cultural learning alliance ebacc technical briefing oct 2016 · freedom. this system should be...

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CulturalLearningAllianceTechnicalBriefing:EnglishBaccalaureateOctober2016TheEBaccConsultationTheDfEiscurrentlyconsultingonsomeneweducationreformsconcerningtheEnglishBaccalaureate.Theconsultationclosedon29January2016andwearenowawaitingaresponse.TheCulturalLearningAlliancebelievesthattheproposedreforms:

• areneedlesslybureaucraticandwillreduceparentandstudentchoice• willhaveafurther,significantdetrimentalimpactontheteachingand

learningoftheartsinschools• areunambitiousandwillwidenthedisadvantagegap• arenotbasedonrobustevidence• willmateriallyaffecttheUKeconomy,societyandourinternational

standing

Webelievethatthereformsshouldnotbeimplementedandarecallingonthegovernmenttoscraptheseproposals.TheanswerisnottoaddtheartstotheEBacc–wedon’twanttocreatemorerestrictionsonschoolsandteachersinanalreadydesperatelycrowdedaccountabilitysystem–it’storethinktheaccountabilitysystemandsimplifyitsothattheartsaresupported,championedandtaughtbyqualifiedexpertteachersineveryschool.Thisbriefingpapergivesyouabriefoutlineofeachofourcorearguments,withlinkstodatasourcesandfurtherorganisationsandinformation.AbriefhistoryoftheEnglishBaccalaureate(EBacc)TheCoalitionGovernmentintroducedtheconceptoftheEnglishBaccalaureatein2010.SchoolswererequiredtopublishthenumberofstudentsthatachievedA-Cgradesacross5subjectareasatGCSElevel:English,Maths,Science,ModernForeignLanguagesandHumanities(HistoryandGeography).Thesearegenerallyknownasthe5PillarsoftheEnglishBaccalaureate.Artssubjectsarenotincluded.ThisnewleaguetablewasthefirstindicationoftheDepartmentofEducation’spolicytopromoteandincreasethestudyofthiscombinationofsubjects.Itbelievedtheywereessentialtoimprovingteachingandlearningandyoungpeople’slifechances.

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TheinitialintroductionoftheEBacchadanimmediateandsignificantimpactonwhatchildrenstudiedatsecondaryschool–anearlypollfromIpsosMorishowedthat27%ofschoolscutcoursesasadirectresultofitsimplementation.HistoricanalysisfromtheCulturalLearningAlliancein2013revealedthatthisdisproportionatelyaffectedartscourses–especiallyforpupilsindisadvantagedareas.Since2010theeducationsystemhasseenwidespreadreform.GCSEsandtheNationalCurriculumhavebeenre-designedtofocusonknowledge,ratherthanskillsandunderstanding.Assessmentofsubjectshasmovedlargelytowardsfinalexaminationandawayfromcoursework.In2016,secondaryschoolsarealreadybeingaskedtoperformagainstalargenumberofdifferentmeasuresandthekeymeasureofsuccessisnolonger‘fiveA-CsatGCSE’.TheGovernmentintroducednewmeasuresin2013:Progress8andAttainment8(seeourbriefingonhowtheywork).WebroadlywelcomedProgressandAttainment8whentheywereunveiled,astheyhavethepotentialtosupportartslearning,butwehavenotedthattheEBaccsubjectsaregivenspecialpriorityandweightingwithinthesemeasuresalready(youhavetotaketheEBacctoscorehighlyinboth)andschoolsarealsoalreadyassessedseparatelyontheirstudents’EBaccperformance(soschoolsarecurrentlyjudgedthreetimesontheEBacc).Whatarethenewproposals?ThenewDfEproposalsarefortheEnglishBaccalaureatetobecomeevenmorecentraltosecondaryschooleducation.Itisproposedthat:

• 90%ofpupilsinmainstreamsecondaryschoolswillentertheEBacc• Schoolswillhavetoreportasfurtherheadlinemeasures:

o numberofpupilsenteringtheEBacco EBaccachievement

Inaddition:

• TheEBaccwilltake'amoreprominentrole'inOfstedassessment• Newleague-tableswillbecompiledandpublishedontheaverageEBacc

pointscoreofeachschool

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Summaryofargumentsagainstthegovernment’scurrentproposals

1. Keyargument:thisisneedlessbureaucracyTheDfEproposestojudgesecondaryschoolsasmanyassixtimesonthesamemeasure(Progress8,Attainment8,EBaccnumbers,EBaccachievement,Ofsted,EBaccaveragepointscore).Thiscannotbeefficientoreffective.ThenewEBaccproposalsareconfused,overlycomplex,duplicateexistingmeasures(wealreadyhaveProgress8andAttainment8inplace)andwillsignificantlyreducechoiceforparents,studentsandteachers–whoshouldbeabletochoosetheteachingandlearningthattheywantandwhichisrightforthem.Theveryrecentintroductionin2013ofProgress8andAttainment8toschoolaccountabilitysystemswasbroadlywelcomedacrossthesectorasitisflexibleenoughtogiveteachers,parentsandstudentssomechoiceandfreedom.Thissystemshouldbeallowedto‘bed-in’withoutitseffectivenessandaimsbecomingskewedbythesefurtherreforms.ThereformsdirectlycontradicttheGovernment’sinitialstatedaimsforitseducationreform:togiveschoolsmoreautonomyandmakeaccountabilitymoreeffective.

Webelievethatarts-richschoolsandschoolswithacreativeculturearemorelikelytorecruitandretainteachers.A2010NfERsurveyof2,295teachersinvolvedinCreativePartnershipsshowedthat76%ofthoseteachershadmoreenthusiasmfortheirjobsasadirectresultoftheprogramme.Overhalfsaidthatithadapositiveeffectontheirleadershipskillsandtheirworkingrelationshipswithcolleaguesacrosstheschool.EvidenceWehavemadethecaseanumberoftimesthatfiveEBaccsubjectpillarsdoesnotequalfiveEBaccsubjects.BecauseofthewaythatScienceandEnglisharetaught,theEBaccislikelytotakeup7GCSEsasaminimum,andstudentsinEnglandtypicallystudy8subjects.

Underthesereforms,schoolswillbeaskedtoreportseparatelyonthenumberofstudentsachievinginEnglishBaccalaureatesubjectssixdifferenttimes–thereforeincentivisingschoolsandstudentstochoosemoreEBaccsubjectsintheirlastremainingGCSEslotsthantherequiredfive,asthismaximisestheirchancesofsuccessacrossallsixmeasures(e.g.ifstudentschooseHistoryANDGeographytheyhavetwoopportunitiestoscorehighlyagainstEbaccmeasures;iftheychooseGeographyandMusictheyonlyhaveone).

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TheveryrepetitionoftheEBaccreinforcesthenotionthatitistheonlythingthatmatters.

InJune2015theSSATsurveyed1,664schoolleadersonthegovernment’sproposedEBaccreforms.OneoftheheadlinefindingsofthesurveywasthatwhilstmostheadteachersfeltthattheEBaccwasappropriatetosomeoftheirstudents,hardlyanyfeltitwasappropriateforall.Schoolsmustbegiventhefreedomtochoosethebestoptionforeachindividualchild.

InaspeechonTheImportanceofTeaching,thethenEducationSecretary,MichaelGovesaid:

‘Anditisbecausetheteachingprofessionissocrucialthatourprogrammeofeducationreformhasbeendesignedtoempowerteachers;togivethemmorefreedom,morepowerandmoreprestige’Inanotherspeechhestatedthataccountabilityshouldbeappropriateandstructuredsothatparentsandgovernmentunderstandschoolperformance,andthattheycouldbecoupledwithschoolautonomyandparentchoice.ThecurrentSecretaryofState,NickyMorganhasalsostatedherambitiontoreducedneedlessbureaucracyonschoolsandteachers.InaspeechinJuly2015shesaid:‘Teachersandleaderstoldusthatmuchoftheworktheydoeveryday–suchasmarking,planningandtrackingpupilprogress–isessential,butthatit’sthevolume,duplication,bureaucracyordetailthatcanproveunnecessaryorunproductive.’Thisambitionisadirectcontradictiontothegovernment’scomplexplans.TheEBaccmeasuresarenottheonlyoverlycomplexelementtotheschoolaccountabilitysystem.Secondaryschoolsarecurrentlyaskedtoreportonmorethan130differentmeasures,andtheyareassessedseparatelybyOfsted.

2. Keyargument:theEBacchasalreadyhadasignificanteffectontheteachingandlearningoftheartsinschoolsTheconsultationdocumentstates:‘EBaccsubjectsareonlypartofabroadandbalancedcurriculum.Thegovernmentbelievesthateverychildshouldexperienceahigh-qualityartsandculturaleducationthroughouttheirtimeatschool.Thisiswhytheartssubjectsarestatutoryformaintainedschoolsfromkeystages1to3.PEalsoremainsacompulsorysubjectatallfourkeystagesinthenationalcurriculum,ensuringthatpupilsremainactivethroughoutschool’

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However:• SincetheintroductionoftheEBaccwehaveseena21%reductionin

uptakeofartssubjectsatGCSEinsecondaryschools.SeeourbriefingforfurtherinformationastohowwehavecalculatedthesefiguresandreadherewhywedisagreewiththeDfE’spresentationofthem.

DepartmentforEducationfigurespublishedinJuly2016showthatbetween2010and2015thenumberofhourstheartsweretaughtinsecondaryschoolsandthenumberofartsteachersfellby15%.

InEnglandfrom2010to2016therehasbeenadeclineof21%inthenumberofartsGCSEentriesinArtandDesign,Dance,DesignandTechnology,Media/Film/TVStudies,MusicandPerforming/expressiveartsfromfrom673,739in2010,to533,329in2015.

Englandonlyresults 2010 2015 2016ArtandDesignsubjects 172504 181117 170114Dance 15884 11865 10762DesignandTechnology 270401 192183 173532Drama 81592 71435 68171Media/Film/TVStudies 63808 58496 51209Music 46045 43667 41865Performing/expressivearts

23505 19563 17676

Total 673739 578326 533329

Thenumberofpupilsinyear11(theyearmoststudentstakeGCSEs)fluctuateseachyear.In2010itwas565,660in2015544,013andin2016itwas530,4481.Afallof6%inpupilnumberssince2010and2%between2015and2016.Asacomparison,theEBaccsubjectsofGeographyandHistoryhaveseenrisesof+30%and+21%respectivelyintheirentriessince2010.

• TheemphasisthatGovernmenthasplacedonGCSEattainmentthroughtheiraccountabilityreformshasledmanyschoolstoteachtheKeyStage4(GCSE)materialoverthreeyears.ThisrobsstudentsofayearoftheirKeyStage3Curriculum(wheretheartsarestatutory),furthererodingthetalentpipelineintothearts,meaningthatvitalskills,knowledgeandunderstandingareuntaught,andlimitingpupils’abilitytoprogress.A2013HistoricalAssociation

1StudentcohortnumbersarefromtheDepartmentforEducationSchools,pupilsandtheircharacteristicsstatisticalreleaseshttps://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-and-pupil-numbers.

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surveyof448schoolsstatesthat18%ofrespondentsreportedatwo-yearKeyStage3programmeintheirschool.

• AlthoughtheGovernmentoffersbursariestonewteacherstrainingin

allEBacc(andSTEM)subjects,itdoesnotofferanyfinancialincentiveforArt,DanceorDramateachers.ThismayhaveasignificantdetrimentalimpactontheGovernment’swishtorecruitandretainhighqualityentrantstotheprofession,inrelationtoArtsgraduates.

• Althoughwehaveseenawelcome,slightincreasetothenumberof

initialteachertrainingpacesforArtssubjects,weareseeingworryingtrendsinthenumberofthoseplacesbeingfilled–particularlyinDesign&TechnologyandMusic.Webelievethatthesereformswillhaveasignificantdetrimentalimpactonteacherrecruitmentasschools,withtheirincreasinglylimitedbudgets,willprioritiseappointmentsofstaffinEBaccsubjects.

• Webelievethatarts-richschoolsandschoolswithacreativeculture

aremorelikelytorecruitandretainteachers.A2010NfERsurveyof2,295teachersinvolvedinCreativePartnershipsshowedthat76%ofthoseteachershadmoreenthusiasmfortheirjobsasadirectresultoftheprogramme.Overhalfsaidthatithadapositiveeffectontheirleadershipskillsandtheirworkingrelationshipswithcolleaguesacrosstheschool.

3. Keyargument:theEBaccwillnotensuresocialjusticefordisadvantaged

youngpeople

TheDfEstatesthattheintroductionoftheEBaccisabouttacklinginequalityandaboutsocialjustice,particularlyforthemostdisadvantaged.However,theEBaccreformsarelimitedandunambitious.BysqueezingouttheArtstheyonlyofferthebasicstoourpoorestchildren.IftheArtsaresimplyrelegatedtoafter-school,oroptionalactivities,thentheGovernment’sambitionforsocialmobilitywillnotberealised.TheArts,andallthebenefitsandopportunitiestheyoffer,willbecomeapostcodelottery,orexclusivetothosewhocanaffordaprivate,arts-richeducation.

Wewantagold-standardculturaleducationforeveryone.

EvidenceWeknowthatstudyingtheArtscanmateriallyimprovesocialmobility:studentsfromlowincomefamilieswhotakepartinArtsactivitiesatschoolarethreetimesmorelikelytogetadegree,aremoreemployableandtendtostayintheirjobsforlonger.

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Ifsocialjusticeisthegovernment’sfocusthenitshouldbeinvestinginandprioritisingtheArts.

WealsoknowthatourmostsuccessfulindependentschoolsprioritisetheArtsandwouldnotconsiderdeliveringaneducationwithoutcultureatitsheart.ReadourIndependentHeadteachers’reporthere.‘ThereshouldbeanobligationtodeliveraculturalsubjectintheEBacc.TheBritishliberaltraditionisoneofbreadthofeducation,withabroadbasedperceptionofculture,whichisgivenparitywithothersubjects.Bylimitingthesubjectsthatarevalued,theEBaccisdowngradingandreducingthepotentialforachievement.Wearen’tbeingtruetoourselvesandarelimitingthedifferentwaystoexpressourselvesifallweconcentrateonishavingtomatriculate.’

TonyLittle,formerHeadmaster,EtonCollege

‘Weknowthat,intheworldofwork,creativevision,entrepreneurialskillsandartisticflairarekeytransformationaladvantagesthatderivefromstudyingthearts.’

PeterGreen,HeadmasterofRugbySchool(Telegraph,Dec2015)

4. Keyargument:Thegovernment’srationaleforitsEBaccreformsasatooltoimprovestudentattainmentisnotrobustandisbasedonaselectivereadingoftheevidenceThegovernment’sexemplar,comparativeinternationaleducationsystemsallteachtheEBaccinsomeform,buttheyalsoteachtheArts.Thereisnoacknowledgementofthisinthereformdocument.Acrosstheglobe,manycountriesarenowlookingatvaluingandassessingcreativity.In2012thePISAinternationalleaguetablerankstheUKas11thintheworldinCreativeProblemSolving.Ifwefailtonurtureandbuildonthisstrengththenwerisklosingourtalentpipelineandourinternationalreputationasacreativeandculturalpowerhouse.

ThereisnorealevidencethatshowsthatthesuiteofsubjectsenshrinedintheEBaccaretheonesthatwillenableyoungpeopletogetajoborprogresstouniversity.Manyemployers(includingtheCBI)statetheywantcreativeyoungpeoplewitharangeofbothartsandscienceskills.ThisisbackedupbymanyorganisationssuchasNESTA,CreativeandCulturalSkillsandtheCreativeIndustriesFederation,whoalljointheCLAincallingforafocusonputtingtheAinSTEMtoformSTEAM(Science,Technology,Engineering,ArtsandMaths)inoureducationsystem.

EvidenceTheDfEstatesthat:‘ManycountrieswitheducationsystemsthatperformmorehighlythanEnglandmakeanacademiccoreofsubjectscompulsoryto

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16.CountriessuchasFinland,GermanyandPoland,andeducationjurisdictionssuchasShanghai,theprovincesofVictoriainAustraliaandOntarioinCanadaallprovideeducationincoreacademicsubjectsuntilatleast16.’However,astheDfE’sownExpertPanelpointedoutinthisreport(seeAnnex1ofthereport),thesecountriesalsomaketheartscompulsory.InfactOntariomakestheartscompulsoryuntilage18.Thereisnoevidenceatallthatapiecemealadoptionofafewofthecharacteristicsoftheeducationsystemsofsomehigh-performingjurisdictionswillraiseattainmentinourschools,andtherehasbeennoanalysisbygovernmentoftheplaceoftheArtsincontributingtoordrivingthissuccess.HowcanitbesurethattheArtsarenotthecommonoverridingfactor?

In2012PISAalsorankedpupilperformanceinCreativeProblemSolvingforthefirsttime(reflectingaglobalrecognitionthattheseskillsareessentialforboththeeconomy,societyandforyoungpeople’slifechances).TheUKwasranked11thinthesetables.TheOECDstates:‘InAustralia,Brazil,Italy,Japan,Korea,Macao-China,Serbia,England(UnitedKingdom)andtheUnitedStates,studentsperformsignificantlybetterinproblemsolvingthanstudentsinothercountrieswhoshowsimilarperformanceinmathematics,readingandscience.’

5. Keyargument:thesereformswillmateriallyaffecttheUKeconomy,society

andourinternationalstandingWewantaneducationsystemthatensuresthatyoungpeoplehavetheskills,knowledgeandunderstandingthatouremployersneed,andwhichweneedasanation:wewantcreative,empathetic,entrepreneurialyoungpeopletoengagewithourmajornationalissues(environment,communitycohesion,ethicsetc.),withtechnology,andtobuildastrongersociety.TheChancelloroftheExchequerFigures,publishedbytheDepartmentforCulture,MediaandSportinJanuary2016,haveindicatedthattheUK’screativeindustriesarecontinuingtogrow.

• TheUK’screativeindustriesgrewby8.9percentin2014–almostdoubletheUKeconomyasawhole.

• TheUK’screativeindustriesarenowwortharecord£84.1billiontotheUKeconomy,generatingnearly£9.6millionperhour.

• Thecreativeindustriesaccountfor1.8millionjobs.

ThisDfEpolicyisatoddswiththerestofgovernment.InDecember2015,GeorgeOsborne,ChancelloroftheExchequer,protectedtheArtsbudgetintheSpendingReviewbecauseheunderstoodittobe‘oneofthebestinvestmentswecanmakeasanationisinourextraordinaryarts,

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museums,heritage,mediaandsport.£1billionayearingrantsaddsaquarterofatrillionpoundstooureconomy–notabadreturn.’ThevalueoftheArtstotheUKintermsofoureconomy,tojobs,tooursoftpowerandinternationalstandingiswellunderstoodbytheTreasury.PrimeMinister,DavidCameronmadeaspeechaboutLifeChancesfordisadvantagedyoungpeopleinJanuary2016thatrecognisedthecentralroleofcultureinaddressinginequalityandthat‘cultureshouldneverbeaprivilege;itisabirthrightthatbelongstousall.’InJanuary2015SajidJavid,thenSecretaryofStateforCulture,MediaandSportsaid:‘TheUK’sCreativeIndustriesarerecognisedasworldleadersaroundtheglobe.Theyareoneofourmostpowerfultoolsindrivinggrowth,outperformingallothersectorsofindustryandtheircontributiontotheUKeconomyisevidenttoall.Governmentisdeterminedtocontinueitssupportforthismostdynamicofsectorsaspartofourlong-termeconomicplan’.Thereisalsoanidentifiedneedforthesesubjectstobeprioritised.TherearesignificantskillsshortagesintheCreativeIndustrieswithartists,gamesdesigners,musiciansanddancersappearingontheTier2ShortageOccupationlist.

SusanAnderson,CBIDirectorforEducation&Skills,said:‘Ourcreativeindustrieshavehugegrowthpotential,butthelackoftrainedpeoplewithrelevantskillstomeetthesector'sspecialistdemandsisholdingitback.Firstandforemostwemustensurethatallyoungpeopleleaveschoolwithastronggraspofthebasics.Solidmathsandscienceabilityisparticularlyvital.ThesecompaniesalsoexpectamoredetailedknowledgeofITandbenefitfrompeoplewithbroadercreativeskills,sotheGovernmentmustadaptthecurriculumtomeettheseneeds.’

Conclusion

ThissetofDfEproposedEBaccreformsisnotacoherentaccountabilitystrategy,norisitanevidencedplantoraiseattainmentortoclosethedisadvantagegap.TheDfEmustrethinkthisapproachcompletelytoensurethat,instead,itoffersagold-standardSTEAMeducationtoallchildren,meetsitsownstatedaimsforreform,andalignsitselfwiththevisionandstrategyoftherestofgovernment.