Less popular GCSE subjects such as music and German could become too expensive to offer and disappear from state schools, the head of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has said.
Geoff Barton, who spoke out as the nation awaited GCSE results tomorrow (Thurs August 25), warned that minority subjects will become the “preserve” of private schools, The TES reports.
Ofqual statistics show entries in some subjects, including drama, music, and design and technology, fell this year compared to 2021 entries.
Mr Barton suggested the changes were ”driven by government performance measures that favour traditional academic subjects at the expense of other subjects”.
He said funding pressures “make small classes difficult to sustain”.
He added: “Schools now face huge extra cost pressures because of rising energy costs and pay awards for which there is no additional government funding.
“This will make it even more difficult to sustain small-entry subjects and there is a danger that some of these subjects will largely disappear from the state education system and become the preserve only of families who are wealthy enough to afford private schools and clubs.
“The government must make state education a priority and fund it properly.”
His comments come a week after he expressed “severe concern” about the continuing decline in English entries at A-level.