UK Music outlines five-point plan to boost music education

UK Music chief executive Tom Kiehl is calling on Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, to turbocharge the nation’s music education sector by boosting funding and investing in 1,000 new music teachers to put music back at the heart of schools.

In a letter to the Education Secretary, Kiehl has urged the Government to commit to hiring 1,000 new music teachers and increase the Initial Teacher Training Bursary so that it is in line with those of other subjects.

At present, there are nearly 1,000 fewer secondary school music teachers than in 2012. Furthermore, the £10,000 bursary that trainee music teachers are currently entitled to falls well short of the £25,000 bursary offered to trainee teachers in subjects such as biology, geography, and languages.

Kiehl is also calling on the Government to support the development of new rehearsal spaces and the upgrading of existing ones in deprived areas to offer children vital access to music facilities outside of formal education.

Ed Sheeran is also supporting calls to boost music education. Last month, the singer/songwriter wrote to Sir Keir Starmer calling on the Prime Minister to invest £250 million in music education in state schools “to repair decades of dismantling”.

The call on the Government comes as UK Music plans to mark the 10th anniversary of its MAP (Music Academic Partnership) network with a special event at the House of Lords later this month. MAP is a ground-breaking collaboration between educational institutions and UK Music membership. Its focus is on linking the music industry and educators more effectively to nurture the next generation of music professionals and set them on the path to a career in music.

UK Music’s call follows the interim report on the curriculum review, published in March, and the announcement of plans for a National Centre for Arts and Music Education.

It is vital that the Government works with the music industry to ensure these initiatives have a positive impact and benefit those that need it most – the schools, educators and talented young people whose potential offers so much.

To ensure the next generation of musicians can thrive and that the UK retains its position as a hotbed of world-class musical talent, UK Music has drawn up a five-point plan which urges the Government to:

• Commit to hiring 1,000 new music teachers and boost the size of trainee music teacher bursaries so that they are in line with those of other subjects

• Support the development of new music rehearsal spaces in deprived areas and facilitate overdue upgrades to existing spaces

• Reverse cuts by the previous Government to creative arts course grants at universities

• Reform the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) to remove the prioritisation of non-arts subjects and to put music back at the heart of the curriculum.

• Retain and promote non-examination and vocational-based qualifications as pathways into the music industry

Kiehl said: “Music education is the bedrock of our world-leading music industry. As well as producing some of the most talented and pioneering music creators on the planet, the sector supports 216,000 jobs in the UK and contributes £7.6 billion to our economy.

“UK Music has long recognised the importance of access and opportunity to music education. It is why 10 years ago we set up the Music Academic Partnership (MAP) to strengthen the relationship between students, academia and industry, as well as supporting other initiatives, from apprenticeships to rehearsal spaces.

“But without investment in music education, our talent pipeline is at risk of drying up along with the huge opportunities for economic growth it brings.

“Since being elected to office, the Government has argued that “a complete education is a creative education”. Now is the time to turn these warm words into action.

“That’s why we are calling on the Government to back the next generation of musicians by hiring 1,000 new music teachers and making sure that the stars of tomorrow have the platform and skills they need to succeed.

“A great music education must be available to all, not the preserve of the privileged. Our five-point plan will prevent countless individuals from slipping through the cracks and ensure that budding musicians from all backgrounds are given the opportunity to realise their potential.”

UK Music’s director of education and skills, Dr Oliver Morris, said: “I am delighted to be celebrating MAP’s 10th Anniversary. It gives us all a moment to reflect upon not only the amazing work being done by our fantastic MAP members but also all the often unsung champions working tirelessly across the UK to make music accessible, educational, and fun.

“MAP has given UK Music and our members invaluable links to educators, institutions, organisations, staff and students and has become a valued and supportive network for all involved. I would like to especially thank all the aforementioned staff and students of our MAP members who have made my time running the network so much fun as well as so informative over the years!

“From supporting students starting out on research careers to introducing them to industry figures on the MAP Tour, and from supporting large-scale research bids to celebrating the successes of the members through the Outstanding MAP Graduate Awards (OMGs) we are always developing new ways to engage and nurture the MAP collective.

“The recent success of MusicFutures in Liverpool with UK Music as key partner - facilitated through the MAP connection - will allow groundbreaking and innovative action research to explore many of the fundamental challenges facing the music industry. Collaborative projects such as this are becoming ever more key to our understanding of the landscape and our ability to action change.

“I am both humbled that MAP continues to inspire such engagement after 10 years and excited about what the future holds. I encourage you to get in touch if you would like to find out more about MAP and maybe feel the time is right to join this exciting network.”

ukmusic.org