Schools Music Manifesto

Government launches schools music manifesto

Polly Curtis
Tuesday July 6, 2004

An unlikely coalition of popstars and politicians joined forces today to launch a "music manifesto" to encourage more children to take up an instrument in school.
Campaigners immediately called for new money to back the aims of the project.
The schools minister, David Miliband, and the arts minister, Estelle Morris, launched the five-point manifesto at the famous Abbey Road studios in London, together with 60-odd signatories from the music industry, including up and coming stars, such as Jamelia, and more 'established' musicians like Fergal Sharkey and the Beatles producer, Sir George Martin.
However, some musicians who have been lobbying the government for a stronger commitment to music in schools refused to attend the event, saying that without extra funding, or a firm commitment to give every child access to a musical instrument, the promises were empty.
The cellist and composer Julian Lloyd Webber, one of the dissenting musicians, writing for EducationGuardian.co.uk yesterday, said: "In the manifesto, there are a lot of statements about what the government will do and what it wants to do - but the manifesto doesn't say how the government is going to do it. It seems that there is no statement about funding to pay to increase provision."
A website - Musicmanifesto.co.uk - has been set up to outline the aims of the manifesto and list the signatories to the scheme. Each signatory is invited to pledge a contribution to help work towards the five aims. So far only four have signed up: Boom! - an MTV-backed charity working with children, the Arts Council, the music rights company EMI and Music for the Deaf.
While the Arts Council is planning a programme of visits for schools to national musical organisations such as the London Symphony Orchestra and the English National Opera, EMI said today: "We would like to see schools teaching copyright awareness so that pupils understand its importance not only to those contemplating music as a career, but to society generally."
EMI is planning a conference for teachers on the subject and working on lesson plans to explain copyright properly.
Mr Miliband described the manifesto as a "route map" for the future of music in schools and confirmed that the government would continue its ring-fenced funding for music of up to £180m by 2008.
The manifesto seals a pledge from each of the signatories to:
• Provide every young person with first access to a range of music experiences;
• Provide more opportunities for young people to deepen and broaden their musical interests and skills;
• Identify and nurture our most talented young musicians;
• Develop a world-class workforce in music education; and
• Improve the support structures for young people's music making.
Ms Morris said: "Today's children are tomorrow's talent. If we are to remain at the forefront of global music making, we must ensure we offer the widest possible music education for young people.
"The Music Manifesto marks a major step towards achieving that goal. It will help ensure [that] young people - whatever their background or ability - have access to rich and diverse musical experiences and the opportunities to develop their musical talents."
Teachers too were enthusiastic about the plan but said that such creative ideas were in danger of being "squeezed out" by the over-prescriptive curriculum.
Mary Bousted, the general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said: "We are very pleased that the government has realised that creative arts have been squeezed out of the curriculum by the testing overload.
"This is a small step to redress this problem but it is not enough. Even Ofsted acknowledges that primary school teaching is overloaded with literacy and numeracy which leaves little or no time for a rich and broadly based curriculum.
"This is the crux of the problem, so whilst we welcome the initiative, what is needed is a rebalance of the primary curriculum so that young children can be inspired, challenged and changed by their learning in school."
Chris Keates, the acting general secretary of National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), said: "The manifesto is an important step on the road to enriching the lives of young people by providing them with a wide range of musical experiences.
"We will seek to establish how public sector provision of music education services can be supported. Hopefully, the manifesto will assist in reversing the trend, prevalent in local education authorities, for disbanding central music services.
"It will also be important to ensure that charging for music tuition at school does not inhibit participation," he added.


Related articles
05.07.2004: Lloyd Webber attacks music plans
05.07.2004: Julian Lloyd Webber: Out of tune
05.07.2004: What's wrong with teaching rap in schools?

Useful sites
Music Manifesto : http://www.musicmanifesto.co.uk/

Welcome to the music manifesto website.
The music manifesto is about creating more music for more people. It offers a strategy and set of priorities for the next three to five years, focusing on children and young people.
Developed by a sixty-strong coalition of musicians, composers, educators, music industry representatives and policy makers, the music manifesto has been designed to be a living, interactive resource, owned by all those who sign up to it. Using this site, organisations and individuals can sign up to the manifesto on-line and showcase their own contributions by pledging tangible programmes and resources to help make it a reality.
At the heart of the music manifesto is a determination that all those involved in music education should work together to deliver musical opportunities for young people. We intend it to be a benchmark for future activities across the music sector. We hope that it will act as a spur for those who want to contribute to music education but don't know how, and we believe that it will help both to nurture diversity and to channel it, so that activities are mutually reinforcing.
In short, it is intended to celebrate, articulate, motivate and recruit!
Download the full music manifesto as a Word document or PDF file.
Alternately if you would like a free colour hard copies of the music manifesto please call 0845 60 222 60 quoting reference number D21/0604/72.


MUSIC BOOST FOR SCHOOLS WITH NEW CHAMPION AND MORE MONEY
24 November 2004
The drive to improve music education was given a significant boost today with the announcement by School Standards Minister David Miliband of a further £30m funding over the next three years, and a new appointment to push forward the Music Manifesto.
Mr Miliband said: “At the time of the Music Manifesto launch in the summer I announced that we were continuing with the ring-fenced Music Standards Fund until 2008 – almost £180 million between now and 2008. I am pleased today to announce a further £30m in 2007/08, which will be aimed primarily at giving every primary school pupil the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. This will be a key supplement to rising school budgets as we expand music provision in primary and secondary schools.
“To support primary music further, I can announce today that the targeted funding of £1.5m – on average £10,000 for each Local Education Authority – will continue to 2007 to ensure Music Services are geared up to gain maximum impact from the additional £30m.
“The launch of the Music Manifesto was a significant development in music education and I’m delighted today that Marc Jaffrey will drive forward its development as the Manifesto’s Music Champion. This is a key role to work with the historic 150-strong coalition to ensure we put music at the heart of every school.”
Arts Minister Estelle Morris said: “I am delighted that Marc Jaffrey has agreed to take on this important role as Music Manifesto Champion, at what is an exciting time for both the Manifesto and music education more widely. Marc has dedicated much of his career to music making for young people and he is uniquely placed to bring together the music industry, broadcasting and music education – everyone with an interest in music for young people – to advance the aims of the Music Manifesto.”
Marc Jaffrey said: ‘‘It is a great privilege to be asked to champion one of the most creative and life changing subject areas in education and such a dedicated and diverse music learning workforce.
“The partnership in support of the Music Manifesto provides a unique opportunity to deliver real improvements in the consistency, depth and quality of music education. My role is to ensure resources and investment are maximised to raise standards and enrich opportunities for children and young people, provide support to those teaching it and improve the structures through which it is delivered.
“Our enjoyment of music has its roots in childhood. We must celebrate our children’s meaningful participation in music and look to improve the ways they can explore it.’’
Mr Jaffrey joined David Miliband at a primary school in West London today to observe a music class, and discuss music provision with staff and parents. Wendell Primary School in Hammersmith and Fulham was recently recognised for its work in the field of the arts with the Arstmark Silver award and has a very active Gifted and Talented programme.
Editor's Notes
This press notice relates to 'England'

WIDER OPPORTUNITIES AT KEY STAGE 2

1. The Government pledged in the White Paper “Schools Achieving Success” that over time, all primary school pupils who want to should have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. Focusing on pupils at Key Stage 2 (ages 7-11), this builds on and extends the statutory entitlement to music education provided by the National Curriculum and has become known as the Wider Opportunities Programme.
2. The Wider Opportunities Programme includes:
• Taster sessions – a variety of live and hands on musical experiences to stimulate interest and broaden musical perspectives
• A foundation stage – focussed musical experiences across a range of instruments and voice to develop disciplined musical skills, knowledge and understanding
• Specialist instrumental tuition – that is progressive, affordable (or free of charge) and includes small group lessons and larger ensemble experiences to develop competence on a musical instrument and/or the voice and enable ongoing participation in music making.
3. In 2002 and 2003, OfSTED evaluated 12 pilot areas in which sustained and progressive instrumental tuition was offered to large groups of primary pupils – typically during classroom time. Findings were sent to all schools and LEAs in March 2004 in the form of a report and DVD entitled “Tuning In”, along with a new set of QCA schemes of work for primary music. The Tuning In report stressed the importance of classroom and instrumental teachers working together to deliver a high quality and integrated learning experience for the student. Tuning In can be accessed from the Ofsted website at www.ofsted.gov.uk.
4. In March 2004, all LEA Music Services received an additional grant of £10k to enable them all to pilot their own Wider Opportunities models. This additional funding will now continue in 2005-2006 and 2006-2007, with funding for wider roll out coming on stream in 2007-2008. LEA by LEA allocations for the 2007-2008 Wider Opportunities funding will be announced in summer 2005.
THE MUSIC MANIFESTO
5. In July 2004, David Miliband and Estelle Morris launched a Manifesto for young people's music education for the next three to five years. The Music Manifesto was developed by DfES and DCMS in collaboration with a sixty-strong consortium of music organisations, educators, musicians and the music industry.
6. The Music Manifesto is in two parts. Part one sets out the shared vision of the music consortium and highlights five priorities for joint activity. They are to:
• provide every young person with first access to a range of music experiences;
• provide more opportunities for young people to deepen and broaden their musical interests and skills;
• identify and nurture our most talented young musicians;
• develop a world class workforce in music education; and
• improve the support structures for young people’s music making.

Organisations and key individuals are invited literally to ‘sign up’ to the vision and statement of priorities via a managed, interactive website (at www.musicmanifesto.co.uk).
7. Part two of the Music Manifesto allows organisations (including Government) to showcase their own distinctive contributions by posting actual pledges of resources and programmes onto the interactive manifesto site. There will also be updates on various of the programmes as time goes on and an annual report on progress.
8. As at November 18th 2004, there were 153 signatories to the Music Manifesto and 61 pledges of programmes and resources. Numbers of both continue to grow.
THE MUSIC STANDARDS FUND
9. In 1999 the Government introduced the Music Standards Fund (MSF) to protect and expand LEA Music Services. The MSF amounts to just under £60m per year and in July 2004, David Miliband announced that this amount would be protected until at least 2008.
10. The MSF can be used for any activity which increases access to high quality musical experiences for school age children - including instrumental and vocal tuition, running bands and ensembles, instrument hire and loan schemes, remissions and grants and professional development activities for music teachers. It has been widely welcomed as a means of reversing the decline in LEA Music.
BIOGRAPHY OF MARC JAFFREY
Marc’s present role is Music Project Executive where he is responsible to the Director of BBC Radio and Music for special projects. Until earlier this year, Marc was the Learning Executive for Music, a commissioning executive role that delivered learning through the music entertainment output of the BBC. Over the past four years he developed and commissioned a portfolio of critically acclaimed multi-media music education services aimed at young people, children and families. Projects including the groundbreaking Radio 1 OneMusic, providing a comprehensive service for young people wanting to make it in the music industry; Radio 2’s Sold on Song, the first interactive service for aspiring songwriters and performers; BBC Radio and Music Interactive’s Children’s Radio Player and Parents’ Music Room; the Proms Out + About education campaign; and online learning resources to support the ground breaking Radio 3 children’s show Making Tracks. Recently he assisted in the creation of the BBC Fame Academy Bursary supporting new young talent, where he remains a trustee.
Between 1999 and 2001 he was project director of the landmark BBC/Youth Music Instrument Amnesty collecting £1.3 million of unused instruments and redistributing them to education projects. He also involved over 1,000 schools in the BBC’s millennium Music Live festival.
With an established record in racial equality and social justice campaign work, Marc, 41, joined the BBC in 1997 project managing social action campaigns on TV, radio and online for BBC Education. Marc will be seconded as the Music Manifesto Champion on a part-time basis.
Contact Details
Public Enquiries 0870 000 2288, info@dfes.gsi.gov.uk
Press Notice 2004/0199