Opinion with Hugh Blackwood

A global pandemic. Countries at or on the brink of war. Dinner-table eruptions on subjects like race, sexuality, gender. Social media hammering wellbeing and health. Government corruption, inconsistency, U-turns and game-playing with health and education, lives and livelihoods…What a drama the last few years have been.

Dad jokes aside, it is impossible to have missed how afflicted young people have been over the last few years by the above and more, which is why subjects like Drama are more necessary than ever before.

I'm preaching to the converted here. We all know how valuable our subject is, but my questions are: why have things not shifted towards making the arts a sincere educational priority? Why aren't enough people pushing the absolute necessity of the performing arts being at the centre of the system, especially with the impact of the above on us all? I think we all know why. So, I'm not going to waste my shot on listing the reasons. It's a future conversation. I'm going to use my remaining words to accentuate the positive.

We often need to remember we're a subject that can truly have genuine, honest-to-goodness moments of wonder and career-starting sparks of inspiration. We craft dream-making realities and epiphanies that can last a lifetime - whether it's in a classroom, rehearsal studio or theatre.

As educators, we're built to not let students down. We turn up, do the job, go home, do the job, have a holiday, do the job. Our positivity can be drained by extraneous drudgery. We forget how lucky and fortunate we are to have the honour to see such moments. As you read this, somewhere there is a young person who'll be the next Judi Dench, Billy Porter, Stephen Sondheim or Jodie Comer. And you will be part of that.

My twitter account is @hughblackwood.

Please post a positive moment that you and/or a colleague have experienced in relation to the performing arts. Please use #SchoolToStage and @DramaAndTheatre, so we know it's you.

In closing, Shakespeare struck a massive nail of truth when he wrote: ‘It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.’ Remember, to enable a child to reach their destiny, it takes a spark – and that's your entrance.

Hugh Blackwood is Creative Arts lead at Five Acre Wood School, Kent