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This conference will examine priorities and next steps for creative education in England’s schools, colleges and HEIs, looking at the curriculum, training and career development in the creative industries.
It takes place with the importance of creative subjects being highlighted in the Department for Education’s major Curriculum and Assessment Review, in advance of its final report due in Autumn.
New approaches to creative education
With the Review calling for new approaches to teaching and learning in creative education, key stakeholders and policymakers will discuss implications and priorities for schools and the creative industries - and how suggestions could be taken forward for improving access to art, drama and music, including the introduction of interactive teaching practices outside the classroom and utilising external expertise.
Following plans announced by the Government for a National Centre for Arts and Music Education, delegates will assess strategies for promoting arts education, supporting teachers, and encouraging children’s creative interests. They will look at how best to address declining participation in creative subjects, as well as at the impact on disadvantaged children and how extra-curricular opportunities can be widened
The teaching workforce
The agenda looks at how to improve teacher retention and recruitment in the creative subjects, particularly in music, art and design. Support for early career teachers and overall professional development will be discussed, alongside addressing workload challenges.
Timetabling, assessment, inspection and funding
Discussion will also consider the impact of the EBacc performance measure on arts subjects, including access to and time allocated by schools, which was highlighted by the Curriculum and Assessment Review.
Sessions will also explore ways to recognise creative pursuits under the upcoming Ofsted report card system. Delegates will examine the suitability of existing assessment methods for creative subjects in schools, avenues for adaptation, and priorities for adjusting the balance of content and assessment in both creative and core subjects.
The conference will also examine levels of arts funding within schools to improve teaching and facilities, and priorities for utilising the £3m in funding to expand the Creative Careers Programme, announced in the 2024 Autumn Budget.
Higher education
Further discussion will assess progression to HE, assessing the state of current careers guidance and priorities for improving access to high-quality careers advice, particularly for disadvantaged and underrepresented learners. Delegates will discuss next steps for raising awareness of vocational routes into the creative sector and for widening participation in creative HE courses, as well as the impact of outreach programmes on student recruitment.
The sustainability of creative HE will also be considered, examining challenges such as funding concerns, rising costs, student recruitment pressures, looking at priorities for adapting funding models to support creative arts programmes.
Skills, career pathways and accessibility
The agenda will also bring out latest thinking on strategies for addressing skills shortages in the creative industries as outlined in Skills England’s initial report published in September, which identified arts, entertainment and recreation as an industry with elevated job demands. Discussion is expected on opportunities for career development and upskilling of the workforce, considering whether current education and training structures are adequately preparing workers for careers in the creative industries.
Those attending will consider approaches to diversifying the talent pipeline for creative careers and implications of tax reliefs for the creative industries. Discussion will consider priorities for improving access to extra-curricular activities for disadvantaged and underrepresented learners, and strategies for improving partnerships between external cultural providers and education institutions. We also expect wider discussion on improving diversity within the creative arts, with the Creative PEC finding high socio-economic inequality in the current workforce.
Delegates will assess next steps for ensuring that the UK industry remains an attractive destination for international talent, with regard to aims outlined in the Government’s Invest 2035: the UK's modern industrial strategy Green Paper. There will also be discussion on the future of Music Education Hubs and delivery of the National Plan for Music Education amidst concerns surrounding funding and costs.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates.
