Maths, science and reading will continue to be assessed against international standards, but DfE says testing young people's creative thinking is "not the best use of resources".
How can cultural spaces become spaces of learning? And how can learning spaces become cultural spaces? Jenny Mollica reflects on the experience of Barbican Guildhall Creative Learning as it reaches its tenth anniversary.
New Writing North is helping young people in some of the region's most socio-economically disadvantaged areas express themselves through creative writing. Laura Fraine explains how a new generation is finding its voice.
The lack of affordable skills-based training and opportunities to learn from others makes it much harder for people from disadvantaged backgrounds to develop their careers in the arts. Simina Neagu and Valentina Bin took action to fill the gap.
Victoria Edwards details a plan to attract students with previously low arts engagement to the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama - and by extension, the creative industries.
All eleven advisors of the London drama school have quit in protest at Central St Martins' decision to halt admissions for two well-regarded courses, claiming there is a “sense of hostility” from administrators.
The ACE and Durham University collaboration says that prioritising exam technique over deep understanding is “far from ideal for government, regulators, heads, teachers or parents”.
New figures from the Department for Education show the number of arts, media and publishing apprentices has fallen by a third since 2015 – but the data doesn’t tell the full story.
Apprenticeship reforms have offered new opportunities for organisations who want to take on a trainee, writes Madeleine Lund. But how realistic are apprenticeships for our most disadvantaged and underserved young people?
A survey of arts leaders, teachers and musicians finds composing is being sidelined, with unclear progression routes and declining confidence among aspiring young composers.
The University of Lincoln's School of Fine and Performing Arts is thought to be unique in employing a professional producer to support students' creative work. Rachel Baynton explains how her role bridges the gap between academia and artistic practice.
A new report on the impact of a music making programme has highlighted positive changes in the “creativity, emotional literacy, motivation and self-efficacy” of young people, the scheme’s manager says.
Every teenager in Finland will get free visits local and national arts institutions, thanks to the country’s “innovative” plan for cultural education. Aleksi Valta describes how communities are building cultural competency from the ground up.
The former Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Education Minister recently came under fire for supporting education policy that would “destroy genuine creativity”.
First World War centenary commemorations proved that large-scale cultural projects can effectively mark nationally significant events. The question now is ‘what next?’, says Jane Ellison.
The number of students taking Art and Design has increased, but campaigners said it is “not enough to correct several years of long-term decline in uptake”.
