New-style music hubs are 鈥渉ighly valued鈥, but face issues around funding and access, an evaluation report has found. Music hubs are groups of schools, councils, community groups, music organisations and others that support schools to develop 鈥渉igh quality鈥 music education through teaching and help with sourcing instruments and professional development. Arts Council England delivers the scheme on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE). Its operation is due to move to the oversight of the government鈥檚 new National Centre for Arts and Music Education from September 2027. There were previously 114 hubs, but in 2024 the system was restructured into 43 music hub partnerships covering larger areas. A new , carried out by NatCen for the DfE, has evaluated the first year of that new model, up to last July. It found the hubs 鈥渃ontinue to deliver services that are highly valued by schools, teachers, parents, and pupils.鈥 But it also highlighted challenges including around 鈥渇unding, workforce capacity, and geographical access鈥. Three-quarters of parents reported satisfaction with the scheme, highlighting affordability and quality, while around 80 per cent of teachers said music hubs provided useful professional development. 鈥楳ost significant risk鈥 to music hubs But rising costs and tight budgets remain 鈥渢he most significant risk鈥, the report said, affecting schools鈥 ability to pay for the scheme and hubs鈥 capacity to deliver it. Affording music provision was difficult 鈥渄ue to wider school budget constraints鈥, schools said. Meanwhile hubs reported difficulty meeting demand, in terms of both affordability of support and availability of staff. More than three-quarters said recruiting music teachers was 鈥渄ifficult鈥. Awareness also appeared limited. Only 35 per cent of parents and 30 per cent of pupils said they knew about their local music hub. Cost a barrier to pupils Cost was one of the main barriers to taking part in extra musical activities, according to parents and pupils. In some areas, pupils and music teachers reported difficulty getting to hubs for music lessons due to distance. The report noted this issue also existed under the previous model. The report looked at how hubs have found sourcing funding from a 拢25 million capital grant, which has been available since September 2024 to help buy musical instruments and other equipment. Next few years ‘critical’ Staff said that, while the grant has improved access to instruments, there was 鈥渁dministrative complexity, poor timing, and lack of flexibility in how the funding could be spent once allocated鈥.聽 Overall, the report noted signs of 鈥渟tabilisation and improvement鈥 of the scheme, but it warned that the next few years 鈥渨ill be critical鈥. It said music hubs 鈥渞equire sustained investment鈥, monitoring and a focus on equal access to make sure they have the desired effect. It recommended 鈥渟ustaining investment鈥 and 鈥渟trengthening the workforce鈥 through investment in professional development and 鈥渓ong-term workforce planning鈥. National arts and music education centre to open in autumn The report鈥檚 publication comes as the government opened the bidding process to run its new National Centre for Arts and Music Education, which will oversee the hubs programme in the future. Plans for the new centre were announced last spring. In tender documents for the 拢13 million contract, the DfE said it was seeking a delivery partner to 鈥渆stablish and operate鈥 the centre, which is supposed to open in September. The centre 鈥渨ill aim to ensure every child in England has more equitable access to high-quality arts education by supporting excellent teaching, developing sustainable partnerships between schools and cultural organisations, and promoting arts education opportunities鈥. It will offer online continuing professional development for teachers, foster collaboration between schools and cultural organisations and 鈥減romote arts education to school leaders, teachers, parents and young people鈥. The provider will be responsible for oversight of the music hubs network, 鈥渁ssuming responsibility as fundholder from September 2027鈥, as well as monitoring hubs鈥 performance and delivery. According to the DfE, the centre will be established with a phased implementation plan for its work from September. It will have a year to transition from existing oversight arrangements for the hubs with Arts Council England. Existing capital funding for hubs will also be extended to the end of April 2027. The centre 鈥渨ill not therefore need to assume responsibility for this grant鈥. Future funding for the music hubs revenue grant 鈥渨ill be confirmed in due course and is separate to this contract value鈥.