At the start of this autumn term we bring you news about CLA’s presence at the Labour Party Conference; important details about the government’s curriculum and assessment review; details of a major new report on curriculum and assessment in secondary education; information on how to apply for Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Teacher Development Fund (now open for applications); details of a series of new Ofsted advisory groups; news about government investment in a music pilot scheme for disadvantaged pupils; the first report from Skills England; information about university application figures; and details of a Children’s Commissioner Report on the number of children missing from education.
CLA co-hosts Fringe Event at Labour Party Conference 2024
On 23 September the Cultural Learning Alliance was pleased to work in partnership with Curious Minds to co-host its first fringe event at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, titled ‘Access to Arts and Cultural Education: Helping Labour Deliver Creative Opportunities for Every Child.’ In true CLA style, the fringe event, co-hosted by cultural education charity Curious Minds, brought together sector and policy leaders for a crucial discussion about the future of cultural education. The event underscored the vital role of cultural education in breaking down barriers to opportunity, and explored how the cultural and education sectors can collaborate with the government to reverse the decline of arts in schools and deliver a creative entitlement for every child.
Panel Highlights:
- Charlotte Santry, News Editor at TES, chaired the discussion, guiding insightful conversations among the panellists
- Derri Burdon, CEO of Curious Minds and Co-Chair of the CLA, emphasised the crucial role of the cultural workforce in supporting schools to deliver high-quality cultural education. She highlighted how this professional educational workforce is equipped to provide solutions to some of the country’s most pressing problems, including teacher retention, young people’s mental health, and school attendance.
- John Slinger MP As the newly elected MP for Rugby, John’s advocacy for creative and cultural education was a highlight of the panel. He passionately described his own journey with the arts, from learning the violin to acting in school productions. His own school experience underscored the transformative impact of arts education and reinforced his commitment to policy changes that would ensure every child has access to such opportunities.
- Geoff Barton, Chair of the Oracy Education Commission and former General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, argued for changes to the accountability system for schools to reverse the decline in arts education. He argued that current measures often sideline arts education, and a shift is necessary to prioritise and protect creative subjects in the curriculum.
- Amy McGann, Head of the National Schools Programme at the Royal Ballet & Opera, brought insights from her extensive experience in integrating arts into education
- Amina Atiq, a poet and young teaching artist, delivered a poignant poetry reading and spoke about her experiences attending a creatively rich school in the 2000s, a time when schools were better supported to deliver arts education. Her poem and reflections on her own educational experiences were both nostalgic and forward-looking, and served as an example of the positive impact of well-supported arts in schools and the potential for Labour to reinstate such support.
The panel discussion was held at the PLMR Policy Hub.
The conference radiated a hopeful tone for the future of creative and cultural learning. As Labour looks to the future we hope that the insights and discussions from this event, alongside the CLA’s Blueprint for an Inclusive Arts-rich Education for Every Child, will help to shape policies that prioritise and protect arts education for all.
CLA Board members, Derri and Amy, also attended a fringe event organised by Liverpool-based photography organisation Open Eye Gallery, where Secretary of State for DCMS Lisa Nandy spoke passionately about the vital importance of culture in children’s lives. Nandy emphasised the need to recognise the cultural sector’s role in enriching communities and supporting children’s development.
Lisa Nandy’s speech underlines the importance of cultural education
Lisa Nandy’s speech at the Labour Party Conference resonated deeply with the themes of the CLA’s event. She spoke about the role arts and culture plays in helping children to live “richer, larger lives,” and underlined Labour’s commitment to putting back arts back at the heart of schools, stating unequivocally that “a complete education is a creative education.”
Important update on the Government curriculum and assessment review
We reported in our July newsletter that Professor Becky Francis CBE, CEO of the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) had been appointed to chair the government’s new curriculum and assessment review. We now have further details of the review committee membership, terms of reference and a call for evidence.
We are told that the review will ensure that the curriculum appropriately balances ambition, excellence, relevance, flexibility and inclusivity for all children and young people. Specifically it is seeking to deliver:
- an excellent foundation in core subjects of reading, writing and maths
- a broader curriculum, with improved access to music, art, sport and drama, as well as vocational subjects
- a curriculum that ensures children and young people leave compulsory education ready for life and ready for work
- a curriculum that reflects the issues and diversities of our society, ensuring all children and young people are represented
- an assessment system that captures: the strengths of every child and young person; the breadth of the curriculum
The members (in addition to the Chair) are:
- Gary Aubin, Specialist Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) consultant and author on the SEND
- Professor Jo-Anne Baird, Director of the Oxford University Centre for Educational Assessment
- Professor Nic Beech, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Salford
- Cassie Buchanan OBE, CEO of the Charter Schools Education Trust
- Professor Zongyi Deng, Professor of Curriculum and Pedagogy at University College London
- Jon Hutchinson, Director of Curriculum and Teacher Development at the Reach Foundation
- John Laramy CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of Exeter College
- Dr Vanessa Ogden CBE, CEO of the Mulberry Schools Trust
- Lisa O’Loughlin, Principal and CEO of the Nelson and Colne College Group
- Funmilola Stewart, Trust Leader for Anti-Racism and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion across Dixons MAT
- Sir Ian Bauckham CBE (Observer), Interim Chief Regulator at Ofqual
On 25 September the review panel launched its Call for Evidence on the current curriculum and assessment system, inviting people to share:
- Their ideas for potential improvements
- What works well with the current system
- Details of anything that doesn’t work
The call for evidence closes on 22 November. Full details and the submission portal are available here. This stage aims to bring everyone into the conversation about what’s working well and what could work better. Any feedback received will help the panel make its first recommendations. As this is a call for evidence, not a consultation – panel is not seeking recommendations at this stage.
Following the review, all state schools – including academies which currently do not have to follow the national curriculum – will be required by law to teach the national curriculum up to age 16, giving parents certainty over their children’s education.
- The call for evidence focuses on:
- Providing an excellent foundation in English and maths
- Supporting children from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds
- Ensuring access to a broad and balanced curriculum
- Key stages 1 to 4
- 16 to 19 education
- The review will gather written and oral evidence from key stakeholders.
- A series of regional engagement events will take place from mid-October to gather input from young people and frontline staff
- It will address key challenges to attainment for young people, focusing on:
- Socio-economically disadvantaged children
- Children with SEND
- Barriers preventing equal opportunities and life chances
The review panel has nine sections with questions to fill out:
- About you
- Ensuring an excellent foundation in maths and English
- Curriculum and qualification content
- A broad and balanced curriculum
- Assessment and accountability
- Qualification pathways 16-19
- Other issues on which we would welcome views
Professor Becky Francis said: “The curriculum belongs to the nation. And especially, it must work for the young people who follow it, and the teachers and lecturers that communicate it. As such, it’s imperative that we hear perspectives and evidence from as wide a range of people as possible including children, young people, parents, education professionals and other stakeholders. The launch of our call for evidence today enables that. And we have sought to keep questions broad and wide-ranging, to enable people to have their say. There is much that is working in the present curriculum, but this is a chance to refresh, to address areas which aren’t working well, and to ensure excellence for all. I hope as many as possible will respond and I look forward to reading the responses.”
The CLA will be submitting evidence this autumn. Our CLA 2024 Report Card provides the background evidence to what has not been working well in terms of Expressive Arts education in recent years, and details why this matters, in particular for disadvantaged children and young people. The blueprint for change we published in May – which we consulted widely on widely last year – details the changes we believe would help to improve Expressive Arts provision within the schooling system. You can read a more detailed version of the blueprint here.
Charles Clarke Review
On 4 September OCR, a leading UK awarding body, published a major report following a review by former Education Secretary Charles Clarke, making the case for curriculum and exams reform, warning that the current volume and intensity of exams at GCSE is too high, and an overloaded curriculum is narrowing students’ education.
The report is based on wide consultation with stakeholders – including over 2,000 students and teachers – roundtable events, surveys and desk research.
Striking the balance: A review of 11-16 curriculum and assessment in England recommends rebalancing assessment away from a sole reliance on terminal exams at age 16, and urges a more holistic approach across education from 11 to 16. Its recommendations are intended to provide an evolutionary and sustainable change to the sector.
The report also calls for an updated curriculum, and the creation of an independent body responsible for keeping it relevant, ending the cycle of infrequent ‘big bang’ reforms.
The report finds that many of the problems that become apparent when students take GCSEs are identifiable – and can be addressed – much earlier in students’ secondary education. In English and maths it reports that many students begin their GCSEs already behind on foundational skills that should have been attained at Key Stage 3 or earlier. This requires a holistic approach to education and assessment, so gaps in knowledge can be filled and students can demonstrate their progression well ahead of exams at age 16.
Charles Clarke said: “The realistic, bold reforms set out in this report would give young people every opportunity to fulfil their ambitions and potential. Many teachers we consulted felt that this sort of change would give them the time and space to do the sort of teaching they joined the profession for.”
Chief Executive of OCR, Jill Duffy, said: “No one expects an exam board to say there are too many exams. Established exams have enormous strengths. But you can have too much of a good thing over a short period. As this report makes clear, it is possible to rebalance assessment at GCSE without sacrificing rigour and standards.”
Geoff Barton, Chair of the Independent Commission of Oracy in England, and former head of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “This report provides an important, evidence-based agenda for the new government’s curriculum and assessment review, and provides a welcome opportunity to keep what’s good in our education system but improve what’s not good enough.”
The report’s recommendations include calls to:
- Reduce the number of assessments used at GCSE; spread them out across the two years of Key Stage 4; and review the use of non-exam assessments
- Reduce the content of the GCSE curriculum, allowing more time for the study of broader skills and competences
- Introduce a benchmarking qualification, taken on screen, in maths and English to highlight gaps in students’ knowledge and provide structure to Key Stage 3
- Re-design the English Language GCSE as a matter of urgency, and include a broader definition of English skills, including media and spoken language
The report arrives as Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has commissioned a government review into curriculum and assessment, chaired by Professor Becky Francis.
CLA welcomes the report’s recommendations, which align with our blueprint for an arts-rich education for every child and the need for reform of the school accountability and assessment system.
Round 8 of Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Teacher Development Fund opens for applications
The Paul Hamlyn Foundation Teacher Development Fund supports teachers to develop arts-based approaches which create equitable classrooms where all children learn and thrive. The Foundation sees high-quality arts-based learning as a core part of all children’s education.
The Fund is now open with a deadline of 13 November (12 noon).You can apply for up to £165,000 per application and projects should last two academic years.
Either a primary school or an arts/cultural organisation may be the lead applicant.
- All applications must have solid partnerships in place
- Each partnership must include one or more arts/cultural organisations
- A minimum of six and a maximum of ten schools should be involved in each project, regardless of whether the lead applicant is either an arts/cultural organisation or a school
- Each participating school should commit at least two teachers and one senior leader to the project, though flexibility can be offered to small, rural schools
- Arts organisations can be charities, community organisations, social enterprises and not-for-profit companies active in the arts and culture sector
- Participating schools can be mainstream, SEND or Alternative Provision settings, working with primary-age children
- Projects may include teachers of Nursery and Reception classes in primary schools
- All schools must be operating in the state sector
Application details are on the PHF website and application support resources are available on the TDF Resource Hub (via Padlet).
TDF is a great opportunity and Paul Hamlyn Foundation sees some amazing, transformative work in schools, so we hope that this opportunity will be exciting for our members.
DFE announces Ofsted advisory groups and their members
Amidst changes to Ofsted, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector (HMCI), Sir Martyn Oliver, has invited appointed external stakeholders with relevant experience to be members of one of seven external reference groups.
The seven external reference groups announced on 4 September are:
- Curriculum, teaching and assessment
- Behaviour and attendance
- Inclusion
- Well-being of leaders and staff
- Early years regulation and social care
- Insights and evidence (education)
- Insights and evidence (social care)
The group will meet three times a year. Between them, they will:
- Discuss and challenge Ofsted’s data, research and evaluation plans
- Act as expert advisors on their specialism, sharing important updates and developments
- Advise on proposed developments around Ofsted’s areas of research interest, policy or practice
- Support and assist with translating insights into recommendations and improvements for policy and practice
- Advise on maximising impact and dissemination of our research and evaluation outputs
- Inform Ofsted’s strategic priorities
- Offer feedback and challenge on Ofsted’s policy work to make sure inspections raise standards in education
- Advise on aspects of training relating to leader and staff well-being
- Review Ofsted’s proposed developments in response to national policy on childcare or social care
- Provide insights on the care standards and childcare standards to inform national policy and Ofsted’s advice on necessary changes
The groups of most relevance for CLA will be the Curriculum, Teaching and Assessment Group, the Inclusion Group, and the Insights and Evidence (Education) Group. Further details and the names of the members can be found here.
Government investment in music pilot scheme for disadvantaged pupils
DfE has announced that pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds or with SEND will get targeted support to unlock their musical potential, thanks to a new pilot scheme designed to break down the barriers to opportunity and advance their talents.
The government’s Music Opportunities Pilot will expand on Young Sounds UK’s existing programme – Young Sounds Connect – which offers pupils across primary and secondary schools the opportunity to learn to play an instrument of their choice or how to sing to a high standard by providing free lessons and supporting young people to progress, including taking music exams.
The pilot scheme will run over four years and is jointly funded by a £2 million investment from the Department for Education and £3.85 million funding from Young Sounds UK and its partners. Young Sounds UK will work in collaboration with local Music Hub partners that support and enable access to music education for children and young people in England in order to deliver the programme.
Backed by £5.8million, co-funded by the government and partners including Young Sounds UK, Arts Council England and Youth Music, the programme aims to inspire the next generation of British musicians across 12 areas including Sunderland, Bury, Bradford and Stoke on Trent.
School Standards Minister, Catherine McKinnell said: “The arts are one of the most important ways to help children and young people to develop creativity and find their voice. Music opportunities should be available to all pupils – no matter their background or circumstance.” Arts Minister Sir Chris Bryant said also said that music should never be the preserve of “a privileged few.”
Hester Cockcroft, Chief Executive of Young Sounds UK said: “Young Sounds Connect is designed to help young people from low-income families lead their own musical learning after whole-class lessons end, connecting them to funding, opportunities and each other, so they can keep on progressing as musicians. 15 years since it was first piloted, we’re delighted to be able to supercharge the programme model over the next four years through the Music Opportunities Pilot.”
In its statement, the government linked the news to the announcement of its Curriculum and Assessment Review and helpfully referenced that the review seek to deliver a broader curriculum so that children and young people do not miss out on creative subjects such as music, art and drama, as well as sport: “By re-establishing the arts as an integral part of the curriculum the government is raising the status of studying creative subjects and the creative industry, ensuring the arts remain a powerful force in shaping the nation’s future.”
Skills England to support delivery of careers education in schools
Skills England has published its first report. Interim Chair, Richard Pennycook, has stated that the organisation “will work with the schools system to emphasise that the foundation of any skills development is satisfactory levels of attainment in literacy and numeracy, and support our schools in the provision of high-quality advice to students on career opportunities and pathways.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Skills are vital to the change this governments wants to deliver and this report identifies a long list of challenges. We have a fragmented and confusing landscape that lets down learners, frustrates business and hold back growth.”
The report stated that nearly one in 10 – or more than 2.5 million roles – in the UK are deemed to be in “critical demand,” and that 90 per cent of these require periods of work-related training or education. The health and social care industry has the highest volume of roles in demand. The report added that “high demand occupations include those in the education, manufacturing, and professional scientific and technical industries.”
Skills England will work with the DfE to ensure that all post-16 providers, including school sixth forms and colleges, are “incentivised to meaningfully engage in and help grow their local skills ecosystems”. The body will conduct a series of roundtables and webinars in the autumn to “further test and refine the initial assessment of skills needs (including in key sectors), and provide opportunities to help shape decisions on how it will execute its functions.
The demise of Creative & Cultural Skills in 2023 after nearly 20 years means that the sector no longer has a voice in this sphere (we reported on this closure in November 2023), and, as we know, arts subjects have not been seen as strategically important within the education system in recent years.
Our concern has long been the diversity of the arts and creative sectors, and the solution to broadening diversity lies with ensuring equality of access to a high-quality arts education in schools. The Skills policy world needs to ensure that the arts do not get overlooked when we know that the creative industries employed 2.4m people in 2022 and generated £126bn in gross value added to the economy – and the arts sector must find ways to ensure that it stays close to the education and skills mainstream.
University application figures for academic year 2024/5 remain stable
UCAS data for autumn 2024 applications shows that 72,740 prospective students applied to start an undergraduate course this autumn, with 51,809 being from the UK. Over the last decade, total domestic student application numbers climbed gradually until applications to begin study in 2022 reached a peak at 55,990, before dropping slightly in the two application cycles since. This year, the number of domestic student applications for 2024 sits 7% lower than the 2022 peak, but above 2020 levels (47,660), the last pre-pandemic application window, and only 2% below application figures to begin study in 2023 (53,120). There was potential for a drop in numbers due to the cost of living situation.
The data reveals that the number of 18-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds that have applied to undergraduate courses has hit a record high, up 7% from 2022.
A number of studies reported by NCUB suggest that future application numbers could be lower, due to issues such as increases in accommodation costs and tuition, the long tail of the former government’s emphasis on ‘strategically important’ non-arts subjects and their focus on future income of students, growth in apprenticeships, and the declining value placed on degrees by some employers.
As and when further data is released – particularly on application numbers to Expressive Arts subjects – CLA will track and report these against previous years. All relevant HE data will be featured in our 2025 Report Card (see our 2024 Report Card here).
Children missing from Education (CME) – Children’s Commissioner Report September 2024
The latest report from the Children’s Commissioner defines what constitutes a child missing from education and details the numbers and characteristics of the children involved, prevention strategies, actions taken to find children and the destinations of missing children. Each year now more than 100,000 are missing from education. This 80-page report is an in-depth assessment of the problem and advocates a way ahead.
Engagement with Expressive Arts subjects can be a major source of achievement, inspiration and enjoyment for children and young people, providing them with memorable experiences, as well as skills for life and skills for work. A new government ambition to deliver a broader and more balanced curriculum so that children and young people do not miss out on creative subjects such as music, art and drama (as well as sport) could provide an important route to connecting young people to educational experiences in school, and in tackling problems with attendance and engagement.
