Embedding the arts within the primary curriculum

Tower Hamlets did not have a single student entered for A-level music in 2017–18 (Whittaker et al., 2019). It’s shocking statistics like this that reassure us that we are taking the correct journey with our primary curriculum; the decline in the arts as an academic progression route within our borough is something we need to address.  With increasing external pressures on schools, including budget and data requirements, the arts can easily become an area not considered a priority. It takes committed leadership to stand strong and invest further in the arts, understanding the impact that they can bring to their school community, developing critical thinking and confidence through personal expression. Lansbury Lawrence Primary is located in Poplar, East London. Almost all of our students are from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, with most learning English as an additional language. The arts are embedded firmly within our curriculum, and learning through creativity