What is the English Baccalaureate or EBacc?

• The EBacc was introduced in 2010 as a performance measure in the school performance league tables. It isn't a qualification in itself.
  
• The EBacc shows how many pupils in a school have secured a GCSE C grade or better across a set of subjects – English, mathematics, history or geography, the sciences and a language. These are sometimes described by the Government as ‘facilitating’ or ‘academic’ subjects.
• In January 2013, a measure of performance in these subjects was also included in the school performance league tables for A-level. This has now widely become known as the ABacc.
• However, the EBacc and ABacc exclude creative subjects. The Bacc for the Future Campaign is calling on the Government to either include creative subjects or scrap these elements of the school league tables. Sign up to the campaign and write to your MP.

Why are the EBacc and ABacc measures of such concern?

• The EBacc and ABacc measures, whilst not compulsory, are still putting pressure on schools and students to prioritise a narrow group of subjects at the expense of others, including the creative subjects. This remains the case despite the recent introduction of a new wider school measure at GCSE that can, should a school choose, include creative subjects. 
• Ex-Secretary of State for Education, Baroness Morris recently explained:“We have learnt over that time that what is measured is what is valued, and what schools are held accountable for is where they will put their efforts.”

• The EBacc and ABacc measures therefore risk denying children a broad and balanced education by down grading creative subjects.

• They also have the potential to harm the economy by cutting the pipeline of home grown talent – our creative industries are world-beaters – they contribute 6% of GDP, employ two million people and export over £16 billion annually.
• The CBI, the Creative Industries Council and Darren Henley - who led the Review of Music Education – have all raised serious concerns about the EBacc’s omission of creative subjects at GCSE and we think the Government should listen.
  

Why are only certain subjects measured in the EBacc and ABacc?

• The Government claim that the subjects included are those most frequently needed to attend a ‘good’ university. They have based this on a report produced by a group of universities known as the Russell Group. 
• However many of the country’s top schools and colleges and education experts – including members of the Russell Group – have questioned the league tables. They point out that many of students attain places at good universities with A-level combinations that aren’t included in the ABacc. They also point out that the ABacc may push students away from the subjects that would best suit their talents at GCSE, A level and degree, so best facilitating successful future careers. 
• The TES reported of the 75,000 students winning places at Russell Group universities last year, only 25,000 students achieved the ABacc.
• The Russell Group report also only refers to A-levels in terms of subject choices and NOT GCSEs. In fact it explicitly states that: “With the exception of English and Maths, and in a few cases Modern Foreign Languages, most universities have no universal entry requirements in terms of GCSE subjects”.
  
  

 What effect has the EBacc and ABacc had on creative subjects so far?

• The Department for Education's own IPSOS Mori survey (2012) reported that since the introduction of the EBacc at Key Stage 4, drama and performing arts had been dropped in nearly a quarter of schools, 17 per cent had withdrawn art courses and 14 per cent design technology.
• A 2012 survey  of 2,500 teachers showed a dramatic reduction in the provision of non-EBacc subjects:  16% of schools had reduced arts provision, 16% design and technology and 14% music. 10% of respondents confirmed that teaching posts in non-EBacc subject areas had been removed from their staffing structure. 15% reported that vacant posts in non-EBacc subject areas had been left unfilled. A further 15% reported that teachers of non-EBacc subjects have had their teaching hours cut.
• Although it is too early to see the exact effects of the ABacc, there is no reason to believe that it will not be similar with schools, parents and students responding to the Government’s promotion of certain subjects over others.
  

Hasn’t the EBacc already been thrown out?

• The Government recently announced that it would not be taking it’s proposals forward to replace GCSE in the EBacc subjects with new exams called English Baccalaureate Certificates. This was, in part, due to the success of the Bacc for the Future Campaign.
• The Government also announced a new performance measure for schools which rates their progress across their 8 best subjects. This can include three arts subjects.

• However the EBacc element of the school performance league tables still remains and an ABacc measure, made up of the same subjects at A-level, has now been introduced.
  

What is the Bacc for the Future campaign calling for?

• In a review commissioned by the Government, Darren Henley argued for 'the creation of a sixth grouping of subjects [to be] included in the English Baccalaureate ... to create a generation of fully rounded individuals.'
• The Bacc for the Future campaign believes the EBacc  and ABaccc measure at GCSE and A-Level  should either include creative subjects or be removed from the league tables altogether. Sign up to the campaign and write to your MP