No negative impact on GCSE arts since EBacc, report shows

There has been no negative impact on the arts at GCSE since the introduction of the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), a new report suggests.

Research by News School Network - a charity offering advice and resources to those wanting to start a free school - has shown that there has been no “discernible impact” on the arts at GCSE level since EBacc was announced.

EBacc is a school performance measure, which was introduced in order for pupils to take up five core GCSE subjects such as science and history or geography. However, it has been argued that this measure pushes out the arts.

Despite this, The Two Cultures report which looks at the trends in GCSE entries in the last five years, shows that the number of arts GCSEs being taken in 2015-2016 was higher than in 2011-2012 - when EBacc had just been announced.

The amount of pupils taking a minimum of one arts GCSE in this period has increased by 7.4 per cent and the average number of pupils studying the arts has increased by 5.4 per cent.

In schools where the number of children obtaining the EBacc was above the national average in 2015-2016, 73.2 per cent of pupils taking up an arts subject achieved grades A* - C - compared to the national average of 71.7 per cent.

In addition to this, schools with more pupils taking an arts subject at GCSE got above average results in the EBacc, Progress 8 and Attainment 8.

This therefore can imply that schools which combine high expectations in core subjects, but also have a strong focus on the arts, are doing better.

Minister of state for schools, Nick Gibb, commented: “This report puts to rest the argument that the EBacc has stifled cultural education in England’s schools, reaffirming the government’s argument that children can enjoy a successful education in the arts while also excelling in the EBacc.

“The best schools in the country combine a high-quality cultural education with excellence in core academic subjects and we are committed to ensuring that England’s students continue to have access to both.”