Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what reports or assessments they have received from Ofsted about whether schools are implementing a broad and balanced curriculum that includes music; and any action being taken if schools are judged on this measure as "inadequate", particularly in schools that are otherwise judged to be outstanding.
All schools should provide pupils with a broad and balanced curriculum. While Ofsted does not grade individual curriculum subjects as part of school inspections, it does assess and report on the curriculum as a whole. Where a school is found not to be offering a curriculum that meets the needs of pupils, this will be reflected in the inspection outcome.
Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman, is examining how schools deliver the curriculum as part of its research programme. Attached is a recent recent commentary, published by Ofsted, on the primary and secondary curriculum in which the Chief Inspector emphasises the importance of breadth in the curriculum. Findings from Ofsted’s curriculum review will help inform the development of its 2019 inspection framework.