Something has changed in the last two years. The debate about children and smartphones (and other screens) – for a long time a battleground between concerned parents and sceptical researchers – has begun to settle. Not completely, and not without dissent. But the weight of evidence is now pointing in…
Today the Cultural Learning Alliance published its latest report card on the state of arts education in the UK. The report bends over backwards to give the government credit for saying the right things and beginning the process of reversing the decline in arts education. What it does not emphasise…
Shakespeare wrote about “the whining school-boy… creeping like snail unwillingly to school”, so reluctance to attend school is nothing new. But post-pandemic, absenteeism has soared. Of the 4.5 million children in primary schools, around 240,000 are absent every day. The most commonly cited reason for absence is anxiety and poor…
Recent debate around Royal Academy of Music has highlighted an important issue in British education: who gets the chance to pursue a future in music? The Academy has faced criticism after announcing foundation bursaries aimed specifically at state-school students. Some have described the move as unfair. Yet in reality, it…
One of the reasons that mental health has been declining for children is the nature of the way they’re being taught. The focus on the three Rs day after day is not good for children who need to have a variety of activities in the course of the day. If there is joy in…
There are moments in arts education that remind us exactly why this work matters. Kids Go Classical! – a recent concert at the Sheldonian Theatre, led by Oxford Opera Company – was one of those moments. Described as “joyful, life-affirming and magical”, the concert brought together 148 local children aged…
The future structure of work and what it means for education Our education curricula were devised when the expectation was that children leaving school would be employed by companies or go to university and then be employed by companies. AI is turning these assumptions on their head. It is…
What is metacognition? Can the arts help? Metacognition is often defined as “thinking about thinking”. In education, it’s seen as one of the three components of self-regulated learning and it involves encouraging pupils to think explicitly about their own learning. Metacognition is also relevant when doing arts subjects. It helps children…
Teachers in Reception are increasingly reporting that many children are starting school without being ready for it. Now the charity Kindred Squared has produced its latest report on school readiness. Primary school teachers reported more children are joining reception not ‘school ready’. Last year the survey found 37% of children were not ready…
The Cultural Learning Alliance and the Royal Shakespeare Company along with a number of Midlands Universities have reviewed over 1000 studies to see what difference it makes to children if schools are arts-rich. This power-point presentation summarises that review: https://www.culturallearningalliance.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CLA-Capabilities-Framework_Extended-Version.pdf It is conclusive: schools that are arts rich perform better…
