Pauline Tambling CBE, formerly CEO of Creative & Cultural Skills

“The problems identified in this report highlight particular issues for the arts in schools, but they form part of a bigger picture of an education system in need of a rethink. Much like previous moments of major change in schools policy, such as the Education Act of 1944 and the introduction of the National Curriculum in the 1980s, the country is navigating ongoing and serious challenges. We believe that the time has come for a new public conversation about education in England, one which explores the purpose of schooling in today’s world and examines the relevance and value of all subjects, including the arts”.