Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on implementing the recommendations of the Durham Commission on Creativity and Education.

In July 2024, this government established the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE.

The Review seeks to deliver a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that readies young people for life and work. This includes creative subjects such as art, music and drama, as well as skills for life and work.

On 18 March, the Review published a well-evidenced, clear interim report, which sets out its interim findings and confirms the key areas for further work.

The final report with recommendations will be published this autumn, along with the government’s response. The Review’s recommendations will inform changes to the current system.

The Durham Commission report published in 2019 set out a number of recommendations, and some were taken forward by the previous government, Arts Council England and others.

This includes the ‘Creativity Collaboratives’ programme established by Arts Council England in 2021 to test innovative practices in teaching for creativity.