Almost a quarter of secondary schools are not meeting a new government expectation for key stage 3 pupils to be taught an hour of classroom music a week, new survey data suggests. The expectation was introduced in September as part of the government鈥檚 national plan for music, which promised to help 鈥渦nleash the creativity of children鈥 with a 鈥渞enewed emphasis on opportunities for all鈥. A similar expectation was also introduced for key stages 1 and 2. But a survey of 1,256 senior leaders in state secondary schools this month found that 16 per cent were teaching for less than an hour a week, with 2 per cent not teaching it at all. A further 5 per cent used a 鈥渃arousel鈥 system, which usually means teaching pupils for only part of the year. Overall, two-thirds said they met the weekly commitment of one hour, with 7 per cent saying that they taught for more than an hour. Experts have pointed to the recruitment crisis, accountability pressures and funding as reasons behind the gap. ‘Insufficient funding’ Paul Whiteman, general secretary at the NAHT school leaders鈥 union, said the plan鈥檚 aims were 鈥渘ot backed with sufficient funding or resources to make them a reality鈥. He added: 鈥淚n addition, the time for teaching and learning is finite and the government consistently imposes additions, including non-statutory expectations, without creating the extra time needed in the curriculum.鈥 Paddy Russell, headteacher at Ladybridge High School in Bolton, said that, while his school met the commitment, the pool of music teachers was now 鈥渧ery small鈥. Just 27 per cent of the required number of music teachers were recruited last year, down from 80 per cent in 2019-20. The government has missed the target for nine of the past 10 years, and is on track to miss it again this year. Pepe Di鈥橧asio, general secretary at the ASCL school leaders鈥 union, said it was 鈥渄isadvantaged pupils who are the worst affected because they are often at schools where teacher recruitment is most difficult and their families cannot afford the cost of private lessons outside school time as many better-off families do鈥. Private schools more likely to meet target Nearly 30 per cent of private schools said they taught music for more than an hour a week, compared to just 7 per cent of state schools. An Ofsted subject report on music last year found there was 鈥渃onsiderable variation鈥 in the amount of music curriculum time in key stage 3. In just under half of the schools visited, leaders had not made sure that pupils 鈥渉ad enough time to learn the full breadth of the national curriculum鈥. The hourly pledge formed part of a request for schools to revise or create a school music development plan by September last year 鈥渁t the latest鈥. The plan should set out how it would provide access to lessons, develop a school choir, space for rehearsals and a termly school performance. The Department for Education admitted it would 鈥渢ake time to realise鈥 the hourly pledge in schools. It said it would continue to monitor teaching time, including through school leader panel surveys. But Stuart Drake, the Independent Society of Musicians鈥 legal services director, said the plan鈥檚 ambitions 鈥渁re going to struggle to be realised鈥 with the current English Baccaleraute accountability measure, which does not include music. He warned that 鈥渢oo many students鈥 were missing out and also called for increased funding and a reform of progress 8. Warning over music hubs The DfE said its national network of music hubs would continue to provide support for schools. But last year, the ISM warned against plans to slash the number of music hubs from 118 to 43 from September. Deborah Annetts Deborah Annetts, ISM chief executive, said in November that 鈥渘o evidence鈥 had been 鈥渇orthcoming鈥 from the government about how reducing hub numbers would benefit schools. This month, schools minister Damian Hinds said the hubs would work across a 鈥渨ider set of music education partnerships鈥 to bring 鈥渟ignificant benefits to children, young people and schools鈥. The hubs will 鈥渂e able to be more strategic, building stronger partnerships with schools, academy trusts, local authorities and others, resulting in high quality support in every local area and to ensure there are no local 鈥榗old spots鈥 where access to provision is limited鈥. This month, Arts Council England decided where the new hubs would be. They will be announced in early May, after the local elections.
Hilary Harris 12 May 2024 Music Services(hubs) need to be funded as schools then all specialist music education ( including instrument tuition) would be free at the point of delivery. All the wonderful specialist musicians in our Country would have security and the amount of tuition in schools would soar.