Cultural education - take-up, diversity and developing skills for industry

Timed for late 2015, this seminar will consider the new Government's priorities for cultural education. It follows the publication of the Warwick Commission’s report Enriching Britain: Culture, Creativity and Growth, which highlighted that 'a significant number of pupils do not take any creative or cultural subjects at GCSE'.

This conference will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to consider measures to improve accessibility to the arts, including government’s £109 million boost for children’s music and arts initiatives in 2015-16, as well as to examine the impact of schemes designed to improve engagement, diversity and social mobility within the arts, such as In Harmony and the Museums and schools programme. 

Delegates will identify steps to increase the uptake of craft-related subjects at GCSE and to encourage more students to combine Arts and Science disciplines at AS and A-level, following a recent decline in numbers. They will also consider measures to promote the value of cultural education in schools, including the Warwick Commission’s proposals that Ofsted should not designate a school 'outstanding' without evidence of 'excellent cultural and creative education'.

Further sessions are expected to address concerns that cultural education does not meet the future needs of the Cultural and Creative Industries, and will assess the value of the arts for society and the economy.

We are delighted that Vikki Heywood, Chair, Warwick Commission and Chair, RSA; Laura Gander-Howe, Director of Children, Young People and Learning, Arts Council England and Professor John Perkins, former Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Author,Review of Engineering Skills (2013) have agreed to deliver keynote addresses at this seminar. 

At this early stage, Lesley Butterworth, General Secretary, The National Society for Education in Art and Design (NSEAD); Sam Cairns, Co-Director, Cultural Learning Alliance; James Fornara, Principal, Wac Arts College, London; Sorrel Hershberg, Director, The Sorrell Foundation; John Kampfner, Chief Executive, Creative Industries Federation; Fiona Kelly, Cultural Development Officer, The Customs House; Amanda Kipling, Lead, PGCE Drama programme, Department of Educational Studies, Goldsmiths University; Steve Moffitt, Chief Executive Officer, A New Direction; Professor Jonothan Neelands, Professor of Creative Education, Warwick Business School; David Stewart, Headteacher, Oak Field School, Nottinghamshire and Michael Windsor, Headmaster, Reading Blue Coat School, Berkshire have also agreed to speak.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, Shadow Spokesperson (Education), House of Lords and The Lord Crathorne KCVO have kindly agreed to chair this seminar.

To view the full agenda or book a place please visit

http://www.westminsterforumprojects.co.uk/forums/event.php?eid=1084&t=12432