News

Champion the arts and culture within the curriculum review – respond today

29 March 2011

The Department of Education is currently reviewing the National Curriculum and is considering which subjects should be included and what should be taught. The review document outlines plans for a much reduced curriculum, with only English, Maths, Science and PE included as statutory subjects for schools to teach. This new curriculum, coupled with the recent introduction of the English Baccalaureate, could lead to inequality of access to the arts for children and young people across the country.

If the arts are lost from the curriculum we risk schools cutting back arts provision – something that has already begun at the introduction of the English Baccalaureate – and young people across the country only gaining access to cultural learning where a school or a head teacher is already committed.We now have until 14 April to champion the arts and culture to the review team and the advisory panel and save its place within the curriculum. It is absolutely critical that the team hear from the broadest range and largest number of professionals and organisations working in the cultural learning sector. Please do respond today.We have been working with Alliance members right across the sector to develop documents which may be of use to our signatories. We know that there will be areas where we don’t all agree, but feel it is important to put forward joint arguments and reflect each other’s specialisms wherever possible.You can download our draft response to the Curriuculum Review in the DfE format here, or if it is easier, read through our responses in word document form ( CLA responses to general questions, CLA responses to subject specific questions) and submit your thoughts online here.The consultation form itself can seem daunting as it is fairly long and complex. We have therefore created this very simple how-to guide to help you make your voice heard:How to respond to the curriculum reviewIf you are not already signed up to the CLA - sign up now. It is fast, secure and free and will strengthen our collective voice and agency with the government on this issue and many others.It is important to remember that identical submissions are treated differently to other submissions, and could be seen as a campaign by the department. It is therefore best if your own response is unique. However, the sheer volume of responses will make a difference so pick the right form of response according to the time you have available:If you only have 10 minutes


  1. Cut and paste your name, address and organisation details into the draft response form, read it through and send it to the Department of Education on NCReview.RESPONSES@education.gsi.gov.uk
  2. Send a link to this page to all your colleagues, friends and acquaintances
If you have an hour

  1. Download the draft response form and use the headings of each of our numbered response paragraphs to formulate your own argument. Send a copy to NCReview.RESPONSES@education.gsi.gov.uk
  2. Send a link to this page to all your colleagues, friends and acquaintances
  3. Send a tracked-change copy of your response to info@culturallearningalliance.org.uk so that we can incorporate any new arguments into our draft submission
If you have an hour and a half

  1. Read through some of our recent articles on the Schools White Paper, The 14-19 Review, and the Curriculum Review.
  2. Download the draft response form and use the headings of each of our numbered response paragraphs to formulate your own argument. Send a copy to NCReview.RESPONSES@education.gsi.gov.uk
  3. Send a link to this page to all your colleagues, friends and acquaintances
  4. Send a tracked-change copy of your response to info@culturallearningalliance.org.uk so that we can incorporate any new arguments into our draft submission
  5. Write to your local MP with your main concerns about the Curriculum Review and ask them to write to the Secretary of State, Michael Gove MP on your behalf.