Cultural Learning Alliance

The Cultural Learning Alliance (CLA) champions a right to arts and culture for every child. Join over 6,500 people and over 3,000 organisations today.

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

Today we publish our Report Card 2026 providing a crucial snapshot of the arts education landscape, enabling us to see the consequences of previous governments prioritising non-arts subjects through school performance measures.

Our key findings:

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

The study has important findings about the benefits of the arts as regular, ordinary and sustained provision distinct from targeted interventions, and about the power of making.

Read more: https://t.co/qGHTH7777i

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

CLA Research Spotlight | May 2026

This month Professor Pat Thomson, CLA’s Senior Evidence Associate reports on a valuable art-focused UK study on the impact of arts and cultural engagement on adolescent mental health.

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

This is likely due to policy changes since 2022, and uncertainty about which qualifications will be continued (before publication of govs post-16 education & skills white paper).

Read more: https://t.co/MJYHHNIy9H

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

Report Card 2026 | Key Finding 4: Arts subjects post-16

Arts subjects in the post-16 education landscape are characterised by decline and instability.
At post-16 we are seeing the impact of reduced Arts access moving through the system, combined with qualifications instability.

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

There has been a 41.7% decrease in the total of expressive Arts entries at GCSE between 2009/10 and 2024/25; this is a 0.3% improvement on 2025, when the figure stood at 42%.

Read more: https://t.co/MJYHHNIy9H

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

Report Card 2026 | Key Finding 3: The Arts at Key Stage 4

The outlook for Arts subjects at Key Stage 4 (ages 14 to 16) is largely stable but remains concerning.

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

Although there is a new government ambition to revitalise Arts education, the long tail of EBacc damage to Arts subjects will continue to impact subject choices at Key Stage 4. Data for Key Stage 4 provides a significant indicator of Arts education trends in England.

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

Naomi McCarthy, The Independent Society of Musicians (ISM)

Our Report Card 2026 reveals widening gaps in access, declining post‑16 participation, and too few specialist Arts teachers.

Read more: https://t.co/MJYHHNIy9H

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

“There is a pressing need to close the arts entitlement gap for young people.

The ISM believes that every child should have access to high-quality music education, and the stark data revealed by this Report Card shows that it’s time for urgent action from the government.”

[Arts Professional @ArtsPro]

The Curriculum and Assessment Review called for an evidence-led approach to developing a new curriculum. https://t.co/4ro4WwhpKe

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

A stark 'arts entitlement gap' is systemically locking those from disadvantaged backgrounds out of the transformative personal, social and cognitive benefits of studying arts subjects.

Read more: https://t.co/MJYHHNIy9H

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

Report Card 2026 | Key Finding No. 2: The ‘Arts entitlement gap’

Where a child grows up, their socio-economic status, and demographic group are significant social determinants in whether they will access/pursue arts qualifications from age 14

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

🔻 a scarcity of Drama and Dance subject leads
🔻 a worrying number of state schools with no external cultural partnerships

Read more: https://t.co/1PGiMniivM

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

Report Card 2026 | Key Finding No. 1: The Arts in primary schools

Diffs in time, expertise & partnerships create an alarming ‘Arts entitlement gap’ in England’s primary schools

Our latest Teacher Tapp survey of 2900 primary teachers reveals a stark picture of Arts provision:

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

🔻 significant differences in the hours available for state and independent primary schools
🔻 a decline in the hours available for Arts teaching

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

These inequalities are structural, and avoidable. Teachers, leaders, artists, policymakers - this evidence is for you. Use Report Card 2026 to advocate for the entitlement all children deserve.

Read more: https://t.co/MJYHHNIy9H

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

Our Report Card 2026 reveals some stark findings:

🔺 The Arts entitlement gap begins in primary, not secondary - confirmed by a Teacher Tapp survey of 2,900 primary teachers

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

🔺 North East & West Midlands - Regions with the highest Free School Meals eligibility have the lowest GCSE Arts entry rates

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

See what’s new in 2026: https://t.co/MJYHHNIy9H

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

🔺Published today 🔺 Report Card 2026🔺

Our first Report Card (2024) showed a 42% drop in Arts GCSE entries since 2010. This year’s picture is more mixed — some improvements, some worrying declines -but the story remains the same: expressive arts subjects need urgent attention

[Cultural Learning Alliance @CultureLearning]

Our third edition distils national datasets into annual indicators that track the health of arts education over time, including:

✨ A new primary phase indicator
✨ New data on Arts qualifications by SEND status & ethnicity
✨ New analysis of teacher qualification levels