Government publishes National Plan for Music Education

The National Plan for Music Education (entitled The Importance of Music) was published on 25 November 2011, setting out the Government’s vision for music education - "to enable children from all backgrounds and every part of England to have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument; to make music with others; to learn to sing; and to have the opportunity to progress to the next level of excellence".

The Plan follows Darren Henley's Review, Music Education in England, published in February.

From 2012 music education will be provided by new ‘hubs’ which will deliver music education in partnership, building on the work of existing local authority music services.

The main elements of the National Plan for Music Education are:

• A new national funding formula to make sure all parts of the country get fair funding for music on a per pupil basis, with a weighting for deprivation. There will be protection for areas that would otherwise have seen reductions of more than 10 per cent funding in 2012-13 and more than 20 per cent in 2013-14.
• Funding of £77 million, £65 million and £60 million confirmed for the next three years. Most of this will go to the music education hubs.
• A new music teaching module will be developed for trainee primary teachers, to give them extra skills to teach music.
• Continued funding of £500,000 per year to the National Youth Music Organisations fund, matched by the Arts Council England currently via Youth Music.
• Continued support for the internationally recognised Music and Dance Scheme – which provides money for exceptionally gifted young people to attend the highly specialist music and dance schools.
• Continued funding for In Harmony, Sistema England, augmented by matched funding from Arts Council England so that the programme can expand.

MPA is currently considering the Plan and how best to respond.