Creative subjects in schools should not fall victim to a binary education policy

Too often creative subjects are looked down upon. But the reality is that Britain is a creative powerhouse. The creative industries are worth over £120bn to the UK economy.

Yes, there is an urgent need to solve the skills shortage in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) but that doesn’t mean that a strength of Britain’s economy should be sacrificed.

Besides, it should not be viewed as one or the other. Children should be encouraged in all subject areas as learning can be applied across different disciplines.

Camilla Kingdon, former president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, is right to say that “there cannot be a hierarchy of talents”

The ability to think creatively can be useful in the most unlikely of settings.

And as former children’s commissioner for England, Baroness Anne Longfield warns: “A career in the arts, music, and cultural industries must not become the preserve of only the most advantaged.”

Helping young children develop creative skills is also important to them having a more well-rounded life. Learning to play an instrument for example could stay with them well into adulthood.

That is why teachers should be afforded the time and resources to encourage primary school pupils to sing, make music, paint, draw, create, play, and act, as suggested by the Centre for Young Lives.