Fears over decline in creative subjects
Many subjects see steep entry decline
Students are being deprived of valuable opportunities in education, unions have warned, as it emerges entries for creative GCSEs have fallen dramatically in the last five years.
STUDENTS ARE being deprived of valuable opportunities in education, unions have warned, as it emerges entries for creative GCSEs have fallen dramatically in the last five years.
Subjects such as design and technology have seen entries drop by nearly a third, analysis has shown, with steep falls in other areas including performing arts, drama and music studies.
It comes after warnings in Yorkshire that “creativity should not be for the privileged few whose parents can afford to pay for education”, as many state schools make difficult decisions.
Education funding cuts are fuelling the decline, school leaders and industry experts have warned, alongside Government reforms prioritising core academic subjects.
“This is a social justice issue,” said Sam Cairns, co-director at the Cultural Learning Alliance.
“Research shows that children with an arts deficit are disadvantaged educationally and economically while their more fortunate peers – generally from more affluent backgrounds – are more resilient, healthier, do better in school, are more likely to vote, to go to university, to get a job and to keep it.”
It has been suggested that a drive towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), focusing on core subjects, leaves little room for the arts. Since 2012, entries for performing and expressive arts GCSEs have fallen by 26 per cent, alongside a 14 per cent drop for drama and 22 per cent drop for media, film and TV studies.
In June, the principal of The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) warned the disappearance of arts subjects from the school curriculum is harming the career prospects of young people. Cutting back on teaching of the arts, said Sue Woodroofe, is closing the door on one of the fastest growing parts of the country’s economy, risking serious consequences.
“If the Government wants to equip young people for work, it needs to take a less rigid approach and ensure that everyone from every background has access to a balanced curriculum that includes the arts,” she said. “That is the only way to match skills to career opportunities and future-proof the UK.”
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) said schools were doing their best against “impossible odds”.
“The curriculum is in danger of being narrowed to an academic core, depriving students of broader opportunities which inspire many into careers in the creative and design industries and damaging this vital sector of the British economy,” he added.
A DfE spokeswoman said: “High quality arts subjects are an important part of every child’s education and the proportion of pupils taking arts subjects at GCSE has remained largely stable since 2010.
“Music remains a compulsory subject from age five to 14 and we are investing nearly £500m up to 2020 in a range of music and arts education programmes designed to improve arts provision for all children.”
Children with an arts deficit are disadvantaged educationally. Sam Cairns, co-director at the Cultural Learning Alliance.