The foundations of NATD.

The Policy Document

This document sets out the pedagogical, philosophical and political principles of the Association. It has been amended and ratified at a number of Annual General Meetings since its introduction in 1997.

It concludes with the following statements:

The needs of the child must be placed at the centre of the educational process. Teachers must be valued as professionals, responsible for assessing and meeting the needs of children. Drama must be seen as an integral and equal partner in the teaching and learning opportunities in all our schools. The arts are a crucial element in human development and therefore must be part of education. Therefore we must continue to oppose ERA and to build a humanising curriculum which develops all young people to their full potential. Education is the foundation stone on which a rich and human society is built. NATD is a growing professional organisation for all concerned with Drama in Education. Its policy is one of supporting and promoting drama as part of a full and balanced education for all. It would support initiatives for work through unions and political parties to achieve these aims.

The Constitution

The constitution has been in existence since the inception of NATD. It defines who we are, what we do and how we do it. It is a legal document that is the National Executive Committee’s point of reference throughout the year as it makes decisions on behalf of the members. It is not set in stone but can only be altered at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting. As such, it provides the protection and consistency that the Association needs as well as the flexibility to be able to respond to the changing world in which we live and work.

Our History

Now in its fourth decade, NATD has a proud history of work on which the Association we know today is built. In 2012, the National Executive Committee invited the Journal Committee to write the history of the Association. Delegates to Conference 2012 received the Special Issue below which sets out that history through the eyes of the Chairs of the Association up to 2011. The subsequent history that is being written now will appear in the form of the annual Chair’s report to the AGM.