The Department is clear that all pupils should be taught a broad and balanced curriculum. The best schools combine creative subjects with core subjects, and the Department is committed to ensuring that all pupils engage with both. There are no plans to add any additional subjects to those included in the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) performance measure. The EBacc was designed to be limited in size to allow pupils time to study other areas such as creative subjects.<\/p>
The Department believes in a high-quality education for all pupils, and integral to this is cultural education, which includes drama, dance, music and art. All state funded schools are required to teach a broad and balanced curriculum, and this includes promoting pupils' cultural development.<\/p>
The Department will continue to spend around £115 million per annum in cultural education over three years, through its music, arts and heritage programmes. With the real terms per pupil increases to core school funding and the nearly £5 billion that has been announced for education recovery, schools will continue to have the flexibility to deliver a broad and ambitious curriculum and enrichment activities, including in arts and creative subjects.<\/p>
The Department will also be publishing a Cultural Education Plan in 2023, working with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports and Arts Council England. The Chair of the Expert Advisory Panel was announced in 2022, and other panel members will be announced in due course. The Plan will focus on how the Government can support participation and progression in a wide range of arts subjects and activities, particularly for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and in underrepresented groups. It will also support young people who wish to pursue careers in the creative, cultural, and heritage industries.<\/p>
Schools and colleges make decisions themselves regarding which A levels they provide based on a range of factors, and this includes responding to pupil demand.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/111", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Gibb"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bognor Regis and Littlehampton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Gibb"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-03-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "168071"} , {"_value" : "168072"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-03-27T15:59:30.997Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-03-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Arts: English Baccalaureate"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to increase the provision of creative subjects in EBacc qualifications.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4471", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rachael Maskell"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "York Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rachael Maskell"} ], "uin" : "168070"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1121800", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1121800/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government is clear that the EBaccalaureate (EBacc) should be studied as part of a broad and balanced curriculum. It has been designed to be limited in size in order to allow pupils to continue to study additional subjects that reflect their individual interests and strengths, including arts subjects.<\/p>
The attached table shows that the proportion of young people taking at least one arts GCSE since 2010 has fluctuated across years, but has remained broadly stable. According to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport\u2019s Taking Part Survey, in 2017/18, 96% of children aged 5-15 had engaged with the arts in the past 12 months[1]<\/sup><\/sup>.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> [1] Arts covers music activities, theatre, drama, reading, writing, arts crafts and design, film/video/media/radio activities, dance activities, street arts/circus/carnival/festival activities.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/111", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Gibb"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bognor Regis and Littlehampton"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Gibb"}
, "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1121800/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "245581_245582_proportion_young_people_arts_subjects_table.pdf"}
, "title" : "245581_245582_proportion_young_people_arts_tables"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "245582"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-25T16:28:22.62Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Arts: English Baccalaureate"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the English Baccalaureate on the take-up of creative arts disciplines.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/207", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Vince Cable"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Twickenham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sir Vince Cable"}
], "uin" : "245581"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1122096", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1122096/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government is clear that the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) should be studied as part of a broad and balanced curriculum. It is limited in size in order to allow pupils to continue to study additional subjects that reflect their individual interests and strengths, including arts subjects. The proportion of pupils taking at least one Arts GCSE has fluctuated but remained broadly stable since the EBacc was introduced in 2010<\/p> <\/p> Arts subjects are not limited to the classroom, and according to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport\u2019s Taking Part Survey, in 2017-18, 96% of children aged 5-15 had engaged with the arts in the past 12 months[1]. The government is providing almost £500 million of funding between 2016-20 for arts and cultural education programmes.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> [1] The arts cover music activities, theatre/drama, reading/writing, arts crafts and design, film, video, media, and radio activities, dance activities, street arts, circus, carnival, and festival activities.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/111", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Gibb"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bognor Regis and Littlehampton"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Gibb"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-25T16:05:11.553Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Arts: English Baccalaureate"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect of the English Baccalaureate on access to creative subjects.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4109", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jeremy Lefroy"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stafford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jeremy Lefroy"}
], "uin" : "245789"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/867130", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/867130/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Music and the arts are compulsory in maintained schools until the end of Key Stage 3 (age 14). The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) has been designed to be limited in its size in order to provide a rigorous academic core whilst leaving space in the Key Stage 4 curriculum for the study of other subjects. In July 2017, the department published an analysis of the trends in arts uptake in state-funded mainstream schools where EBacc entry has seen an increase since 2010/11. This analysis shows that there is little correlation between the change in EBacc entry and the change in arts uptake, though what correlation exists suggests that schools where EBacc entry has increased tend to have also seen an increase in their arts uptake. The proportion of pupils in state funded schools taking at least one arts subject has remained broadly stable since 2010. The analysis is available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/trends-in-arts-subjects-in-schools-with-increased-ebacc-entry<\/a>.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/111", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Gibb"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bognor Regis and Littlehampton"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Gibb"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-03-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-03-27T16:22:49.293Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-03-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Arts: English Baccalaureate"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect of the English Baccalaureate on access to creative subjects.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4058", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Blomfield"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sheffield Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Blomfield"}
], "uin" : "133248"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/518994", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/518994/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government\u2019s ambition is that at least 90% of pupils in mainstream secondary schools will enter GCSEs in the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) subjects of English, maths, science, history or geography, and a language.<\/p> The EBacc has been designed to be limited in size to provide a rigorous academic core whilst leaving space in the curriculum for other subjects. On average, pupils in state-funded schools enter nine GCSEs and equivalent qualifications, rising to more than ten for more able pupils.[1] For many pupils, taking the EBacc will mean taking seven GCSEs; and for those taking triple science, it will mean taking eight. This means that there will continue to be room to study other subjects, including arts subjects. A good foundation in the EBacc subjects helps to keep options open for work and further study.<\/p> Since the EBacc was first introduced the proportion of pupils in state-funded schools taking at least one GCSE in an arts subject has increased, rising from 46 per cent in 2011 to 50 per cent in 2015.<\/p> On 3 November 2015 the Secretary of State for Education launched a public consultation seeking views on the government\u2019s proposals for the implementation of the English Baccalaureate.[2] The consultation closed on 29 January 2016 and the government\u2019s response will be published in due course.<\/p> [1] https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/schools-by-type?step=phase&geographic=all®ion=0&phase=secondary&for=Key%20stage%204%20performance&basedon=Exam%20entries&show=All%20pupils&&schoolTypeFilter=allSchools <\/a><\/p> [2] https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/implementing-the-english-baccalaureate<\/a><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/111", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Gibb"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bognor Regis and Littlehampton"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Gibb"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-05-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-05-27T12:27:34.35Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-05-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Arts: English Baccalaureate"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what impact assessment was conducted to identify the consequences of not including arts in the English Baccalaureate.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4433", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bristol West"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Thangam Debbonaire"}
], "uin" : "37357"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/450723", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/450723/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " I refer the Honourable Member to my response to PQ 24570, submitted to Parliament on Thursday 4 February 2016, in which I explained that EBacc subjects are part of a broad and balanced curriculum and that there is space in the wider school curriculum to teach other subjects alongside the EBacc subjects.<\/p> On 3 November 2015 the Secretary of State for Education launched a public consultation seeking views on the government\u2019s proposals for the implementation of the English Baccalaureate. The consultation closed on 29 January 2016 and the government response will be published in the spring.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/111", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Gibb"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bognor Regis and Littlehampton"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Gibb"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-02-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-02-11T17:48:44.157Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-02-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Arts: English Baccalaureate"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2016 to Question 24570, if she will make it her policy that creative subjects must be included in the new EBacc.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1486", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr David Anderson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Blaydon"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr David Anderson"}
], "uin" : "25933"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/448987", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/448987/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " This Government\u2019s aim is to have at least 90% of pupils taking GCSEs from the English Baccalaureate subjects of English, maths, science, humanities and languages.<\/p> These subjects are part of a broad and balanced curriculum. The EBacc has been designed to be limited in its size in order to provide a rigorous academic core whilst leaving space in the curriculum for pupils to study other subjects of their choice, including creative subjects. A good foundation in the EBacc subjects will help students keep their options open for work and further study.<\/p> On 3 November 2015 the Secretary of State for Education launched a public consultation seeking views on the government\u2019s proposals for the implementation of the English Baccalaureate[1]. The consultation closed on 29 January 2016 and the government response will be published in the spring.<\/p> [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/implementing-the-english-baccalaureate<\/a><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/111", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Gibb"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bognor Regis and Littlehampton"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Gibb"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-02-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "24900"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-02-03T16:29:39.427Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-01-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Arts: English Baccalaureate"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the lack of creative subjects in the Ebac on the creative sector of the economy.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4510", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Hayes"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dulwich and West Norwood"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Helen Hayes"}
], "uin" : "24899"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/448991", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/448991/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " This Government\u2019s aim is to have at least 90% of pupils taking GCSEs from the English Baccalaureate subjects of English, maths, science, humanities and languages.<\/p> These subjects are part of a broad and balanced curriculum. The EBacc has been designed to be limited in its size in order to provide a rigorous academic core whilst leaving space in the curriculum for pupils to study other subjects of their choice, including creative subjects. A good foundation in the EBacc subjects will help students keep their options open for work and further study.<\/p> On 3 November 2015 the Secretary of State for Education launched a public consultation seeking views on the government\u2019s proposals for the implementation of the English Baccalaureate[1]. The consultation closed on 29 January 2016 and the government response will be published in the spring.<\/p>