Ed Sheeran Praises Curriculum Changes Aimed at Boosting Music Education in England

Ed Sheeran has lauded recent changes to the national curriculum in England, which are designed to give more students the opportunity to study music and other creative subjects. The reforms follow a comprehensive review of the curriculum and aim to modernize what is taught in schools while addressing concerns about outdated systems that have historically limited access to arts education.

Curriculum Overhaul Prioritises Creative Subjects and Modern Skills

The government's plans include removing the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), a controversial progress measure for schools introduced in 2010, which critics argued prioritized core academic subjects over the arts and other disciplines. The Department for Education (DfE) acknowledged that the EBacc was "constraining" and that its removal, along with reforms to the Progress 8 school ranking system, would encourage students to pursue a broader range of GCSE subjects.

Beyond the arts, the revised curriculum will also focus on equipping students with essential modern skills, including financial literacy (taught in maths classes or citizenship lessons) and the ability to identify fake news and disinformation. Other key changes include reducing time spent on GCSE exams, ensuring all children can take three science GCSEs, incorporating more content on climate change, and improving representation of diversity within the curriculum.

Sheeran's Advocacy and the Importance of Music Education

Sheeran, who has been a vocal advocate for music education, said the curriculum reforms "give young people hope and the opportunity to study music." In March, he penned an open letter to the government, supported by fellow artists like Harry Styles, Annie Lennox, and Sir Elton John, calling for increased investment in music education and the abolition of the EBacc. He emphasized the profound impact music education had on his own life, stating that it "helped me find confidence in myself, and music itself was - and still is - so important for my mental health."

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has acknowledged Sheeran's campaigning, promising that his government will revitalize the arts in schools, ensuring that "creativity isn't a privilege, but a right." Arts Council England has also welcomed the reforms, calling it "a great day for the next generation of creative talent in England."

Expert Perspectives on the Curriculum Changes

Professor Becky Francis, who chaired the curriculum review, described the approach as "evolution not revolution," emphasizing that England's pupils already perform relatively well against international averages. Speaking to the BBC, she highlighted the importance of addressing the learning dip often experienced by students transitioning from primary to secondary school, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. She also clarified that the push for greater diversity in the curriculum was not about "getting rid of core foundational texts and things that are really central to our culture," but rather about "recognising where, both as a nation but also globally, there's been diverse contribution to science and cultural progress."

However, the reforms have also drawn criticism. Former Conservative schools minister, Nick Gibb, warned that scrapping the EBacc could lead to a decline in the study of foreign languages, potentially widening the gap between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Liberal Democrats have also expressed concern that simply broadening the curriculum without adequate funding will stretch teachers and fail children.

Potential Challenges and Future Implementation

Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, acknowledged that the review proposed "a sensible, evidence-based set of reforms" but stressed that delivering a "great curriculum" requires "sufficient funding and teachers." He cautioned that schools and colleges do not currently have all the resources they need and urged the government to invest carefully to ensure the successful implementation of the new curriculum.

Shadow education secretary Laura Trott criticised aspects of the changes, claiming they were "education vandalism" that would "reduce standards [and] reduce accountability," disproportionately affecting disadvantaged children. She argued that the government was not being transparent about what content would be removed from the curriculum to make way for new topics.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has assured schools they will have four terms of notice before being expected to teach the new curriculum, emphasizing that it will not be a case of simply swapping out content but rather a "better sequencing" of the curriculum overall, avoiding duplication and ensuring children are not repeating material they have already studied.