This research serves to address the lack of data currently available on schools’ engagement with the arts in Leeds. A baseline understanding of how schools currently engage with local cultural organisations is needed to inform cultural strategy and funding priorities. It will support evaluation of the legacy of the LEEDS 2023 programme of activities across the city and will support other cultural organisations to perform their own evaluations and benchmarking activities.
A pilot survey was sent to members of the senior leadership team at every school in Leeds, designed to collect data about schools’ arts curriculum and extra-curricular delivery of arts and cultural activities. This will act as a pilot to gauge response and validate the approach and methodology for a future phase of work.
Key findings from the survey responses are presented on this page, based on 40 responses from 35 schools, out of the total 293 schools in Leeds.
The headline statistics below refer to the headline findings from the survey responses provided.
Arts commitment
74%of survey respondents said their school had a commitment to pupil entitlement in the arts
Additional funding
27%said they seek additional funding for arts trips outside the school
Local arts partnerships
80%primary schools have a partnership with local arts organisations
Local schools partnerships
40%have partnerships with other local schools to support the arts curriculum.
Sign-posting opportunities
74%actively sign-post arts opportunities for pupils to develop creative skills
Local arts programmes
15%of schools said they are part of a local/community-based arts programme.
The visualisations below provide a more detailed breakdown of survey responses. They give an insight into how schools in Leeds are engaging with arts and culture, their facilities and approaches to funding for schools wishing to engage with other organisations.
Overview of Respondents
The responding schools can be described in a number of ways, as visualised below. Based on this sample size, it is not possible to say that the findings represent the whole population of schools in Leeds. This information is therefore presented to indicate the range of schools who did respond.
The headlines below describe the responses given by staff when asked about their school's commitment to pupil entitlement in the arts. For example, every pupil learns a musical instrument, or has the opportunity to go on trips each year.
Overall
74%of schools said they have a particular commitment to pupil entitlement in the arts
Primary schools
95%of primary schools have a commitment to the arts - almost 3x more than secondary schools
Secondary schools
35%of secondary schools have a commitment to pupil entitlement in the arts.
Primary schools were three times more likely to report that they had a particular commitment. However, when asked about their school's arts curriculum, secondary schools were more likely to consider their school's offering as 'Excellent'.
Secondary schools were also more likely to report their extra-curricular offering as 'Good'.
How would you rate your school's arts curriculum offer?
74%of schools actively sign-post for pupils to develop creative skills and participate in arts opportunities beyond the curriculum
Competitions & showcases
65%of schools enter pupils into competitions or showcases - whether that is at a local community or regional/national level
Schools are therefore actively promoting involvement with art and culture and sign-posting students to organisations and opportunities outside their normal curriculum.
80% said they have a partnership with a local (professional) arts organisation.
Secondary schools
40%said they have a partnership with a local (professional) arts organisation.
Special schools
33%said they have a partnership with a local (professional) arts organisation.
Partnership organisations offer a range of services, including workshops in the schools, after school clubs, music provision, performances in schools, meeting artists, trips for performances.
External practitioners offered programmes across many artforms...
Music
Theatre
Dance
Museums/Heritage
Art
Overall, 2 in 3 schools said that they invited organisations and creative practitioners into their school to deliver arts performances and workshops - 75% of primary schools, and 40% of secondary schools. The subject areas of these organisations are broken down below. Practitioners were mostly brought into schools for theatre, music and dance programmes. Regular music and dance groups were most often delivered by external providers.
Subject areas of the organisations and creative practitioners engaging with schools:
65%said they have a relationship with a local arts organisation over a number of years.
School partnerships
44%said they have a partnership with another local school to support the arts curriculum.
Local community arts programmes
15%said they are part of a local/community-based arts programme.
Facilities
1 in 5 schools said they do not have access to any arts or creative facilities. Most schools that responded to the survey have access to a music room and theatre or hall space with some production facilities. 80% of secondary schools had access to an art studio compared with only 1 in 5 primary schools, or 1 in 3 special schools.
The majority of both primary (92%) and secondary (70%) schools provide musical intruments, if they offer lessons.
Schools indicated that they have the following facilities:
The section below provides an overview of the survey responses when school staff were asked about the funding and support they have accessed to enable arts and enrichment activities in their school.
1 in 4 schools reported that they attract additional funding for arts curriculum and enrichment activities. Funding sources are broken down by school type below.
Funding sources for provision of art curriculum and enrichment activity:
Trusts and foundations
63%of schools said they received additional funding from trusts and foundations.
Leeds City Council
88%of schools said they received additional funding from Leeds City Council.
Fundraising events or activities
38%of schools said they received additional funding from fundraising activities.
Parents
25%of schools said they received additional funding from parent contributions.
Other sources
13%of schools said they received additional funding from other sources not mentioned.