A new report published Friday 14th March by Child of the North and the Centre for Young Lives, “An evidence-based appraoch to creating a culture of inclusive opportunity through arts and creativity”. It is the final report in the series of twelve Child of the North/Centre for Young Lives reports focusing on how the Government can put the life chances of young people at the heart of policy making and delivery. The report celebrates the way that Bradford is using its status as the 2025 ‘City of Culture’ to drive forward evidence-based approaches to improving outcomes for all children.
- New Child of the North/Centre for Young Lives report warns the talents of millions of children are being ignored and wasted, and calls for creativity to be embedded into an inclusive school curriculum supporting all children – including those with SEND – to develop a new generation of creatives to boost economic growth.
- The report calls for the Government’s Opportunity Mission to boost culture, creativity, and arts in schools to inspire children, improve mental health, strengthen school belonging, tackle the school attendance and attainment crises, and support children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds to build careers in the creative industries.
- The report publishes new analysis showing the importance of an inclusive education system, revealing that children are over three times more likely to become Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) at 16-18 years when they disengage from the education system and are persistently absent from the classroom – a problem that disproportionately affects children with SEND and those with mental health problems.
- It proposes a £150m Arts Premium Fund to develop the existing primary school workforce and train the next generation of teachers to provide creative learning; for the expansion of arts and music education, including free music or singing lessons for three years for every child who wishes to learn; and a ‘Cultural Enrichment Fund’ to encourage partnerships with local cultural institutions.
You can also read the University of Leeds story here: https://www.leeds.ac.uk/main-index/news/article/5750/embed-creativity-in-the-curriculum-report-urges
To view the full series of reports and sign up for campaign updates, click here.
