Nicky Morgan: We have not downgraded the arts in schools

17 July 2015

Photo: 'Nicky Morgan MP' by Policy Exchange (CC BY 2.0)

Nicky Morgan: We have not downgraded the arts in schools

Education secretary Nicky Morgan has said that she does not believe education can be complete unless it includes the arts. “I firmly reject any suggestion that I or this government think that arts subjects are in any way less important or less worthy than other subjects for study in school,” she said this week. Read more here and also here

You can also find her full speech here

Visions for Young Londoners to 2025

A group of organisations co-ordinated by London Youth, Partnership for Young London and London Funders launched a Vision for Young Londoners to 2025 over 40 providers of housing, youth services, health, education, sport and the arts have contributed to the Vision which will be officially launched at the London Eye. Read more

Publicly funded arts bolster the UK economy, study finds

Public spending on the arts brings significant growth to the commercial creative industries, which in turn boosts the wider UK economy, a report backed by business leaders argues. The Creative Industries Federation published a report this week setting out in detail the importance of public investment in the arts, whether that is by national government or local authorities. Read more

Mayor of London launches PE and STEM resources for London Curriculum

Boris Johnson adds Dance Unit to the London Curriculum, with backing of internationally renowned choreographer and leading dance organisations. He also presented new STEM London Curriculum units which will introduce students to the application of, and innovations in, STEM in the city. Read more

Universities agree to take more disadvantaged students

Universities in England have agreed to take more students from disadvantaged homes, fair access watchdog Offa says. Institutions have also agreed to spend £750m on outreach activities, bursaries and waiving fees for poorer youngsters. Read more

How schools can create the right environment to foster creativity

Creativity is an often underestimated contributor to many areas of our society and most theorists agree that the creative process involves a number of components including: imagination, originality, problem solving and the ability to produce an outcome of value and worth, says Richard Harvey is Managing Director of TG Escapes, designers of The Learning Escape. Read more

Schools should offer more non-formal activities, say pupils

More than four in five state school pupils believe their school fails to provide enough outdoor activities, a report from The Learning by Doing report (commissioned by The Scout Association and carried out by think-tank Demos) has claimed. Read more

School classes set for Latitude

Hundreds of primary school pupils are set to attend the Latitude festival in the first initiative of its kind. They will be joined by about 350 primary school pupils and about 50 secondary pupils from more than a dozen schools across Norfolk and Suffolk. Pupils will take part in activities designed to complement the national curriculum, as well as being able to enjoy the acts. Read more

Walthamstow Garden Party

Get together in Walthamstow’s Lloyd Park for a lively weekend of music, theatre, dance, circus, film, spoken word, crafts and family fun. Featuring four stages, stalls from local designer-makers and an extraordinary range of street food, this year’s event will build on the success of 2014 when 34,000 people gathered in the park. Read more

Grand Union Youth Orchestra – Summer Sessions (Tuesday 11th August 2015)

Join the Grand Union Youth Orchestra - London’s pioneering world music and jazz ensemble for young musicians aged 12-25 – for a taster workshop and performance. There will be two free sessions to join and a performance to watch. Booking is essential (www.richmix.org.uk / 020 7613 7498) If you require more information, please contact Catherine Mummery.