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Teachers currently face significant time-related challenges which include:Ìý

• an extensive amount of content to cover within two years, limiting creative student engagement
• marking and internal standardisation demandsÌýÌý
• preparing samples for external moderationÌý
• shortage of specialised staff and small departmentsÌý
• less time scheduled in the timetable, yet with the same pressures to hit expected grades.

We want to help ease these time pressures so you can better support your students, encouraging them to be creative, take risks, and develop their curiosity.ÌýÌý

We are constantly looking at time-saving ways to help you cut through the details as quickly and smoothly as possible. To this end, we have:ÌýÌý

• developed enhanced exemplar libraries which give quicker access to relevant exemplars
• created regular live online and face-to-face trainingÌý
• started to put together support guides on how to take video evidence for moderationÌý
• recommended content reductions to creative subjects in our response to the curriculum and assessment review.Ìý

Creative subjects present both challenges and benefits due to the requirement that coursework must be marked internally before external moderation. The advantages include:

• providing students with an authentic, project-based learning experience
• reducing end-point assessment stress
• fostering autonomy and personal growth.

However, this process can be time-consuming and stressful for teachers, particularly in understanding exemplar marks, and accessing exemplar materials.

We want to alleviate these challenges, giving you confidence in applying the mark and the moderation processes so you can support your students to take risks, challenge themselves and really want to create.Ìý

What we’re doing:Ìý

• Introducing exemplar libraries across our creative subjects,Ìýto ensure students and teachers have a clear understanding of the assessment standards.Ìý
• Increasing our face-to-face marking training for Art & Design and Design & Technology.Ìý
• Refining and delivering online marking training to ensure everyone has access to live training.Ìý
• Developing enhanced training of our moderation team to ensure the highest level of consistency and communication with centres.Ìý
• Improving our moderation reports so that they give you meaningful and comprehensive feedback on your cohort after each series.Ìý

The creative subjects have been under significant pressure in recent years for a variety of reasons, including:

• competition for curriculum time with EBacc subjects
• pressure on students to choose EBacc subjects over creative ones
• increased focus on writing at the expense of practical creation thus losing the authenticity of the creative subject
• financial barriers affecting access and outcomes
• negative perceptions about the value of creative subjects.Ìý

All learners deserve the chance to develop their creativity, which is why we're advocating for creative subjects to be better recognised and valued as part of a well-rounded education for all students. We also want to see the financial burden on schools reduced, so that no subject is out of reach because of a lack of specialist materials, equipment or events.Ìý

At a subject content level, we're proposing the following changes:ÌýÌý

• An increased weighting of NEA in Music, Physical Education, Design & Technology, and Drama to ensure learners have a more authentic creative experience.Ìý
• An earlier release date for externally set assignments for Art & Design.Ìý

We’ll also explore accessible pathways into creative subjects for those who feel they're currently out of reach. For example, we’ll be:Ìý

• highlighting and exemplifying the non-performance pathway through Drama GCSEÌý
• increasing support for the digital pathway through Art & Design.Ìý