New research published by Bloomsbury Publishing as part of its Lit in Colour programme states that 90 per cent of drama texts taught at GCSE and 96 per cent at A Level English Literature are written by white playwrights.
The publication establishes that currently there are only two drama set texts by Global Majority writers available in A Level English Literature. However, the report also states that with the right support and resources in place, 84 per cent of respondents said they would be likely to choose a new drama set text for GCSE English Literature.
Margaret Bartley, editorial director for Literary Drama at Bloomsbury, said: ‘The landscape of teaching drama in English schools has remained largely unchanged. Our research shows that there is real appetite for change and that publishers, theatremakers, examiners and teachers need to work together to deliver change to the curriculum.
‘If we empower teachers to switch texts with confidence, students can continue to benefit from the positive impact and influence of studying plays. In the future, those plays will better reflect the student cohort and ensure students see themselves represented in the texts they study.’
bloomsbury.com/uk/connect/news/desire-to-study-diverse-drama-not-matched-by-educational-landscape