Entries for arts A-levels down nearly a third since 2010

Arts subjects account for a smaller proportion of A-level entries than at any time since 2010, according to new analysis by Campaign for the Arts.

The figures, released yesterday (15 August) as students across the country received their A-level results, show a 31% drop in entries for arts subjects over the last 14 years.

In 2010, creative subjects, including art and design, music, drama, and dance, accounted for 15.3% of all entries, but this year, they represented 10.6%. In the same period, the total number of entries across all subjects rose by 2%.

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Today’s results reaffirm a continuing downward trend in the popularity of creative subjects, with the proportion of entries across the arts falling by 3% since 2023. Performing arts subjects suffered the most significant drop in a single year, with drama and dance entries declining by 8% and 6%, respectively.

In its recent State of the Arts report, published with the University of Warwick, CFTA highlighted the role of funding pressures and performance measures like the EBacc – introduced in 2010 – and Progress 8 – introduced in 2016 – suggesting both measures have marginalised the arts in English state-funded secondary schools.

An independent review of what is taught in schools in England was launched in July as part of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's pledge to make arts and creativity central to the education system.

The Department for Education (DfE) previously said the review will seek to establish a "broader, richer, cutting-edge curriculum" that improves school standards and "sets all young people up for life and work", with a report due next year.

Jack Gamble, Director of the Campaign for the Arts, said: “The new government has made encouraging pledges on arts education, but these figures show that urgent action is necessary to halt the decline.

"The arts have a proven role in contributing to better outcomes for children and young people, but they have been sidelined and underfunded in recent years. It’s high time we turned this around.”

Narrowing curriculum

The findings from CFTA follow a report in The Guardian showing that A-level students have been taking an increasingly narrower range of science-based subjects over the past decade.

A British Academy and the National Foundation for Education Research (NFER) study found that until 2015/16, more than half of all students consistently took at least one arts and humanities subject, but that had reduced to 38% by 2021/22.

Michael Scott, NFER’s Senior Economist and the report’s lead author, said that the narrowing of the curriculum studied by most students was “probably due, at least in part, to reforms introduced over the last two decades” such as former Education Secretary Michael Gove’s move to drop AS-levels.

“Failure to address this decline will have knock-on effects, not only for these subjects in UK universities but also on the skills young people take out into the workforce and the wider world," said Molly Morgan Jones, the Director of policy at the British Academy.

“Higher education and research are under strain, and the humanities and arts are bearing the brunt of many departmental closures. Breadth and balance should be at the heart of any future post-16 curriculum and should not be negatively impacted by any future reforms.”

A DfE spokesperson said: “The curriculum and assessment review will bring together leading education experts, leaders and staff to transform the outdated curriculum and assessment system.

“The renewed curriculum will ensure young people get the opportunity to access a broad and balanced curriculum, as well as crucial work and life skills, providing the foundation to succeed in both the workplace and throughout their lives.”