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The future for music education in England

Today Youth Music's Executive Director, Matt Griffiths, spoke at a Westminster Education Forum seminar on "The Future for Music Education in England". Here's the transcript of his speech.

Thank you for inviting me to speak today at this important seminar. I'll be outlining our role as the National Foundation for Youth Music, providing some observation on the sector's progress to date in achieving the aspirations set out in the National Plan for Music Education  in 2011 and, lastly, suggesting where our collective focus should be for the future.

Youth Music It's a privilege to lead the National Foundation for Youth Music. We strongly believe that it's unfair that young people in challenging circumstances often lose out on the opportunity to regularly make music. We are determined in our role to address this unfairness and these inequalities head on, to achieve what we've termed "a musically inclusive England".

As the foreword to the National Plan for Music Education said in 2011, and I quote:

" While music touches the lives of all young people, the disadvantaged can benefit most "

We achieve our purpose by:

  1. Investing in and supporting 400 projects in England focused on sustained music-making for children and young people in challenging circumstances (economic, life challenge, life condition, behavioural) up to the age of 25.  
  2. Researching the musical, social and personal impact of this activity and using our findings to help the workforce achieve the best outcomes for the children and young people that they serve.  
  3. As a national charity, fundraising to enable the activities to take place with core support from the National Lottery via Arts Council England.

Sector progress to date since publication of the National Plan for Music Education in 2011 The NPME was a ticket for change with a strong signal for doing things differently and working collaboratively. Effective partnership was at its heart. But, it has to be said, that this should be about genuine partnership-working between organisations to achieve more than they can on their own. Far more than simply a signature on the page of a partnership letter.   Shared vision, shared purpose, shared resources and expertise are the order of the day.

So how's it going? Some good progress and innovative models are developing within Music Education Hubs. It is worth noting that where there are good partnerships, working together with diverse and inclusive practices, there is regularly a Youth Music supported organisation closely involved strategically to make this happen.

However, I think it is fair to say that overall progress within Music Education Hubs continues to be patchy and not yet universal in achieving the bold aspirations as set out in the National Plan for Music Education.

And on singing, as mentioned in the brief for this session, there have been positive developments in the Sing Up business model since it became an independent company (rather than part of Youth Music) in April 2012. Sing Up has moved from a wholly and directly subsidised model, to a trading model selling digital songs and resources to currently 5,000 primary schools in England (25% of primary schools). It has ambitious plans to scale the product internationally and put in a place a similar product for secondary schools in September 2015 (currently being piloted with 50 secondary schools).

What does the evidence tell us? The evidence includes our own data analysis and impact reporting; What Hubs Must Do from Robin Hammerton at OfSTED; the 2012/13 Hub Data Returns compiled by Pippa Lord at NFER for ACE; the Paul Hamlyn Foundation report by Katherine Zeserson; and the ABRSM report led by Lincoln Abbotts. (All of these authors are here today.)

Two common themes highlighted in these reports are, firstly, the risk of disadvantaged children and young people and those in challenging circumstances losing out on the opportunity to regularly make music, and, secondly, the relatively narrow types of music activities taking place, which can exclude many styles and genres that children and young people are passionate about and that strategic and delivery partners within Music Education Hubs have expertise in.

What, therefore, needs to be the focus for the future? Even better partnership working, putting the partnership theory into practice. Particularly where strategic partners within a Hub have additional expertise which can often be beyond the experience of the hub lead organisation (in most cases a music service), so it's beneficial to all concerned to make best use of this expertise on their doorstep.

Better targeted activity, particularly to reach children and young people with least opportunity to make music and in challenging circumstances, rather than the temptation and indeed pressure to try and do everything and spread provision too thinly. Keep it focused, keep it simple, understand the need, define the intended outcomes from the outset. Aim for sustained music making rather than one-off hits as part of helping children and young people develop a life long interest and participation in music.

To conclude, my hope is that when we meet again for an event like this in three years time:

  • We have collectively made great strides in achieving our goal of a musically inclusive England i.e. Children and young people can inform and progress their music making, despite all exclusionary challenges.
  • The workforce are suitably skilled to enable them to do so.
  • A diversity of musics are celebrated, explored and respected.

Thank you.