News

Welcome to our annual round-up of our activity.

2018 was a cracker of a year. Brexit dominated our political life. The value of creativity and the importance of arts education were nevertheless discussed and written about extensively.

Arts curriculum quality higher at secondary than primary level

This month we bring you news that the Creative Industries are now worth £101bn to the UK economy; the first report from the new Creative Industries Policy and Research Centre; an ISM Future of Music Education report; how to Fly The Flag for UN Human Rights Day; the SSAT Pure Imagination Conference; and a reminder that the Arts Council England 2020-30 Strategy first stage consultation closes on 2 January.

On 12 December the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee took evidence on a current inquiry into the social impact of participation in culture and sport from five government ministers:

On 31 October Amanda Spielman, the Chief Inspector wrote to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to set out what Ofsted considers to be major risks to the quality of education and school effectiveness. 

This month we bring you news of two reports from the Edge Foundation and CBI/Pearson that reinforce the case for arts education; a Radio 4 Front Row debate on arts education; a Royal Albert Hall call for arts GCSEs and DfE response; funding for teacher development from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation; and a call for nominations to the National Creative Learning Awards.

On 29 October Phillip Hammond, Chancellor of the Exchequer, presented his Budget to Parliament.

This month we bring you news of the RSC/Tate Time to Listen report on the impact of arts-rich schools; a House of Lords debate on music education; a £5m fund for youth performance networks; the Pisa 2021 test on creative thinking; a Frieze magazine article on the ‘extinction’ of arts in schools; a STEAM report from US National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, and a DASER STEAM event.

In her speech to SCHOOLS NE on 11 October Amanda Spielman, Chief Inspector of Ofsted, set out the plans and proposals for the new inspection framework that will come in to effect in September 2019.

Arts Council England (ACE) is consulting on its next 10 year strategy which will run from 2020 to 2030. The strategy will guide ACE’s development, advocacy and investment (read funding) decisions.