One Dance UK celebrates major wins for dance education

*Updated text 6/11/25*

One Dance UK celebrates major wins for dance education in the Government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review

The government has now announced proposals for a sweeping reform of Progress 8, the secondary school performance measure. While the CAR panel had recommended that Progress 8 be broadly retained, the Department for Education is now proposing significant changes that would give schools much greater flexibility to offer a truly broad and balanced curriculum at Key Stage 4, including a full range of creative and technical subjects such as dance.

One Dance UK enthusiastically welcomes this proposal. Together with the end of the EBacc, this reform signals a major shift towards valuing creativity and diversity in education once again.

We’re delighted that our sector’s voice has been heard loud and clear, and that the messages One Dance UK has championed on behalf of dance and the wider arts community are continuing to land where they matter most.

*5/11/25*

One Dance UK warmly welcomes the final report of the Government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review, which powerfully reflects many of the priorities and recommendations we have championed on behalf of the dance sector.

For the first time in years, national education policy is explicitly recognising the value of dance as a vital part of a world-class, inclusive curriculum. The Review calls for clearer and more ambitious content for dance within PE, ensuring every child gains progressive experience in choreography, performance and appreciation, and for a review of GCSE Dance assessment to better reflect the creative and practical nature of the discipline.

Crucially, the report also recommends removing the EBacc measure, long criticised for narrowing curriculum choice and reducing access to arts subjects - a major victory for everyone who has campaigned for parity between creative and 'academic' learning.

However, we note that the Progress 8 measure has been retained, and we hope that this will not continue to drive schools to narrow choices for young people or to prioritise accountability measures over a truly broad and balanced education. One Dance UK will continue to monitor this closely and work with policymakers to ensure that all pupils have equitable access to dance and the arts.

“This is a landmark moment for dance education,” said Laura Nicholson, Head of Children & Young People’s Dance at One Dance UK. “For too long, dance has been marginalised in schools, but through this Review, our voice has been heard loud and clear. The Panel directly reflected the evidence and expertise we brought forward on behalf of the sector, recognising that dance is not a luxury, but a vital and transformative part of every young person’s education. We’re proud that the work of One Dance UK and our members has shaped this national conversation, and we are ready to lead the next phase, turning these recommendations into real, lasting change for every child.”

As the Subject Association and national support organisation for dance, One Dance UK’s evidence submission and ongoing engagement with the Review Panel were instrumental in ensuring that dance, creativity and inclusion were represented at the highest level of the process.

We now look forward to continuing to lead the charge, working closely with government, educators, and the wider creative industries to shape the next steps: detailed revisions to PE programmes of study, GCSE Dance reforms, and stronger teacher training and CPD for dance specialists.

Together, we are building a world-class, inclusive curriculum that recognises the power of dance to inspire, include, and equip young people for life.