Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's subject time series tables SFR48_2016 and SFR03_2017 what assessment she has made of the reasons for the 8.3 per cent reduction in the number of entries for GCSE music from 2009-10 to 2015-16; what steps she is taking to tackle that change; and if she will make a statement.

All pupils should have access to a well rounded education,‎ including the arts. All state funded schools are required to provide a broad and balanced curriculum that promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils. Music is compulsory within the National Curriculum for 5 – 14 year olds in maintained schools.

Entries into music GCSE fell between 2010 and 2012, rose between 2012 and 2015 and fell between 2015 and 2016. This does not suggest a consistent trend. The 8.3% reduction between 2010 and 2016 is partially accounted for by the reduction in the number of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4, which fell by 6.1 percent in the same period. Between 2011 and 2016, entries to GCSE music fell by 3.5% while the number of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 fell by 4.3%. The Government hopes that all schools will offer their pupils the opportunity to study music and a range of other arts GCSEs. It is, however, for individual schools to decide which GCSEs to offer.