UK creative organisations call for a new Digital Creativity GCSE

• Creative industries add around £125bn to the UK economy and employ 2.4m people.
• Video games alone generate nearly £8bn in UK consumer spending.
• Students still lack the digital and creative skills demanded by fast-growing sectors.
• Industry experts want the qualification to be co-designed with schools and employers for real-world value.
• Nationwide investment in training and resources is needed to ensure equal access.

Over 60 UK creative and digital organisations have urged the government to introduce a Digital Creativity GCSE to equip young people with future-ready skills.

UK games trade body UKIE claimed the country's creative industries contribute about £124 billion to £126bn ($167bn to $169bn) to the economy and employ 2.4 million people, with video games alone generating nearly £8bn ($10.7bn) in consumer spending.

Despite this, the creative organisations believe many students lack the skills employers need with digital education remaining inconsistent across schools. 

Current computing GCSEs focus heavily on coding, leaving a gap with industry needs for broader digital skills like design, UX, audio/visual production, and AI literacy, the organisations said.

Applied learning 

To address this, the government has been urged in an open letter to introduce a new optional Digital Creativity GCSE, co-designed with industry, educators, and skills experts to ensure its value and relevance. 

They are also calling for investment in resources, teacher training, and infrastructure so that schools nationwide can deliver the subject effectively and equitably.

The proposed Digital Creativity GCSE will complement a reformed Computer Science GCSE, offering students a choice between technical and creative digital pathways. 

It will also emphasise applied skills such as design, audio production, prototyping, storytelling, UX, and ethical computing, while promoting inclusivity through nationwide support for schools with training and resources.

The qualification aims to benefit not only the games industry but the wider creative economy and sectors like finance, healthcare, media, and education that increasingly rely on digital creativity.

“If the UK is to stay at the forefront of the global digital economy, we must equip and empower the next generation with the skills needed to navigate and innovate in a world being transformed by AI and robotics," said Games Workshop co-founder Sir Ian Livingstone.