Newfield School: Seven pupils stage walkout from class after school keeps quiet about cuts to drama and music
Pupils at a Sheffield school were put in detention for walking out of lessons in protest at cuts to their creative arts classes.
Parents and pupils at Newfield Secondary School, in Norton Lees, have been frustrated for weeks over unaddressed rumours that drama, music and art classes would be cut short for Y7-9 starting in September 2025.
Namely, families heard the number of lessons would be halved and ‘rotated out’ to make room for more maths and English classes.
Word got out in March after the school reportedly told lesson provider Sheffield Music Hub that it was planning to change its curriculum.
However, the school did not respond to households following the rumours, leading to widespread irritation among parents.
One mum told The Star: “We have been asking for two months now. There were 50 letters to the school from parents about it - we know because we formed a WhatsApp group and kept track, and the school didn’t respond to anyone.
“The children feel so strongly about this. They want to keep doing their creative lessons and they want their fellow pupils to have them too.
“The kids that have no exposure to the creative arts who don’t have them in their home life need school to do it for them.”
In response, pupils took it upon themselves to stage a walkout on May 1 put together by the children themselves in a WhatsApp group.
The parent of one of the children told The Star: “My youngest child heard from another child before school started that there was going to be a walkout from pupils.
“The event was organised on a WhatsApp group of Y7 students, but this news spread to my child in person.
“It was decided the walkout would be staged before lunch at 12.20. Timing was important as the children would all be in different lessons and classrooms.
“Teachers found out about the group and many children were warned off from walking out prior to the event.
“This resulted in seven students actually walking out of class. All seven of the 11 and 12 year olds were given a one hour detention after school.
“My child has never had a detention before, but feels very strongly about this issue, as we repeatedly have asked for information and received no answers.”
Striking posters calling on Newfield to ‘Save Drama, Save Music’ also began appearing outside the school in late April. Writing on the road appeared reading ‘Have Mercy, Not Mercia,’ in reference to the school’s academic trust, which runs it.
Meanwhile, a petition on change.org calling on Newfield to “save our creative studies” was created on April 30 and has gathered over 870 signatures.
The Star contacted Newfield Secondary School’s operator, Mercia Learning Trust, for comment on May 6.
A letter was sent out to parents confirming the cuts the same day, stating that the school is making the cuts and boosting maths and English classes as “over 63 per cent of pupils left last year without English and Maths good passes”, which keeps them from accessing A Levels.
Read the letter in full below.
A spokesperson said: “Following a curriculum review, we have made the decision to increase teaching time in core subjects, including English and maths. To make this possible, some subjects at Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9) will move to a rotation model, which is used successfully in many schools.
“We remain fully committed to a broad and balanced curriculum. All pupils will continue to receive full coverage of the national curriculum, and all current GCSE option subjects in Years 10 and 11- including music, drama and art - will continue to be offered with lesson time above national guidance. This will ensure all pupils can be successful in their GCSE subjects and beyond.
“Newfield School has a strong track record in the performing arts, and this will remain a valued part of school life.”
What did the letter home to parents on May 6 say?
The full letter sent home to parents by Newfield’s headteacher, Miss Hollingsworth, is as follows:
Dear Parents and Carers
I want to reassure you that Newfield School is committed to ensuring the success of all pupils. It is important to us that pupils leave Newfield with the qualifications they need to access their next steps.
We have reviewed the curriculum and are aware that:
- over 63 per cent of pupils left last year without English and Maths good passes - so were unable to access A level courses - all of these pupils have to undertake resits in English and Maths
- some pupils are still entering Key Stage 4 unable to access GCSE content, as their reading and maths is not at expected levels.
In order to effectively tackle the issue, the amount of teaching time for English and Maths must increase. To allow for this, a review and changes to the curriculum at both Key Stage 3 (years 7, 8 and 9) and Key Stage 4 (years 10-11) was required.
Therefore, from September, in Key Stage 3, Computing, Design Technology, Music and Drama will move to a carousel model - a model widely used in schools across the country. Pupils will continue to access the full national curriculum and this shift will allow more curriculum time in English and Maths, ensuring we are strengthening the Key Stage 3 offer in preparation for Key Stage 4.
At Key Stage 4, pupils who start Year 10 next year are moving to a model across all option subjects which means they receive two lessons per week in one year and three lessons in the other year. Across the two years of Key Stage 4, this equates to approximately 175 hours of taught lessons. Most GCSE specifications recommend 120–140 hours of guided learning time per subject. Therefore, the time allocated will still be significantly above the required minimum.
We are confident this will ensure a more secure curriculum that will genuinely advance pupils across all subjects.
Additionally, it is important we still offer a rounded enrichment offer. Pupils will still have access to school shows, music lessons, trips and experiences and opportunities to explore all subjects. This will continue to be a really important feature of Newfield School life.
Pupils are being informed of these changes in assembly. They are aware of the rationale and approach and we will work with them to ensure a wide enrichment offer that is fulfilling for all.
Yours faithfully
Miss Hollingsworth