A £24 million music and arts scheme will struggle to breathe new life into the subjects because of poor funding and an accountability system that prioritises other topics, says a union leader. The government has announced this week that the education company Etio will run the National Centre for Arts Education (NCAE) from November. Bosses hope the scheme will “place renewed emphasis on the importance of arts and music educational pathways” and act as a “national repository of evidence” for teaching best practice. But Pepe Di’Iasio, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, doubts the scheme can achieve all that it aims to. “Schools already strive to provide excellent opportunities in the arts,” he said. Pepe Di’Iasio “What holds them back is lack of funding and an accountability system that prioritises other subjects. These are the things that need to change.” Etio – which also coordinates the government’s maths hubs – will work alongside research partner Birmingham City University and quality assurance partner the Chartered College of Teaching. Steven Berryman, past president of the Chartered College of Teaching, will lead the centre, alongside a team of advisers supporting more than 10,000 schools in underserved areas. Its focus will be on improving education in art and design, dance, drama and music. ‘Renewed emphasis’ “With falling numbers of young people engaging with creative subjects, it is imperative that we place renewed emphasis on the importance of arts and music educational pathways,” Berryman said. “We’re really keen to understand… what are the best practices, what’s happening in these local areas across England, and then by bringing that evidence together as a national repository of evidence, we can then start to shape what happens.” Department for Education tender documents said the centre would be charged with “mobilising a coalition of national, regional, and local partners to generate and direct investment to support equitable access to high-quality arts in school”. It would also provide online professional development for primary and secondary teachers and support access to existing programmes. Berryman, who said arts teachers were often in “very small departments”, hoped they would “start to have a collective voice and start to be supported and enriched and developed” by joining the NCAE. The centre would highlight the opportunities for children “to progress in the arts and pursue their interests and career aspirations”. Etio also noted the NCAE would “create an extensive engagement programme, through which education and cultural partners can share their perspectives on what high-quality arts education looks like in schools”. ‘Important partner’ “The centre will be an important partner in revitalising arts education, securing equitable access to high-quality teaching and enrichment opportunities, particularly for children and communities currently least able to access them,” the DfE tender said. Polling by Teacher Tapp shows 53 per cent of primary teachers have seen no change in the time spent on arts subjects in their schools over the past two years. Thirty-one per cent said it had decreased. Etio’s contract is for £12.2 million through to August 2029. The government has the option to extend for a further three years for £12 million more. It will also be supported by Arts Council England, which has been asked by officials to help it develop relationships across the cultural education sector. However, Di’Iasio said this represented a “relatively small investment”, which meant provision was likely to be spread “quite thinly”. “It is right to prioritise areas of disadvantage where families often cannot afford to access the arts, and we definitely welcome that focus,” he said. “However, it does seem a stretch for the government to say the centre will play a pivotal role in revitalising the arts in schools.” Responding to Di’Iasio’s concerns, an NCAE spokesperson said the centre will meet with sector bodies and professional associations over the coming week to ensure “the experiences of schools and their leaders shape the support we offer”. “We want to hear directly from schools, and we will set out how they can get involved when our website launches shortly.” Hubs will move The music hubs programme – in which groups of schools, councils, community groups, music organisations and others support schools with their music education – is also due to move to the NCAE next September. There were 114 hubs, but in 2024 the system was restructured into 43 music hub partnerships covering larger areas. A report into the new model, published in February, highlighted challenges including around “funding, workforce capacity, and geographical access”. A DfE spokesperson said children needed a broad education that combined high standards with creativity and which gave them the skills to thrive. “Alongside strong foundations in core subjects like English and maths, the arts are central to that. “That’s why we’re scrapping the EBacc, transforming the curriculum, and now backing the national centre to revitalise arts education in our schools.”