CSE topics similar to drama, music and media are prone to disappearing from state faculties and being out there solely to kids whose households who can afford to have them educated privately, a headteachers’ union has warned.
The decline in provisional entries for some inventive arts topics has been described as “worrying” by the Affiliation of College and Faculty Leaders.
Entries in drama fell 5.4% this yr in contrast with final, music was down 3.6%, and media, movie and TV research dropped 3.3%, in response to provisional figures from Ofqual.
Design and expertise was down 5%.
It’s worrying to see that the variety of GCSE entries to a number of inventive arts topics, in addition to design and expertise, have fallen this yr – a part of a long-term decline in these topics
Geoff Barton, basic secretary of ASCL, urged the Authorities to “make state schooling a precedence and fund it correctly”, highlighting the “big additional value pressures” confronted by faculties as a consequence of rising vitality prices.
He mentioned: “It’s worrying to see that the variety of GCSE entries to a number of inventive arts topics, in addition to design and expertise, have fallen this yr – a part of a long-term decline in these topics.
“That is pushed by Authorities efficiency measures which favour conventional educational topics on the expense of different topics, and funding pressures which make small courses troublesome to maintain.
“Faculties now face big additional value pressures due to rising vitality prices and pay awards for which there isn’t any further authorities funding.
“This may make it much more troublesome to maintain small-entry topics and there’s a hazard that a few of these topics will largely disappear from the state schooling system and turn into the protect solely of households who’re rich sufficient to afford non-public faculties and golf equipment. The Authorities should make state schooling a precedence and fund it correctly.”
The Division for Training (DfE) mentioned it gives a variety of faculty useful resource administration instruments to assist them get the very best worth from their assets.
The Authorities mentioned additionally it is updating and strengthening steerage to tell faculties of the market and business place on vitality prices and ancillary companies regarding vitality, whereas the Get Assist Shopping for For Faculties service will even be capable of supply help to varsities in switching and coming into new contracts.
Acknowledging the completely different circumstances for various faculties, the DfE suggested these in severe monetary problem to contact their native authority or the Training and Expertise Funding Company.
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