Commenting on calls from the Centre for Young Lives for creativity and the arts to be “at the heart" of the primary school curriculum, Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said:
"This report echoes the call from the Arts and Minds Coalition, led by the NEU, to value arts subjects and the need for them to be properly taught and resourced. It should be an entitlement for all pupils to study arts subjects – for many children, the only chance they will get will be in school.
"A chronic reduction in funding has left many schools struggling to provide arts education and it is imperative that this is addressed. Music and arts teachers have all but disappeared from primary schools. The excessive focus on preparing children for SATs in English and maths is dominating teaching hours and squeezing space for teaching of arts subjects in the curriculum. This has led to a repetitive school week for our youngest children which isn’t engaging enough.
"The Government’s curriculum review must take bold steps in its recommendations including an end to the assessment and exam factory culture in our schools. Reviewing the curriculum is key to engaging and motivating students well and helping them to thrive."