Some initial thoughts on the National Plan for Music Education

Well, here we go! As Youth Music Programme Director, I think this is where the future starts, and this plan’s success will depend on the spirit in which we all engage with, and breathe life and meaning into it.

So far, there have been two “wow!” moments for me:

1. “Pupils’ needs might be assessed by looking …..”  (P17 para 35) - in terms of its balanced consideration -  but whilst the plan references consulting young people it doesn’t appear in the “Evidence expected” on P31.

2. Great to see reference to the real world of work in and around music. With Arts Council England (ACE) and links to Creative and Cultural Skills (CCS), we stand a much  better chance of an integrated link to creative industries.

Henley spawned a period when people talked to each other less. I hope the plan reverses this.  As well as a National Plan Monitoring Board, key players (funders, representative bodies etc.) need to interact better at a national level and we need better regional links evolving from the ‘audits’ and regular needs analysis.

Some progression elements are wobbly and susceptible to narrow interpretation.  There will be thousands of pupils who are exceptionally talented and for whom music is way more than a ‘worthwhile pastime’ but won’t attend a Centre for Advanced Training (CAT), Music and Dance Scheme (MDS) school or National Youth Music Organisation (NYMO). If the plan wants progression in a variety of styles and genres and directions, will CPD for teachers help identify this?

It’s a tall order for a September start but the sooner we start the sooner we progress it. There's the start gun - now off we go!

You can read Youth Music's official response here.