Ed Sheeran took partial credit for a move to overhaul music education in England.

Ed Sheeran has taken partial credit for the government's move to overhaul music education in England's public schools, shortly after the Education Secretary mentioned it in Parliament.

The Department for Education (DfE) said it wanted to broaden the appeal of music education so that "every child gets a strong start in the subject" and promote creative subjects at GCSE as part of its sweeping changes to England's national curriculum.

The arts sector praised these proposals, and Sheeran highlighted their contribution on social media in an open letter sent to Keir Starmer in January.

He said: "With the help of this letter and all those who signed it, I'm pleased to say that some of the key points we raised have been recognised by the government today, marking the first change to the music curriculum in over 10 years."

This includes diversifying the musical styles taught in schools and removing outdated systems that prevent children from studying music and the arts during the school day. These changes give young people hope and the opportunity to learn music.

"Without the encouragement I received at school, especially from my music teacher, I wouldn't be the musician I am today, and I know many of my peers feel the same way," Sheeran, who attended Thomas Mills State High School in Suffolk, said.

"My music education went far beyond learning and playing. It helped me believe in myself, and music was—and still is—very important to my mental health."

The letter was produced by Sheeran's private foundation and supported by more than 600 artists, organizations, and cultural figures, including Paloma Faith, Stormzy, Elton John, and Coldplay.

The changes were revealed in the government's response to a curriculum and assessment review published this week by Professor Becky Francis.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson cited Sheeran's support in a speech to MPs on Wednesday: "Our creative industries are a source of national pride, but as Ed Sheeran has so powerfully said, we cannot continue to lead on the world stage without broad-based participation in our schools.

"The arts should be for everyone, not just a fortunate few, and we will revitalize arts education, putting it back at the heart of a rich and broad curriculum."

The curriculum review argues that schools don't give students enough time to pursue creative subjects. The government is proposing changes to performance standards that will encourage the adoption of arts GCSEs, including music, dance, and drama, while eliminating the more academic English Baccalaureate (Ebacc) subjects mandated by Michael Gove when he was Education Secretary.

Do follow us for more latest news.

Thank You

Phillip