Geoff Barton notes a 'worrying' decline in Creative Arts subjects

The General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders Geoff Barton has voiced concerns regarding the decline in creative arts subjects.

According to provisional figures from Ofqual, entries in drama fell 5.4 per cent this year compared with last, while music was down 3.6 per cent. Media, film and TV studies dropped 3.3 per cent, while design and technology was down 5 per cent.

In a statement released ahead of GCSE results day, Barton remarked:

“It is worrying to see that the number of GCSE entries to several creative arts subjects, as well as design and technology, have fallen this year – part of a long-term decline in these subjects. This is driven by government performance measures which favour traditional academic subjects at the expense of other subjects, and funding pressures which make small classes difficult to sustain.

“Schools now face huge extra cost pressures because of rising energy costs and pay awards for which there is no additional government funding. This will make it even more difficult to sustain small-entry subjects and there is a danger that some of these subjects will largely disappear from the state education system and become the preserve only of families who are wealthy enough to afford private schools and clubs. The government must make state education a priority and fund it properly.”