The Courtauld has today published the findings of a new report by the Association for Art History on the status of art history teaching in UK secondary schools. The report found that:
- Over the past decade, the number of schools offering History of Art A-level has fallen by 34%, from 122 institutions in 2016 to 80 today.
- Of the 80 institutions currently offering the A-level, only 19 are state or non-fee-paying schools.
- There is a significant disparity in geographic provision: within the UK, the subject is offered only in England, with courses concentrated in London and the Southeast, with the North and Southwest severely underrepresented.
- Despite fewer providers, student numbers have risen, with a 42% increase in A-level candidates between 2019 and 2025, reaching the highest levels since 2016.
- University enrolment in art history courses has remained stable, showing greater resilience than in some other arts and humanities subjects.
- Financial pressures threaten the continuation of some school-level History of Art programmes, potentially reversing the recent upward trend in student participation.
The Courtauld has announceda commitment toworkwith nationaleducationand philanthropicpartners tobroaden access to art history forsecondaryschool childrenin the UKin the lead-up to the opening of the new campus, building on Samuel Courtauld’s founding vision of ‘art for all’.This will enrich the Courtauld’sexistingworkinbroadeningaccess to its collection andteachingfor young people,through programmes such asitssummer universityandschoolstours andworkshops.
Supporting this drive toincreaseaccess, the Courtauld is creating anew fundthataims todramatically increase the number of scholarships and bursaries it offersto students. Thisscholarshipfund willbreak down the financial barriers that preventtalentedyoung peoplefromaccessing the Courtauld’s world-class teachingand provide students with life-changing opportunities to advance their knowledge of the visual arts.
Professor Mark Hallett,MäritRausing Director of the Courtauld, said: “The Courtauld is deeply committed to opening up the understanding and appreciation of art to people of all ages and from all backgrounds. As part of this mission, we look forward to taking a leading role in expanding access to art history at school level in the UK. Art distils and explores the most profound forms of human experience, and we want to ensure that future generations of schoolchildren appreciate the extraordinary benefits of studying the history of art across different periods, including our own.”