Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Creative Education: Schools

Monday 9 December 2024 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Minister confirmed 79 million of funding for music hubs to support children and young people in learning instruments and creating music.
  • The music opportunities pilot received 5.8 million to support students with special educational needs and disabilities.
  • The Minister stated that the previous Conservative government left England's school standards declining, with half of disadvantaged pupils not meeting requirements in reading, writing, or maths at the end of primary school.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Simon Opher Lab Stroud
Education Mental Health
Context

The amount of creative education, particularly at the primary level, has been decreasing over the past 14 years. Evidence suggests that engaging in creative activities and learning creative subjects improves wellbeing, mental health, and academic performance.

Question

What steps she is taking to support creative education in schools? Over the last 14 years, the amount of creative education has been reducing at primary level. Engaging in creative activities and studying creative subjects improve our wellbeing, mental health, and learning outcomes. Would the Minister support my campaign for musical instrument teaching in every primary school?

Answer from Catherine McKinnell

We are committed to ensuring young people can study creative subjects. We have confirmed £79 million of funding for music hubs, which give children and young people opportunities to learn instruments, create music, and progress their musical talents. The music opportunities pilot has received £5.8 million over four years to support students with special educational needs and disabilities.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific campaign for musical instrument teaching in every primary school was not directly addressed

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Q2 Simon Opher Lab Stroud
Education Mental Health
Context

The amount of creative education at the primary level has been decreasing over the past 14 years. Evidence indicates that engaging in creative activities and studying creative subjects enhances mental health, wellbeing, and academic performance.

Question

What steps she is taking to support creative education in schools? Over the last 14 years, the amount of creative education has been reducing at primary level. Engaging in creative activities and studying creative subjects improve our wellbeing, mental health, and learning outcomes. Would the Minister support my campaign for musical instrument teaching in every primary school?

Answer from Catherine McKinnell

We have confirmed £79 million of funding for music hubs, which give children and young people opportunities to learn instruments, create music, and progress their musical talents. We also launched the music opportunities pilot with £5.8 million over four years to support students with special educational needs and disabilities.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific campaign for musical instrument teaching in every primary school was not directly addressed

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Q3 Laura Trott Con Sevenoaks
Education
Context

The Secretary of State wants more time spent on creative subjects. However, there is concern that this might come at the expense of an academic education. Last week's international education statistics showed that English children are the best at maths in the western world.

Question

The Secretary of State has made it clear that she would like more time spent on creative subjects, but she must ensure that does not come at the expense of an academic education. Last week's international education stats found that English children are the best at maths in the western world. That is brilliant news and testament to the hard work of teachers and pupils. It is also down to a world-class curriculum put in place by the previous Government. Will she finally celebrate those results and instruct her curriculum review that it must not dilute academic standards and put that progress at risk?

Answer from Catherine McKinnell

From their shameless sense of pride, we would never know that the Conservative Government left England's school standards getting worse. Conservative Members may be happy that half of disadvantaged pupils in state schools did not meet the requirements in reading, writing or maths at the end of primary school, but we do not think their record is anything to be proud of.

Not addressed: The specific question about maintaining academic standards was entirely avoided

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