News

Open letter challenges UK government to support the arts in education

More than 720 signatories call on the government to ensure 'every young person … has access to music, art, design and drama'
Adobe Stock/Gatot

An open letter published in The Times on 14 March calls on the British government to keep its promises on arts education and put the arts at the heart of the curriculum.

The letter emphasises the ‘untold damage to children and their life chances’ caused by the EBacc and Progress 8 policies. Since the introduction in 2010 of the EBacc, which contains no arts subjects, there has been a 42% drop in arts subjects generally (36% in music) taken at GCSE in state schools, while music A Level entries have fallen by 45%; similarly, assessment criteria for Progress 8, introduced in 2016, encourage schools to focus on EBacc subjects.

Register now to continue reading

Register to the Music Teacher website today to read more of the latest news and developments from the world of music education.

You’ll receive:

  • Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month

  • Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector

Register

Already have an account? Sign in here