Funding to implement the national plan for music in schools

The government has launched its first national plan for music education. 

The In Harmony programme, based on the inspirational El Sistema scheme from Venezuela, will be rolled out across the country under plans announced today.

The first ever national plan for music education 'The Importance of Music' will also enable every child to have the chance to learn to play a musical instrument for at least a term and ideally for a year by transforming the way music is delivered to schools.

This is part of the Government’s aim to ensure that all pupils have rich cultural opportunities alongside their academic and vocational studies.

From 2012 music education will be provided by new ”hubs” which will deliver music education in partnership, building on the work of existing local authority music services.

In Harmony is currently run in Liverpool, London and Norwich. The programme provides intensive instrumental training to children from deprived backgrounds, teaching them to play in ensembles and orchestras.

The Government will provide £500,000 per year and, working with the Arts Council England and with an additional £500,000 matched funding, will expand the programme across the country, seeking new projects in, for example, the Midlands and the North East.

Other announcements in the new national plan for music education include:

• A new national funding formula to make sure all parts of the country get fair funding for music on a per pupil basis, with a weighting for deprivation. There will be protection for areas that would otherwise have seen reductions of more than 10 per cent funding in 2012-13 and more than 20 per cent in 2013-14.

• Funding of £77 million, £65 million and £60 million confirmed for the next three years. Most of this will go to the music education hubs.

• A new music teaching module will be developed for trainee primary teachers, to give them extra skills to teach music.

• Continued funding of £500,000 per year to the National Youth Music Organisations fund, matched by the Arts Council England currently via Youth Music.

• Continued support for the internationally recognised Music and Dance Scheme – which provides money for exceptionally gifted young people to attend the highly specialist music and dance schools.

Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, said:

"All pupils should have the opportunity to enjoy and play music. However, for far too long, music education has been patchy across the country. Pupils from the poorest backgrounds have suffered most from this situation, creating a musical divide.

The national plan for music will deliver a music education system that encourages everyone, whatever their background, to enjoy music and help those with real talent to flourish as brilliant musicians."

From August 2012, music education hubs will be funded to bring together local authorities and local music organisations, like orchestras, choirs and other music groups. They will work in partnership to make sure every child has a high-quality music education, including the opportunity to learn to sing, to play an instrument and to play music with others. The hubs will be fully operational from September 2012.

The hubs, which will be held accountable for their effectiveness, will also help improve the consistency around the country and make sure all pupils receive a high-quality music education.

The national plan for music education has been produced by Department for Education and Department for Culture Media and Sport following a review of music education by Darren Henley, Managing Director of Classic FM.  He made 36 recommendations for central and local government, and for the music sector itself. One of the recommendations was for the Government to produce a national music plan.

At the time of Darren Henley’s report, to demonstrate the Government’s commitment to music education, the Secretary of State confirmed that funding for music education for 2011-12 would be £82.5 million – the same amount as went to local authorities in 2010-11.

The Department has asked the Arts Council for England to run the application and approval process for the new music education hubs. Applications will need to demonstrate how they will deliver at least the core roles, which are to:

• Ensure that every child aged 5-18 has the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument (other than voice) through whole-class ensemble teaching programmes for ideally a year (but for a minimum of a term) of weekly tuition on the same instrument.

• Provide opportunities to play in ensembles and to perform from an early stage.

• Ensure that clear progression routes are available and affordable to all young people.

• Develop a singing strategy to ensure that every pupil sings regularly and that choirs and other vocal ensembles are available in the area.

Source: Department for Education