A £150 million “arts premium fund” should be set up to develop the existing primary school workforce and train new teachers, according to a report calling for creativity and the expressive arts to be “at the heart” of the primary curriculum.
The Centre for Young Lives think tank and the Child of the North initiative say every primary school should become a “singing school” where music, drama and visual arts are as integral as literacy and numeracy.
Their report, “An evidence-based approach to creating a culture of inclusive opportunity through arts and creativity”, says teachers should have the time and resources to encourage primary pupils to sing, make music, paint, draw, create, play and act.
It adds that the government should expand arts and music education, including offering free music or singing lessons for three years for every primary school child who wishes to learn.
While more than 2 million people are employed in the creative industries in the UK, and the cultural sector accounts for £31 billion in gross value added to the UK economy, the report highlights how working-class representation in the sector is at its lowest level for a decade. Just 8 per cent of workers in TV and radio are from a working-class background, and social mobility in these industries is getting worse.
Creativity and the arts in schools
The research links this decline with a drop in extracurricular activities and creative subjects offered to GCSE students. More than 40 per cent of schools no longer enter students for GCSE music or GCSE drama, and 84 per cent don’t offer GCSE dance.
The report says children from the most affluent backgrounds are three times more likely to sing in a choir or play in a band or orchestra than children living in deprived areas.
The authors call for a “cultural shift to create an inclusive education system” with creativity at its heart that supports all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This would help to improve attainment, tackle the attendance crisis and develop a new generation of creatives to boost economic growth.
They argue that schools should not merely be places of “reading, writing and maths” but “places where young people can express themselves, explore diverse identities and develop the critical thinking skills needed to thrive”.
Former children’s commissioner Baroness Longfield, who is executive chair of the Centre for Young Lives, said a career in cultural industries “must not become the preserve of only the most advantaged”.
“Britain’s children have got talent, but we are often too slow to nurture it, and we are frequently failing to harness the innate skills in our communities through our education system. This is hindering the ability of our country to flourish and thrive,” she said.
“Many of our most successful musicians and bands have benefited from a rich, cultural and creative education in the private school sector.
“We need to invest in boosting the opportunities of children in our state schools, from all backgrounds, as part of a bold ambition to develop truly inclusive education, support creativity throughout childhood and to tackle problems like the attendance crisis and attainment gap.”
Art and design, music and dance are already compulsory in state schools from age 5 to 14, and drama in English up to 16.
A Department for Education spokesperson said the government’s mission is to break down barriers to opportunity and that it is committed to “ensuring access to the arts is no longer the preserve of a privileged few”.
“To support this, we are investing in music education through our £79 million Music Hubs programme, a £25 million investment in instruments and equipment, and our Music Opportunities Pilot.
“The Curriculum and Assessment review is also bringing together leading education experts, leaders and staff to consider how to ensure young people get the opportunity to access a broad and balanced curriculum.”
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