The £90m 'arts premium' previously promised by the Conservative government was omitted from chancellor Rishi Sunak’s budget set out in the House of Commons today (27 October).
This additional funding for arts subjects in secondary schools was promised by the government in its 2019 manifesto, and in the 2020 Budget, but it appears that this has now been dropped.
In a written response to a question from Labour’s Dame Diana Johnson last month, former schools minister Nick Gibb said: ‘Due to the focus on new priorities as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, the arts premium is now subject to this year’s Spending Review.’
The spending review culminated today and was delivered alongside the budget, which saw Sunak promise an extra £4.7bn for schools in England by 2024-2025 and an increase for every child of £1,500.
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