Ed Sheeran backs government reforms scrapping the EBacc, saying music education gave him confidence and purpose

Ed Sheeran has praised sweeping changes to England’s national curriculum that will allow more pupils to study creative subjects such as music and art, calling the reforms “a huge step forward” for young talent across the country.

The singer-songwriter, who has long campaigned for better access to music education, welcomed the government’s decision to modernise the curriculum by removing “outdated systems that stop kids from studying music and the arts.”

The review, England’s first major curriculum overhaul in more than a decade, has recommended scrapping the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), a school performance measure introduced in 2010 that critics said sidelined creative subjects.

Under the new plan, schools will be encouraged to offer a broader mix of GCSEs beyond core academic subjects, including the arts. Children will also be taught to identify fake news, understand mortgages, and develop better financial literacy.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the reforms aimed to “revitalise” learning while maintaining a “firm foundation” in essentials like English, maths and science.

Sheeran, whose open letter to the government earlier this year was co-signed by artists including Harry Styles, Annie Lennox and Sir Elton John, said the changes “give young people hope and the opportunity to study music.”

“Without the encouragement I received in school, especially from my music teacher, I wouldn’t be a musician today,” Sheeran said. “Music education helped me find confidence in myself, and music itself was and still is so important for my mental health.”

He added that while he welcomed the reforms, “there’s still a lot more to do to support music education, especially our music teachers.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer publicly thanked Sheeran for his role in championing arts education, saying the singer’s “voice has been heard.” In a letter to the musician, Starmer wrote: “Learning music at school made a huge difference to my life. We’ll make sure every child has access to those experiences so that creativity isn’t a privilege, but a right.”

Arts Council England described the announcement as “a great day for the next generation of creative talent.”

The government says the new curriculum will reduce the number of hours spent on GCSE exams, make climate change education more prominent, and strengthen diversity in classroom content. Schools will also introduce lessons on misinformation, data science, and artificial intelligence for older pupils.

Professor Becky Francis, who chaired the national curriculum and assessment review, said the approach was one of “evolution, not revolution.” She explained that while England’s students perform well by international standards, the reforms aim to tackle inequalities that emerge when pupils transition from primary to secondary school, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“The curriculum needs to better support all pupils, especially in those early years of secondary education when learning often starts to fall behind,” she said.

However, not everyone is celebrating the changes. Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott called the reforms “education vandalism,” arguing that removing the EBacc would lower standards. “They’re not being honest about what’s being taken out,” she said. “It will be the disadvantaged children who suffer most.”

Former Conservative schools minister Nick Gibb warned that dropping the EBacc could cause a “precipitous decline” in foreign language study, making subjects like French and Spanish “the preserve of private schools.”

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Munira Wilson said the reforms risk being “a missed opportunity” unless they are properly funded. “Without a costed plan and workforce strategy, these reforms will stretch teachers even further and fail our children,” she said.

Headteachers’ unions broadly welcomed the curriculum overhaul but stressed that schools need adequate funding and staff to deliver it effectively. Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “This is a sensible, evidence-based set of reforms. But you can’t deliver a great curriculum without sufficient teachers and funding.”

He added that school budgets were “already stretched to the limit,” urging ministers to invest properly if they want the reforms to succeed.

Despite political debate, for Sheeran and many campaigners, the curriculum update marks a crucial moment for Britain’s creative future. “Music changed my life,” he said. “Now, more kids will have the same chance I did.”