Vox pop

“There is much to welcome in a review that champions and reinforces cultural education (although we prefer ‘learning’), particularly its central ambition of creating nyoung people who are ‘not just academically able but also have a fully rounded appreciation of the world’. Museums, of course, have a unique role to play in this.

Recommendations that focus on investment through teacher training, partnership, and central support and resourcing, reinforce best practice in formal learning.
The process now needs to embrace Early Years, families and the wider importance of informal learning opportunities in a child’s ‘cultural education’.”


“The review only concerns schools, and museums know that their work with this audience depends on local relationships, so the challenge is to turn a national strategy into local results.

It is good news from an advocacy perspective – it places heritage education in the mainstream – but the more strategic proposals, such as the establishment of a Cultural Education Partnership Group, will only make a difference if they have a local impact.

The review does encourage local cultural partnerships (with schools sitting on them) and if the £2.7m English Heritage funding can stretch to other cultural organisations, it should lead to schools making better use of their local museums.”


“While I welcome the recognition given to museums, I feel that the emphasis on school-base, formal learning is missing the point of cultural learning for young people.

As museum curators know, schools are not necessarily the best framework for active participation in cultural learning, especially in terms of adaptability and the way in which culture is created and consumed by young people.

I am concerned about the lack of focus on young people being responsible for their own learning. We are already aware of the need to facilitate cultural educational partnerships – we have the partnerships, we have the ideas, what we don’t have is the financial support to carry them out.”


“The Henley review highlights the need for cultural education to be taken seriously by government, and the recommendations provide a framework for imbedding culture into education at grassroots level.

These recommendations provide a fascinating possible future for museum education. I believe we are in a strong position to enhance our work with partners with the resources and knowledge we have at our disposal.

The review provides us with an opportunity to shout about how museums can provide resources and work together with partners. It will be interesting to see how far the recommendations are adopted and how any National Cultural Plan will work.”