Reversing Elitism in Music and Drama Requires Restoring Arts Education in State Schools
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/editorial. "The Guardian view on music and drama education: reversing elitism starts at school | Editorial | The Guardian." September 4, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The Guardian argues that fewer UK students are studying music and drama in school, especially in state schools, making these fields increasingly dominated by privileged, privately-educated people. The editorial calls on the government to invest in arts education to give all children—not just wealthy ones—a genuine chance to pursue careers in music, theatre, and the arts.
Conclusion
The government must urgently invest in and prioritize music and drama education in state schools to prevent the arts from becoming the exclusive preserve of privileged children.
Premises
- A-level and GCSE entries in music and drama have declined dramatically over the past 10-15 years, with A-level music at a record low and nearly half its level from 15 years ago
- 40% of state schools no longer offer music or drama GCSEs, and universities have closed music and arts departments
- Music GCSE has the widest attainment gap for disadvantaged students of any subject, and private lessons are unaffordable for most families
- The Ebacc, introduced in 2010, deprioritized arts subjects in favor of core academic subjects, contributing to this decline
- The creative industries and public performance world have become increasingly dominated by privately-educated and privileged individuals, as evidenced by commentary on 'posh' singers and testimonies from artists like Ed Sheeran, Alison Balsom, Julie Walters, and Michael Sheen
- Music and drama education provide broader benefits including discipline, confidence, social skills, and wellbeing
- The creative industries are economically valuable and contribute to Britain's global soft power
Assumptions
- Access to arts education in school is a primary determinant of who can pursue creative careers later in life
- Government funding and policy changes (like scrapping the Ebacc) can meaningfully reverse the decline in arts education uptake
- The current elitism in creative industries is primarily a supply-side problem (lack of access/training) rather than other structural factors (e.g., industry gatekeeping, economic barriers to sustaining a creative career post-education)
- State school arts provision, if restored, would translate into more diverse representation in professional creative industries
- The decline in subject entries is caused by systemic/policy factors rather than shifting student interests or preferences