RAPS Helps Set UK Education Standards

A fact-finding mission by East Thanet MP Polly Billington and Georgia Gould MP, the Minister of State for School Standards, offered first-hand experience of the defining role RAPS plays as the area’s only school with a bespoke arts curriculum, and its dedication to the positive outcomes of ongoing support for inclusivity and special educational needs.

They met with Viking Academy Trust Director of Education Kate Law and RAPS Head of School Nick Budge and chatted to number of children.

The MP said: “I was proud to show schools minister Georgia Gould around Ramsgate Arts Primary as I wanted her to see some of the transformative impacts of a strong arts offer for the educational achievement and wellbeing of children.

“From the brilliant art in the foyer to the dance and drama classes and the nurture provision that supports children who can struggle with a mainstream classroom all day, Georgia was able to see the positive outcomes for the children.

“She is working on reintroducing arts into the curriculum after years of neglect. I know she will be taking important lessons from her visit to Ramsgate to improve arts education across the country.”

Mrs Law explained: “The national curriculum is currently being re-written after the curriculum review recommendations and ministers are looking at ways to improve the quality of arts teaching and raise the profile of the arts in schools once again.

“This goes hand in hand with the focus the government and the new Ofsted framework has on inclusion at the centre of the work of schools.

“We toured the school and explained the way that the new nurture unit works at RAPS, supporting children with a variety of need to access school and the curriculum.

“Polly and Georgia were interested to explore any barriers the school had experienced in establishing this and how effective relationships with parents were established.

“We then explored the Arts curriculum with Mr Budge explaining how the extended day works between 2:15pm and 4:15pm at RAPS. We visited musical theatre, music, art and drama. Polly and Georgia talked with children about their learning and got a taste of how the arts timetable works.

“There was an important conversation about the need for specialist teachers for the arts at RAPS and how the government can overcome barriers to ensuring those teachers can be in schools in the future.

“We also then discussed how the excellent practice and RAPS could inform the new curriculum.

“It was a thoroughly positive visit and we hope that the successful and well thought out practices we are developing at RAPS and in our other Trust schools can help improve educational opportunities for children nationwide.”

Mr Budge added: “We are very proud of how RAPS continues to develop to meet the ever-changing needs of our children. Our Arts provision is very strong and encourages creativity, self-expression, confidence, individuality and teamwork across a number of music, dance, drama and art opportunities.

“Inclusivity and special educational needs have always been to the fore at RAPS and our provision is constantly updating and improving to give every child the very best educational journey in their formative years with us.”

*Georgia Gould MP is the UK Minister of State for School Standards, appointed to the Department for Education on September 6, 2025. She oversees school improvement, inspection, curriculum, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms, and teacher recruitment.

Ramsgate Arts Primary is part of the Viking Academy Trust with its partner schools Chilton Primary in Ramsgate and Upton Juniors in Broadstairs.

**Contact Head of School Nick Budge on 01843 582847