Campaign for the Arts Director Jack Gamble said the further decline in arts A-levels should be “a wake-up call”.

He added: “Arts subjects have been systematically undervalued and downgraded in England’s state schools over recent years.

“Government ministers say that they value cultural learning and the contribution it makes to children’s development, wellbeing and life chances. Yet they have completely excluded arts subjects from the English Baccalaureate and repeatedly failed to deliver the Arts Premium they promised to secondary schools.”

“Every child – not just those at private schools – should have the backing to pursue an arts-rich education as part of a broad and balanced curriculum”.

Responding to figures shared by Campaign for the Arts on Twitter/X, Shadow Minister for the Arts, Labour MP Barbara Keeley said “the fall in entries of arts subjects at A-level is evidence of a broader de-prioritisation of arts subjects by this Conservative government”.