---

Schools: Music

Answer

The Government recognise the importance of a broad and balanced education, including music, and we are responding to Darren Henley’s review recommendations with a new national plan for music education. The current review of the national curriculum will determine whether any subjects beyond English, mathematics, science and physical education should remain part of the national curriculum in future. We have already completed a call for evidence which attracted nearly 5,800 responses. We will draw on this and other evidence, including evidence from Darren Henley’s review, in deciding our proposals for the new national curriculum. There will then be a further statutory consultation on those proposals early next year, before final decisions are taken. We have no plans to include music in the English baccalaureate. The English baccalaureate has been introduced to address concerns that the number of pupils who currently receive a broad education in core academic subjects is far too small and has been in sharp decline. The English baccalaureate is designed to recognise the success of those pupils who attain GCSEs or established iGCSEs at grade A* to C across a core of academic subjects: English, maths, the sciences, a language and either history or geography. These are subjects that our leading universities say prepare students for the most competitive courses. We encourage all pupils to study non-English baccalaureate subjects as well as those within the core in order to get a well rounded education, and the range of subjects within the baccalaureate is small enough to allow for that. Schools are in the best position to work with pupils to make choices that will allow them to achieve and progress, recognising the importance and value of achieving in these core areas, and also of study in other areas where they have an aptitude and interest. From 2012, we will be opening up access to datasets which will enable parents and others to develop and use their own measures to show schools' success in the areas they are interested in. This will allow them to monitor performance in music and other creative subjects.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

11572; 730 c74-5WA

Session

2010-12

Subjects

Curriculum Education Music English baccalaureate Music Education in England Review

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk