Arts education defended by star-studded campaign

Lord Puttnam and Kevin Spacey among the great names of the creative industries in the UK supporting a report that highlights the importance of cultural activities and learning

Kevin Spacey, Lord Puttnam, Nick Hornby and director of the Tate, Sir Nicholas Serota lead a concerted cultural reaction against government plans to focus the program of UK schools in a core "traditional" subjects.

Spacey, artistic director of the Old Vic in London, joined the great names of theater, art, film and education to support ImagineNation: the case of learning culture, a report of the campaign launched by the Alliance of cultural learning. The artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Michael Boyd, and Mr. Hall, executive director of the Royal Opera House, also signed the document with educators and leaders of teacher unions.

Developed by a group of about 6,000 teachers, parents, artists, writers and artists, the report of the alliance shows that exposure to a wide range of cultural experiences at an early age improves all compliance issues. Take part in artistic activities, the report said, clearly can increase the cognitive skills of children.

"A lifetime of teaching has taught me that giving children the opportunity to visit museums and galleries is invaluable," said Professor Mick Waters, a curriculum expert and member of the alliance. "The report is part of the context of the government in question the value of education in general. Children need to paint, photograph, create, sing, move and dance, sewing and cooking. No doubt, we want our children to live their lives with joy? "

Decision

alliance was prompted by growing concerns that cultural learning is under the threat of development of the new government on a handful of themes. This has been described in a study by the National Association of Doctors of the Union of Women Teachers, which has been suggested that one in eight schools aimed at reducing the supply of arts, theater and music. The survey of 2,500 teachers found that 13% had already cut these questions.

Critics blame the side effects of high school English government (Ebacc), which requires students to get good GCSEs in two sciences, language and history or geography and English and mathematics. They believe this will chase schools of arts subjects.

Water
• argued that the threat posed by the introduction of Ebacc in secondary schools could be aggravated by the removal of all the materials of art program - something he said was considered by the coalition
• The study presents evidence that students who take arts subjects have a higher rate of employability, and those of low income families who participate in artistic activities at school are three times more likely to get a title.

also suggests that the arts improve students' skills securities from 10% to 17%, and refers to previous research that demonstrates the cognitive abilities of children could increase by 16% and 19% in average, if you took part in the arts.

A spokesman said the Ministry of Education Ebacc was designed to "open core academic subjects to hundreds of thousands of students, especially the poorest, who are denied the opportunity to take courses that best universities and employer demand. "

This weekend Waters replied that it was the poorest families in Britain who were in the greatest need for a comprehensive program. "It is particularly important for communities in need," he said.
"It gives them the opportunity to see and think about things a bit far from their aspirations. Children become more engaged and we find that their work in other areas reflects this sentiment improved self-confidence. "

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