The UK government is urging schools to promote art and design subjects, after a report found that schools with more creative pupils achieve significantly higher grades.
Released today, the New Schools Network (NSN) Arts Report reveals that schools with more arts GSCEs per pupil achieve above-average results. This was proven to be the case for schools in deprived areas, as well as those in affluent neighbourhoods.
It shows that offering a broad mix of subjects, in addition to those included in the controversial English Baccalaureate (EBacc) system ? which favours more traditional subjects like science and history ? leads to better performance.
At a launch event for the report earlier today, digital and culture minister Matt Hancock said the government is doing all it can to support creative subjects, but it is up to schools to deliver a varied curriculum. "This should not be an argument about a battle between the arts and other subjects, but instead a battle for stronger, better, well-rounded education," he said.

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"Ultimately, the best schools in the country do this. They combine excellent cultural education to complement excellence in other academic subjects," Hancock continued.
"This report backs up that analysis. It looks at the data and says, if you want to drive up standards across th...