Arts already being ‘squeezed out’ by EBacc

The first signs that arts and music are being squeezed out of the school curriculum by Education Secretary Michael Gove’s English Baccalaureate have emerged in a new survey by teachers’ leaders.

Figures show the amount of time devoted to art has been slashed by 16 per cent on average, as have design and technology subjects. Other subjects to emerge as victims of the new proposals are ICT with a 15 per cent cut, music 14 per cent and religious education 13 per cent.

The survey of more than 2,500 teachers was carried out by the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers. Its general secretary, Chris Keates, said the survey was “further damning evidence that educational entitlements for our children and young people are being stripped away”.

The EBacc is used now only as a ranking measure for exam league tables. By 2015, Mr Gove plans to scrap GCSEs in maths, English and science, replacing them with an EBacc certificate, followed by languages, history and geography.