The ISM is both a professional body and a subject association for music education that has been intensively involved in music education right from our founding in 1882. In 1912, the ISM supported a private members bill in the House of Lords regarding concerns about the quality of music education. Not much has changed since then in terms of our interest – over 100 years later, we lead high-profile campaigns dedicated to ensuring the quality and provision of music education for all both in and outside our schools, irrespective of ability, age or background.
Last month, the ISM released a report into music education that included a review of the National Plan for Music Education (the Plan), which was launched in 2012 and runs until 2020. Drawing on the responses to our surveys which ran over the summer, the report makes a series of recommendations for both music education in the classroom and any revised National Plan.
What is the National Plan for Music Education?
The National Plan is an ambitious, aspirational document which sets out clear objectives with regards to delivery, access, progression and excellence in the sector and introduced music education hubs. The Plan was launched in 2012 and continues to 2020 – so it is shortly due for review. The Plan's main aim was to ensure that access to music education was not a postcode lottery and to ensure that opportunities were available to all.
We are very grateful to the 746 respondents who responded to the two surveys in the summer of 2018, which focussed on firstly primary education and, secondly, the National Plan for Music Education and its delivery. The report highlights:
- The involvement of government in music education and the visionary nature of the Plan, which was strongly backed by the Secretary of State for Education at the time, Michael Gove
- How government education policy, driven by accountability measures and academisation, had an adverse effect on the provision of classroom music education
- How, according to respondents, music education hubs are performing against their core and extension roles
- Widespread issues in the workforce involving the creeping use of freelance contracts and a lack of professional development.
The results need to be seen in the context of recent research.
Recommendations
Our research clearly shows that, while there is good work being delivered in many hubs and schools, there are also challenges. These include: academisation; accountability measures like the EBacc and Progress 8; the use of output metrics to measure performance of the hubs; and employment practices. However, there are issues across government and within hubs which need addressing.
The decline of music in KS3 has been driven by the headline accountability measures of the EBacc and Progress 8. Clear guidance must be given to all schools to headline that accountability measures must not affect the delivery of a broad and balanced curriculum at KS3, and make it clear that a narrow curriculum will impact adversely on Ofsted inspections and evaluations. The government must give clear guidance to all schools – including academies – that a wide curriculum must be delivered and sustained across all schools.
Research by the University of Sussex also showed an increase in music teachers teaching outside their subject area. It must be ensured that all secondary schools have at least one full-time music teacher who exclusively teaches music and no other subject.
Respondents also stated that the reduction and removal of funding for hubs from local authorities has negatively affected the music education offer from hubs. We recommend that the £75m ring-fenced funding for hubs is maintained and that the financial settlements for hubs are made on a three-year basis to promote stability and a culture of outcomes rather than outputs.
Respondents reported difficulties in delivering Whole-Class Ensemble Teaching (WCET) – particularly in relation to students receiving tuition for less than one term, the decreasing length of WCET programmes and difficulties in ensuring reach in rural areas with many small schools and limited workforce. We recommend that the core and extension roles are reinstated but with greater flexibility in how the hubs can deliver WCET to ensure access to musical learning and progression.
Concern was also raised by respondents about initial and ongoing access to appropriate instrumental/musical learning for students with SEND and also called for primary school children to have an adequate grounding in music. We call for Early Years, SEND and signposting for 18 to 25 education to be addressed in any future iteration of the Plan. Our other recommendations:
- Provide clarity as to the roles and responsibilities of schools and hubs when it comes to the delivery of a music education for all regardless of experience or background
- Overhaul metrics for measuring hubs’ achievement and focus on the quality of provision and outcomes rather than levels of activity
- Ensure that all teachers are supported to access regular and relevant high-quality subject-specific CPD
- Embed a singing culture in all schools via classroom teaching
- Provide appropriate funding for replacing and repairing musical instruments to support the delivery of the next Plan
- Ensure that there is a sufficient number of properly qualified teachers coming through to support the delivery of music education in our schools and hubs
We also call on the hubs to work with ISM to tackle the growing job insecurity of music teachers and to ensure music teachers have fair terms and conditions.
