The Stage

Trinity/Guildhall merger will spell arts curriculum overhaul

Published Tuesday 30 March 2004 at 11:30 by Sally Bramley

Dance and Drama Award examiner Trinity College, London, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama’s external examinations board have merged this week to create a new organisation for performing arts qualifications.

Launched on March 31, Trinity Guildhall aims to be a “responsive and authoritative” unitary examinations board, giving tutors and students a comprehensive curriculum in music, drama, dance and speech both in the UK and worldwide.

The body also plans to include multicultural traditions as part of an expanded range of exams and higher awards and more advanced syllabuses.

Trinity chief executive Dr Roger Bowers said in a statement: “This is a partnership of two major organisations underpinning performing arts education. We each have a distinguished history in the field of assessment and qualifications provision. Now our future is together, in creating a powerful alternative for those seeking to prove their credentials across an extensive range of the performing arts.”

Guildhall School, Trinity and the London College of Music are three of the major examining boards based in the UK. In addition to the Dance and Drama Awards, Trinity also offers qualifications in performing arts from primary school to postgraduate level. Guildhall’s exams are similar to Trinity’s, although the school is widely known for their musical qualifications.

Eric Hollis, director of Initial Studies at Guildhall, said the exams at his school and Trinity would continue to be accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. He said the new body would be “uniquely placed” to advance learning and teaching in Britain and abroad.

Hollis added: “I am confident that this amalgamation of two complementary traditions will enjoy the support of many associates in the UK and around the world.”

All current syllabuses and qualifications, including the DaDA scheme, which is funded by the Department for Education and Skills, will remain in place as the full integration of the boards will take place over six years - the normal timespan taken to develop a new syllabus.