Young people across the country will have greater access to high-quality arts education, wider creative and sporting activities as well as opportunities to gain in-demand skills in AI and tech under plans announced today (18 March) by the Education Secretary.
The announcements will help deliver the government’s Plan for Change to break the link between background and success, driving high and rising school standards so every child can achieve and thrive.
The plans include the development of a National Centre for Arts and Music Education which will promote opportunities for children and young people to pursue their artistic and creative interests in school - including through the government’s network of music hubs. An Enrichment Framework will also be developed in collaboration with a panel of experts, covering a wide range of extra-curricular activities from sport to debating and volunteering. Alongside this, a new Digital, AI and Technology Task and Finish Group made up of sector and digital experts will advise the government on what changes can be made to prepare children and young people for the jobs of the future.
It comes as the curriculum and assessment review expert panel, led by Professor Becky Francis, publishes its interim report and sets out its next steps to develop a curriculum and assessment system that will set young people up with the essential knowledge they need for life and work.
The Education Secretary has also confirmed today that compulsory tests, checks and assessments that ensure children leave primary school with solid foundations in reading, writing and maths will remain a core part of the curriculum and assessment system. This is in recognition of the role they play in providing crucial information to schools, parents and government on pupils’ progress and helping to close the gap between disadvantaged children and their peers...read more