On November 4, 2025, the UK government unveiled sweeping changes to England’s national curriculum, placing creative subjects like music and the arts at the heart of education for the first time in over a decade. The announcement, met with widespread attention and debate, followed months of high-profile campaigning by singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran and other leading artists, who urged ministers to reverse what they called “decades of dismantling music.”
Sheeran’s open letter, sent in March 2025 and backed by stars such as Harry Styles, Stormzy, Annie Lennox, and Sir Elton John, called for a £250 million investment in music education and the removal of the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) – a measure introduced in 2010 that prioritized academic subjects over the arts. According to The Independent, Sheeran warned that playing instruments and performing had become “a luxury not every child can afford.” He argued for a curriculum that would “give young people hope and the opportunity to study music.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer responded directly to Sheeran’s call, writing, “I wanted you to know that your voice has been heard. Learning music at school made a huge difference to my life. We will make sure every child has access to those experiences…so that creativity isn’t a privilege, but a right.” Starmer’s government committed not only to revitalizing arts education, but also to launching a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education, aimed at supporting teachers and raising standards across the country.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, referencing Sheeran’s advocacy in her official speech, declared, “Our creative industries are a source of such national pride. But as Ed Sheeran said so powerfully, we can’t continue to lead on the world stage without a broad base in our schools at home. The arts should be for all, not the lucky few… we’ll revitalise arts education – putting it back at the heart of a rich and broad curriculum.”
The curriculum review, the first of its kind in more than ten years, will see children taught how to spot fake news and disinformation, understand mortgages, and gain financial literacy in maths classes. Other reforms include compulsory citizenship lessons in primary schools, expanded content on climate change, a new post-16 qualification in data science and AI, and better representation of diversity throughout subjects. The government has also pledged to cut the time spent on GCSE exams by up to three hours per student, ensure all children can take three science GCSEs, and elevate the status of oracy—the skills of speaking and listening—to be on par with reading and writing.
Central to the reforms is the scrapping of the EBacc and changes to the Progress 8 school ranking system, which previously assessed schools based on how many pupils took English, maths, sciences, geography or history, and a language. The Department for Education stated these measures were “constraining,” and their removal would “encourage students to study a greater breadth of GCSE subjects,” including the arts. As BBC News noted, the review’s aim is to narrow attainment gaps between disadvantaged students and their peers, and to create a “cutting edge” curriculum for the future.
Sheeran expressed his gratitude for the reforms, stating, “With the help of the letter and everyone who signed it, I’m happy to say that some of the key points we raised have been recognised by the government today, marking the first change to the music curriculum in over 10 years. This involves diversifying the music genres taught in schools and removing outdated systems that stop kids from studying music and the arts as part of their school day. These changes give young people hope and the opportunity to study music.”
He reflected on his own journey, adding, “Without the encouragement I received in school, especially from my music teacher, I wouldn’t be a musician today, and I know so many of my peers feel the same. My music education went beyond learning and playing. It helped me find confidence in myself, and music itself was – and still is – so important for my mental health.” While Sheeran hailed the changes as “a step in the right direction,” he emphasized, “There is still a lot more to do to support music education, especially our music teachers.”
Arts Council England called the reforms “a great day for the next generation of creative talent in England.” The charity Voice 21 welcomed the elevation of oracy, calling it “a vital step forward” for teaching children valuable communication skills. The changes, according to the government, will be implemented with four terms’ notice to allow schools time to adapt.
However, not everyone is convinced. Shadow education secretary Laura Trott criticized the reforms in Parliament, warning, “It’s education vandalism and we will fight it all the way.” She argued that the changes would “reduce standards [and] reduce accountability,” and that “it will be the disadvantaged children who will suffer the most.” Trott claimed the government was “not being honest” about what would be removed from the curriculum to make space for new topics, and accused ministers of “reducing standards.”
Former Conservative schools minister Nick Gibb voiced concerns that scrapping the EBacc would lead to a “precipitous decline in the study of foreign languages,” with language study increasingly concentrated in private schools and among wealthier families. The Liberal Democrats, while welcoming the broadening of the curriculum, opposed the removal of the EBacc, with education spokeswoman Munira Wilson highlighting ongoing funding and teacher shortages: “Without a costed plan and proper workforce strategy, these reforms will stretch teachers even further and fail our children.”
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, described the review’s proposals as “a sensible, evidence-based set of reforms.” Yet he cautioned, “Delivering a great curriculum also requires sufficient funding and teachers,” adding, “It’s ironic that the government keep asking for more and more from a pot that is actually getting smaller and smaller.” Di’Iasio urged the government to invest in schools to ensure the shared ambitions of the reforms could be met.
Prof Becky Francis, who chaired the review, explained that the approach was “evolution not revolution,” emphasizing that England’s students already perform well against international averages. She stressed the importance of addressing learning gaps that often emerge in the early years of secondary school, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. Francis also clarified that calls for greater diversity in the curriculum were not about discarding foundational texts, but about recognizing the diverse contributions to science and culture both nationally and globally.
Sheeran’s advocacy was rooted not only in his personal history but in recent trends. As The Independent reported, 2024 marked the first year in over 20 years without a UK global top 10 single or album, a stark contrast to 2017, when Sheeran’s album Divide helped drive a record 7% growth in British music export revenues. The new curriculum, Sheeran and supporters hope, will help restore the pipeline of creative talent that has long been a hallmark of British culture.
While the reforms have ignited passionate debate, they mark a significant moment for arts education in England, promising a broader, more inclusive curriculum—and, perhaps, a new generation of creative minds ready to shape the world.
