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The benefits of drama and the power of creative play are becoming increasingly recognised and as such many nurseries, play groups and schools place real value on these areas. The approach to drama in education varies in each country within the UK (see below) and although drama is not a recognised core subject, many nurseries and schools work hard to provide their children with a positive experience of drama.
The Foundation Stage for children up to the age of five years (England) and The Foundation Phase in Wales (for children up to seven) stresses the importance of learning through play and summarises each child's learning in to Areas of Learning. Although drama is not a recognised area in its own right, creative development is acknowledged as a key element of the Curriculum.
From Key Stage 1 through to Key Stage 4 drama is taught within the English curriculum as part of the Speaking and Listening element (en1). Many secondary schools also offer drama as a discrete subject from year seven and then as a subject at GCSE.
In Northern Ireland, from Key Stage 1 to 4 the curriculum is defined by Areas of Learning. One such area is The Arts, defined as, 'Art and design, drama and music'.
At the Foundation Stage (which in Northern Ireland refers to the first two years of compulsory education for pupils age four to six) drama provision is also encompassed within one of the six areas of learning; The Arts:
'Children’s creative, expressive and physical development is closely linked with all aspects of their learning. Children should be given opportunities to explore and share their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of: art and design, music, movement, dance, dramatic and role-play activities. Through taking part in a range of well-planned activities, children’s fine and gross motor skills will develop, they will gain confidence in what they can do and this will help build their self-esteem.'
The Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland aims to provide children between three to eighteen a coherent and flexible curriculum. The curriculum has eight areas, one of these being Expressive Arts, within which drama is taught (along with art and design, dance and music) and aims to provide children with a wide and practical experience of drama:
'Through drama, learners have rich opportunities to be creative and to experience inspiration and enjoyment. Creating and presenting are prominent activities for all learners. Their acting and presenting skills are developed through participating in scripted or improvised drama. Exploring real and imaginary situations helps learners to understand and share their world. They develop their capacity to enjoy drama and their knowledge and understanding through evaluating technical aspects and scripts, and commenting on their work and the work of others.'