Controversial reforms to HSC drama that made it possible to complete the entire course without a student’s performance being externally assessed will be scrapped after a backlash from teachers and high-profile actors.
The NSW Education Standards Authority released the draft changes for consultation until December but its chief executive, Paul Martin, axed the proposed alterations amid a firestorm of complaints within the world of performing arts educators on Monday.
Veteran drama teacher Jane Simmons (right), who is head of performing and visual arts at Sydney Catholic Schools, and drama teacher Alisha Vigna on Monday night.Credit: Wolter Peeters
“In response to clear feedback, we will continue to externally examine a group performance in HSC drama,” Martin said.
Feedback to a new proposed music syllabus has also criticised a move to not externally assess some of the practical elements, as is the case at present. However, Martin said they had not yet reached a decision on that.
“We have also heard the community’s feedback to draft music syllabuses that are detailed and will be given further consideration,” he said.
Drama NSW vice president of professional learning Amy Gill told a NSW parliamentary inquiry examining the issue on Monday that there had been a lack of meaningful consultation and that she wanted the entire syllabus to go back to the drawing board.
“I believe there has been less consultation in the 11-12 syllabus than any other previous syllabuses,” she said.
The agitation of music and drama teachers has sparked the most vociferous reaction to any syllabus, with more than 5000 people signing a petition submitted to NSW parliament. Drama teachers assembled en masse at The Seymour Centre late on Monday afternoon to voice concerns.
One of those was veteran drama teacher Jane Simmons, who is head of performing and visual arts events at Sydney Catholic Schools. Simmons called for another consultation period for the syllabus.
“The whole thing needs a rewrite, it is not just one thing. We need another consultation period, which at the moment is not on the table for us,” she said.
Drama teacher Alisha Vigna said some of her students were diverse learners who benefited from study options – such as lighting design – which were removed from the drama syllabus.
“Losing these options is going to disadvantage these kids because they don’t have this passion project to pursue,” she said.
Celebrated actor Heather Mitchell said she was deeply concerned by the performance changes as initially presented as it suggested that performance was ultimately unimportant.
Heather Mitchell says removing external assessment from HSC drama relegates performance to being “unimportant”.Credit: Steven Siewert
“I believe they are at the core of sound educational principles. They are at the core of who we are as human beings. Please, I beg you – do not stop our young people exploring who they are, what they can achieve and what they can offer,” she said.
Proposed changes to the music 1 syllabus would see the theory examination time double, while externally assessed performances would have less weighting on a student’s final mark.
One of Australia’s best concert pianists, Simon Tedeschi, said the push to reduce significantly performance requirements in the HSC would affect how young people perceived the world.
“It’s no wonder so many of us struggle to think beyond crude binaries or seek validation in ‘likes’ and reality TV when some of those at the top seem allergic and sometimes even resentful towards the idea that art can be transcendent and not just ‘theorised’,” he said.
“Music is academically rigorous, sure, but it’s so much more. It’s social practice, communication, empathy, psychology, spirit, history and style.
“Performing a great piece of music demands the full participation of the human being, the capacity to explore the subtleties that lie beyond percentiles and bell curves.
“Music is not there to be understood like a maths problem; it is experienced, and this can only happen through the alchemical magic that is performance.”
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