Britain's cultural leaders are celebrating a potential turning point for arts education as the government proposes sweeping changes to the national curriculum following years of dramatic decline in creative subjects.
The Scale of the Crisis
New data reveals the alarming extent of the arts education crisis in England's schools. Since 2010, enrolment in arts GCSEs has fallen by 40%, while the number of dedicated arts teachers has declined by 23%. The situation has been deteriorating further, with recent GCSE data showing the decline accelerating beyond previous years.
Research from last year highlighted that a decade ago, approximately half of all A-level students took at least one humanities subject. By the 2021-22 academic year, this figure had dropped to just 38%, with the proportion taking specific arts subjects like music, design and media studies falling to 24%.
Cultural Leaders Welcome Change
The Department for Education announced this week that it wants to boost creative subjects taken at GCSE as part of wider changes to England's national curriculum. The proposed shake-up includes scrapping the English baccalaureate (Ebacc), a move that has been met with overwhelming positivity from arts leaders.
Playwright James Graham, who has consistently highlighted class inequality in the arts, welcomed the end of "the madness of the past decade" in which cultural subjects had been systematically devalued. He emphasised the importance of looking forward to create "a modern-day arts curriculum for 21st-century kids."
Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber expressed pleasure that the government had finally acknowledged "what some of us have known for years: that arts and music in schools is a fundamental right for young people." However, he cautioned that "fundamental questions remain around funding, curriculum structure and addressing the chronic shortage of teachers."
Personal Stories Highlight Impact
Nottingham-born playwright Beth Steel shared how a school trip to the Tate and National Gallery at age 14 proved pivotal in her development. "That visit had a profound effect on me: it was a stepping stone on my path," she recalled, describing the government's decision as "such a huge step in the right direction" for working-class children who might otherwise lack access to cultural experiences.
The saxophonist and composer YolanDa Brown echoed this sentiment, stating: "As someone who found my voice through a school saxophone, I know first-hand how life-changing great arts education can be." She stressed that proposals must be matched with "proper investment and support for teachers," including instruments and rehearsal spaces.
Nadia Fall, artistic director of the Young Vic, argued that "putting arts back on the table for pupils" was long overdue, noting that "Einstein played the violin from age six; it helped him work out complex physics problems."
The government's response to Professor Becky Francis's curriculum and assessment review clearly states that "the arts subjects are an entitlement rather than an optional extra", marking what many hope will be the beginning of a new era for creative education in England.
