At Last - A Bit Of Culture

February 13th, 2008 |

For several years now I have been exasperated by politicians bleating on about sport and how we need to get schoolkids to take more exercise. What if you’re not interested in footy/rugger/cricket was my cry?

In todays press ( DTele, Gdn, etc ) I pleasingly read that, finally, someone has decided that those attending school should be subjected to culture for five hours a week. Hurrah!

And then you get the naysayers… “Mick Brookes, the general secretary of the National Association of Head teachers, warned of the practical problems of fitting more into the curriculum… the government needs to free schools up from the constrictures that they’ve put on them at the moment.”

Hang on here we are talking about five hours out of a thirty hour week? But… A-hah! “…practical problems … constrictures …” what he probably means is ‘Risk Assessments’, ‘Health & Safety’ and ‘off-site practicalities’: “Jones! Put that fag out!”

I was lucky in that I went to a school whereby from age 7 to 9, every Friday afternoon, we went to a gallery, museum or the theatre or some other art location. Totally enjoyed it and it didn’t half broaden your horizons.

Hurrah! for culture and a big raspberry to the naysayers: “You boy! Yes Brookes, you! Pull your finger out!”

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