Department for Education commits to Cultural Education Plan in 2023 6 Jun 2022

In March, The Department for Education published its first White Paper in six years, which included a commitment to create a National Plan for Cultural Education by 2023. DfE will work alongside ACE and DCMS on the plan, which it hopes will give better opportunities to young people who want to pursue careers in the creative industries. DfE’s commitment reads: “as part of a richer school week, all children should be entitled to take part in sport, music and cultural opportunities. These opportunities are an essential part of a broad and ambitious curriculum, and support children’s health, wellbeing and wider development, particularly as we recover from the pandemic.” A decade ago Darren Henley (now Chief Executive of ACE) wrote a review of cultural education for Government, leading to the publication of a National Plan in 2013: however the final result came with no investment or delivery structure (unlike Henley’s original proposals): the new plan has the potential to be a far more effective approach. A working group has now been gathered, which includes Arm’s Length Bodies such as Historic England and the British Film Institute, alongside ACE and Government departments. Cultural Learning Alliance, CLA (20 year cultural education policy timeline)  

Also: A New Direction will shortly be convening a conversation on arts in schools and beyond, in a time when the number of pupils taking GCSEs and A Levels in arts subjects is declining. It invites colleagues across arts and education to take part. A New Direction