Durham Commission: schools should promote creativity for all young people

Teaching for creativity in schools must be prioritised to equip young people with the skills they need in later life, according to a report published by the Durham Commission.

The Durham Commission is a joint research collaboration between Durham University and Arts Council England, convened to look at the role creativity and creative thinking should play in the education of young people. Following 18 months of research, the Commission has launched its report and recommendations with a long-term vision for promoting creativity in education.

The report recommends:

All schools, from early years to post-16 education should be better enabled to support the promotion of creativity for all young people, whatever their background.

Teaching for creativity should be practised across the curriculum and accessed by all. It should not be confined to certain subjects; creativity in science is different to creativity in drama, but is valuable in both.

Through engaging in opportunities for creative learning, grounded in subject-knowledge and understanding, students’ creative capacity will be nurtured, and their personal, social and academic development greatly enriched.
The Commission aims for young people to enter society and the world of work able to think and work creatively across disciplines and sectors and champion the UK as a leader in creativity.

The recommendations also call for a range of organisations to deliver this vision including the Department for Education (DfE), Ofsted, Ofqual, Institute for Apprenticeships, BBC, Arts Council England and Local Cultural Education Partnerships (LCEPs).