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Scheduled Event - Thursday 19th November - Add to calendar
View Source
Lords - Short debate - Grand Committee
Increase entries for arts subjects at GCSE and A Level in state schools
MP: Baroness Keeley
Division Vote (Lords)
4 Nov 2026 - Global Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Sanctions Regulations 2026 - View Vote Context
Baroness Keeley (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 76 Labour No votes vs 2 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 94 Noes - 90
Written Question
Teachers: Qualifications
Wednesday 28th October 2026

Asked by: Baroness Keeley (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many state primary school teachers in each region of England had a degree-level qualification in music, drama, dance or art between 2012 and 2026, broken down by degree subject and by academic year.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Information on the state-funded school workforce in England is published annually in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical release, available on GOV.UK. The release includes published statistics on teachers’ qualifications.

The tables below provide the additional breakdowns requested in these questions for the 2012/13 to 2025/26 academic years, covering the number of teachers, the regional breakdown and the proportion of state-funded primary schools with at least one such teacher. Figures are provided separately for music, drama and art. Qualifications in dance cannot be separately identified in the School Workforce Census qualifications data. Data for the 2026/27 academic year will be collected later this term and published next summer.

Headcount number of state primary school teachers with a degree-level (or higher) qualification in music, drama or art between 2012/13 and 2025/26

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

Art and Design

15,659

15,727

15,915

15,869

15,785

15,356

14,894

14,528

14,304

13,946

13,636

13,174

12,712

12,204

Drama

6,694

7,067

7,454

7,710

7,958

7,904

7,821

7,809

7,814

7,818

7,840

7,567

7,347

7,125

Music

7,551

7,666

7,833

7,868

7,852

7,608

7,380

7,176

7,067

6,927

6,686

6,345

6,033

5,707

Proportion of state primary schools with at least one teacher with a degree-level (or higher) qualification in music, drama or art between 2012/13 and 2025/26

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

Art and Design

56.8

56.6

56.9

56.6

56.1

55.4

54.3

53.5

53.2

52.4

51.8

50.6

49.6

48.3

Drama

30.6

31.9

33.0

33.8

34.7

34.8

34.2

34.1

34.1

34.2

34.2

33.5

32.8

32.2

Music

34.9

35.2

35.8

35.9

35.7

34.9

34.0

33.1

32.6

32.1

31.1

29.8

28.8

27.6

Headcount number of state primary school teachers with a degree-level (or higher) qualification in music, drama or art by region between 2012/13 and 2025/26

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

Art and Design

East Midlands

1,409

1,400

1,431

1,439

1,399

1,381

1,343

1,313

1,297

1,273

1,268

1,216

1,171

1,137

East of England

1,721

1,756

1,801

1,785

1,783

1,754

1,743

1,699

1,665

1,631

1,608

1,595

1,535

1,476

Inner London

909

971

1,007

1,017

1,037

1,011

950

960

924

869

819

777

730

665

North East

630

619

637

636

619

588

575

575

573

577

550

530

503

479

North West

1,935

1,938

1,985

1,943

1,912

1,869

1,794

1,756

1,736

1,722

1,696

1,664

1,607

1,534

Outer London

1,434

1,499

1,510

1,499

1,489

1,438

1,399

1,338

1,290

1,210

1,182

1,134

1,069

1,054

South East

2,585

2,568

2,568

2,616

2,620

2,543

2,513

2,421

2,420

2,370

2,326

2,257

2,163

2,079

South West

1,686

1,669

1,677

1,682

1,717

1,622

1,579

1,537

1,553

1,501

1,475

1,434

1,386

1,330

West Midlands

1,930

1,918

1,901

1,864

1,847

1,820

1,745

1,695

1,646

1,642

1,586

1,481

1,471

1,414

Yorkshire and The Humber

1,420

1,389

1,398

1,388

1,362

1,330

1,253

1,234

1,200

1,151

1,126

1,086

1,077

1,036

Drama

East Midlands

606

618

665

690

715

716

734

712

733

723

721

696

681

651

East of England

741

781

815

854

879

890

895

915

903

885

895

870

840

825

Inner London

448

519

582

584

612

602

585

567

558

545

538

500

476

429

North East

173

179

197

220

231

223

219

216

221

217

217

210

206

187

North West

803

842

880

918

943

946

935

954

925

953

978

968

927

945

Outer London

762

822

853

862

877

845

818

826

806

799

784

764

728

692

South East

1,278

1,334

1,392

1,469

1,512

1,503

1,467

1,486

1,521

1,511

1,499

1,432

1,392

1,338

South West

696

741

769

786

815

816

814

795

810

838

851

822

794

776

West Midlands

556

575

609

638

659

668

671

666

654

670

683

655

660

651

Yorkshire and The Humber

631

656

692

689

715

695

683

672

683

677

674

650

643

631

Music

East Midlands

664

659

662

669

659

654

650

625

623

615

573

541

513

479

East of England

901

925

948

957

968

936

902

875

857

826

805

746

717

687

Inner London

355

384

419

417

438

416

413

410

385

361

332

329

303

278

North East

259

256

260

255

268

259

260

245

242

241

221

223

209

215

North West

974

986

993

1,008

1,008

951

930

903

895

866

857

821

780

746

Outer London

624

645

680

671

641

624

569

582

578

565

544

505

498

454

South East

1,343

1,344

1,366

1,390

1,400

1,361

1,308

1,275

1,275

1,257

1,225

1,171

1,115

1,065

South West

882

923

930

937

923

901

880

861

854

854

830

787

737

700

West Midlands

777

787

799

788

781

762

744

709

680

688

660

628

602

565

Yorkshire and The Humber

772

757

776

776

766

744

724

691

678

654

639

594

559

518

Source: School Workforce Census

Note: state primary schools includes states nursery schools

Written Question
Teachers: Qualifications
Wednesday 28th October 2026

Asked by: Baroness Keeley (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many state primary school teachers had a degree-level qualification in music, drama, dance or art between 2012 and 2026, broken down by degree subject and by academic year.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Information on the state-funded school workforce in England is published annually in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical release, available on GOV.UK. The release includes published statistics on teachers’ qualifications.

The tables below provide the additional breakdowns requested in these questions for the 2012/13 to 2025/26 academic years, covering the number of teachers, the regional breakdown and the proportion of state-funded primary schools with at least one such teacher. Figures are provided separately for music, drama and art. Qualifications in dance cannot be separately identified in the School Workforce Census qualifications data. Data for the 2026/27 academic year will be collected later this term and published next summer.

Headcount number of state primary school teachers with a degree-level (or higher) qualification in music, drama or art between 2012/13 and 2025/26

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

Art and Design

15,659

15,727

15,915

15,869

15,785

15,356

14,894

14,528

14,304

13,946

13,636

13,174

12,712

12,204

Drama

6,694

7,067

7,454

7,710

7,958

7,904

7,821

7,809

7,814

7,818

7,840

7,567

7,347

7,125

Music

7,551

7,666

7,833

7,868

7,852

7,608

7,380

7,176

7,067

6,927

6,686

6,345

6,033

5,707

Proportion of state primary schools with at least one teacher with a degree-level (or higher) qualification in music, drama or art between 2012/13 and 2025/26

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

Art and Design

56.8

56.6

56.9

56.6

56.1

55.4

54.3

53.5

53.2

52.4

51.8

50.6

49.6

48.3

Drama

30.6

31.9

33.0

33.8

34.7

34.8

34.2

34.1

34.1

34.2

34.2

33.5

32.8

32.2

Music

34.9

35.2

35.8

35.9

35.7

34.9

34.0

33.1

32.6

32.1

31.1

29.8

28.8

27.6

Headcount number of state primary school teachers with a degree-level (or higher) qualification in music, drama or art by region between 2012/13 and 2025/26

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

Art and Design

East Midlands

1,409

1,400

1,431

1,439

1,399

1,381

1,343

1,313

1,297

1,273

1,268

1,216

1,171

1,137

East of England

1,721

1,756

1,801

1,785

1,783

1,754

1,743

1,699

1,665

1,631

1,608

1,595

1,535

1,476

Inner London

909

971

1,007

1,017

1,037

1,011

950

960

924

869

819

777

730

665

North East

630

619

637

636

619

588

575

575

573

577

550

530

503

479

North West

1,935

1,938

1,985

1,943

1,912

1,869

1,794

1,756

1,736

1,722

1,696

1,664

1,607

1,534

Outer London

1,434

1,499

1,510

1,499

1,489

1,438

1,399

1,338

1,290

1,210

1,182

1,134

1,069

1,054

South East

2,585

2,568

2,568

2,616

2,620

2,543

2,513

2,421

2,420

2,370

2,326

2,257

2,163

2,079

South West

1,686

1,669

1,677

1,682

1,717

1,622

1,579

1,537

1,553

1,501

1,475

1,434

1,386

1,330

West Midlands

1,930

1,918

1,901

1,864

1,847

1,820

1,745

1,695

1,646

1,642

1,586

1,481

1,471

1,414

Yorkshire and The Humber

1,420

1,389

1,398

1,388

1,362

1,330

1,253

1,234

1,200

1,151

1,126

1,086

1,077

1,036

Drama

East Midlands

606

618

665

690

715

716

734

712

733

723

721

696

681

651

East of England

741

781

815

854

879

890

895

915

903

885

895

870

840

825

Inner London

448

519

582

584

612

602

585

567

558

545

538

500

476

429

North East

173

179

197

220

231

223

219

216

221

217

217

210

206

187

North West

803

842

880

918

943

946

935

954

925

953

978

968

927

945

Outer London

762

822

853

862

877

845

818

826

806

799

784

764

728

692

South East

1,278

1,334

1,392

1,469

1,512

1,503

1,467

1,486

1,521

1,511

1,499

1,432

1,392

1,338

South West

696

741

769

786

815

816

814

795

810

838

851

822

794

776

West Midlands

556

575

609

638

659

668

671

666

654

670

683

655

660

651

Yorkshire and The Humber

631

656

692

689

715

695

683

672

683

677

674

650

643

631

Music

East Midlands

664

659

662

669

659

654

650

625

623

615

573

541

513

479

East of England

901

925

948

957

968

936

902

875

857

826

805

746

717

687

Inner London

355

384

419

417

438

416

413

410

385

361

332

329

303

278

North East

259

256

260

255

268

259

260

245

242

241

221

223

209

215

North West

974

986

993

1,008

1,008

951

930

903

895

866

857

821

780

746

Outer London

624

645

680

671

641

624

569

582

578

565

544

505

498

454

South East

1,343

1,344

1,366

1,390

1,400

1,361

1,308

1,275

1,275

1,257

1,225

1,171

1,115

1,065

South West

882

923

930

937

923

901

880

861

854

854

830

787

737

700

West Midlands

777

787

799

788

781

762

744

709

680

688

660

628

602

565

Yorkshire and The Humber

772

757

776

776

766

744

724

691

678

654

639

594

559

518

Source: School Workforce Census

Note: state primary schools includes states nursery schools

Written Question
Teachers: Qualifications
Wednesday 28th October 2026

Asked by: Baroness Keeley (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of state primary schools had or have at least one teacher on their staff with a degree-level qualification in music, drama, dance or art between 2012 and 2026, broken down by degree subject and by academic year.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Information on the state-funded school workforce in England is published annually in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical release, available on GOV.UK. The release includes published statistics on teachers’ qualifications.

The tables below provide the additional breakdowns requested in these questions for the 2012/13 to 2025/26 academic years, covering the number of teachers, the regional breakdown and the proportion of state-funded primary schools with at least one such teacher. Figures are provided separately for music, drama and art. Qualifications in dance cannot be separately identified in the School Workforce Census qualifications data. Data for the 2026/27 academic year will be collected later this term and published next summer.

Headcount number of state primary school teachers with a degree-level (or higher) qualification in music, drama or art between 2012/13 and 2025/26

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

Art and Design

15,659

15,727

15,915

15,869

15,785

15,356

14,894

14,528

14,304

13,946

13,636

13,174

12,712

12,204

Drama

6,694

7,067

7,454

7,710

7,958

7,904

7,821

7,809

7,814

7,818

7,840

7,567

7,347

7,125

Music

7,551

7,666

7,833

7,868

7,852

7,608

7,380

7,176

7,067

6,927

6,686

6,345

6,033

5,707

Proportion of state primary schools with at least one teacher with a degree-level (or higher) qualification in music, drama or art between 2012/13 and 2025/26

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

Art and Design

56.8

56.6

56.9

56.6

56.1

55.4

54.3

53.5

53.2

52.4

51.8

50.6

49.6

48.3

Drama

30.6

31.9

33.0

33.8

34.7

34.8

34.2

34.1

34.1

34.2

34.2

33.5

32.8

32.2

Music

34.9

35.2

35.8

35.9

35.7

34.9

34.0

33.1

32.6

32.1

31.1

29.8

28.8

27.6

Headcount number of state primary school teachers with a degree-level (or higher) qualification in music, drama or art by region between 2012/13 and 2025/26

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

Art and Design

East Midlands

1,409

1,400

1,431

1,439

1,399

1,381

1,343

1,313

1,297

1,273

1,268

1,216

1,171

1,137

East of England

1,721

1,756

1,801

1,785

1,783

1,754

1,743

1,699

1,665

1,631

1,608

1,595

1,535

1,476

Inner London

909

971

1,007

1,017

1,037

1,011

950

960

924

869

819

777

730

665

North East

630

619

637

636

619

588

575

575

573

577

550

530

503

479

North West

1,935

1,938

1,985

1,943

1,912

1,869

1,794

1,756

1,736

1,722

1,696

1,664

1,607

1,534

Outer London

1,434

1,499

1,510

1,499

1,489

1,438

1,399

1,338

1,290

1,210

1,182

1,134

1,069

1,054

South East

2,585

2,568

2,568

2,616

2,620

2,543

2,513

2,421

2,420

2,370

2,326

2,257

2,163

2,079

South West

1,686

1,669

1,677

1,682

1,717

1,622

1,579

1,537

1,553

1,501

1,475

1,434

1,386

1,330

West Midlands

1,930

1,918

1,901

1,864

1,847

1,820

1,745

1,695

1,646

1,642

1,586

1,481

1,471

1,414

Yorkshire and The Humber

1,420

1,389

1,398

1,388

1,362

1,330

1,253

1,234

1,200

1,151

1,126

1,086

1,077

1,036

Drama

East Midlands

606

618

665

690

715

716

734

712

733

723

721

696

681

651

East of England

741

781

815

854

879

890

895

915

903

885

895

870

840

825

Inner London

448

519

582

584

612

602

585

567

558

545

538

500

476

429

North East

173

179

197

220

231

223

219

216

221

217

217

210

206

187

North West

803

842

880

918

943

946

935

954

925

953

978

968

927

945

Outer London

762

822

853

862

877

845

818

826

806

799

784

764

728

692

South East

1,278

1,334

1,392

1,469

1,512

1,503

1,467

1,486

1,521

1,511

1,499

1,432

1,392

1,338

South West

696

741

769

786

815

816

814

795

810

838

851

822

794

776

West Midlands

556

575

609

638

659

668

671

666

654

670

683

655

660

651

Yorkshire and The Humber

631

656

692

689

715

695

683

672

683

677

674

650

643

631

Music

East Midlands

664

659

662

669

659

654

650

625

623

615

573

541

513

479

East of England

901

925

948

957

968

936

902

875

857

826

805

746

717

687

Inner London

355

384

419

417

438

416

413

410

385

361

332

329

303

278

North East

259

256

260

255

268

259

260

245

242

241

221

223

209

215

North West

974

986

993

1,008

1,008

951

930

903

895

866

857

821

780

746

Outer London

624

645

680

671

641

624

569

582

578

565

544

505

498

454

South East

1,343

1,344

1,366

1,390

1,400

1,361

1,308

1,275

1,275

1,257

1,225

1,171

1,115

1,065

South West

882

923

930

937

923

901

880

861

854

854

830

787

737

700

West Midlands

777

787

799

788

781

762

744

709

680

688

660

628

602

565

Yorkshire and The Humber

772

757

776

776

766

744

724

691

678

654

639

594

559

518

Source: School Workforce Census

Note: state primary schools includes states nursery schools

Division Vote (Lords)
26 Oct 2026 - Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill - View Vote Context
Baroness Keeley (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 148 Labour No votes vs 1 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 194 Noes - 155
Division Vote (Lords)
26 Oct 2026 - Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill - View Vote Context
Baroness Keeley (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 148 Labour No votes vs 1 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 202 Noes - 155
Division Vote (Lords)
26 Oct 2026 - Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill - View Vote Context
Baroness Keeley (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 158 Labour No votes vs 0 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 95 Noes - 165
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 22 Oct 2026
Carers Action Plan

"My Lords, I tried a number of times in the other place to bring forward a Bill on the identification of carers, because GPs and other health professionals can be inconsistent in identifying them. As we have heard from the noble Lord, Lord Young, young carers are the most hidden …..."
Baroness Keeley - View Speech

View all Baroness Keeley (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Carers Action Plan
Division Vote (Lords)
20 Oct 2026 - Armed Forces Bill - View Vote Context
Baroness Keeley (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 160 Labour No votes vs 1 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 259 Noes - 173