Creativity Crisis Looms For English Schools Due To Arts Cuts

Labour Party in the UK warns that schools in England face a creativity crisis with the number of creative arts students and teachers down by as much as a fifth in some subjects after a decade of underinvestment.

Pupils’ engagement in the creative arts is considered by many to be a key factor in their recovery from the pandemic yet, according to Labour, specific government funding for music, arts and cultural programmes will equate to just £9.40 per pupil this year.

New analysis of government data shows that the number of GCSE music and drama students has fallen by a fifth over the last decade, Labour says, a trend mirrored by a drop in the number of drama teachers.

Labour’s analysis has shown in addition, one in seven music teachers and one in eight art and design teachers have left the profession.

School reforms have caused pupils to move away from arts subjects such as dance, music and art, and towards more traditional academic subjects such as geography and English.

There was an outcry in May from artists and musicians who accused the government of neglecting the country’s “cultural national health” after becoming aware of plans for a 50% funding cut to arts subjects at universities, which could come into effect from this autumn.

The shadow schools minister, Peter Kyle, said the government’s refusal to back school arts threatened children’s recovery from the pandemic and the country’s future prosperity.

He said creative industries contribute £11bn to the UK economy, but warned that this would be under threat if fewer pupils had the chance to learn such skills.

The study of music is an area of particular concern, with critics warning that it is increasingly becoming the preserve of wealthier families.

Earlier this week, a report by the schools watchdog, Ofsted, said the study of music was in decline not only at GCSE and A-level, but also earlier in a child’s education.

The report finds that music provision for children in key stage 3 (ages 11-14) has been reduced and primary-level trainee teachers are offered shrinking amounts of musical training.

A Department for Education spokesperson said the proportion of young people taking at least one arts GCSE since 2010 had remained stable.

Responding to a parliamentary question from Labour last week, the school standards minister, Nick Gibb, said the government had delivered the largest cash boost for schools in a decade. He said: “This government values the arts and supports the creative arts throughout the education system.