have specialist knowledge of dance in education. The two schools involved, one mainstream and one special school for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties, became the first in England to receive Joint PAC S, despite the schools' diverse missions and their campuses being three miles apart.