Key points from the Henley Review and the Government’s response:

- The annual Music Grant to remain at £82.5m for 2011-12 – no cut

- This award remains protected for music education

- The Department of Education (DfE) and the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) will work with the Arts Council and other key stakeholders, including the FMS, to prepare a ‘National Plan for Music Education’ to come into effect in 2012 -13

- One of the National Plan’s key priorities will be to ensure that a structure is developed that enshrines the best mix of organisations and services to access funding available at a local level. These services will be identified in the National Plan and will embrace music and wider arts providers.

Virginia Haworth-Galt, Chief Executive of the FMS, said: “I believe this is a landmark report. As music teachers, we see every day the outstanding contribution music makes to a child’s development. Darren Henley has argued passionately for the value of music education and has provided clear recommendations to ensure that children, wherever they live in England, can benefit from it.

“We congratulate the Government for responding so positively and listening to the FMS and others across the sector. We welcome the news that Music Services will receive the same level of funding from the Government and hope that this support will continue after 2012. We also urge all local authorities to continue their financial support too.

“By backing the report’s recommendation for a ‘National Plan for Music Education’, the Government has also shown its commitment to work with us, schools and all music educators to make Darren Henley’s vision a reality - to provide all children with the music education they deserve.

“This is a huge declaration for music education. We are excited that the FMS’s views on the value of local centres of excellence have been acknowledged. The FMS is looking forward to building on the close relationships we already enjoy with schools and other music partners as we move towards a new era in music and arts provision. To succeed all those involved in music provision must rise to the challenge of working together to deliver a better musical future for our children.”
(more…)

Wow it’s music next - Executive Summary - download here

Wow it’s music next - full report can be downloaded here

Ten years ago who would have thought that every child would have the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument during their time at primary school?  It seemed to be an impossible dream.  We had insufficient teachers, instruments and money to even consider such an undertaking - although many people thought it a good idea.  Yet now, with the combined vision of the government, the music services and local authorities, together with schools and teachers, the programme ‘Wider Opportunities in Music’ is well on the way to making it happen.

 

This vivid research report, written by Professor Anne Bamford and Paul Glinkowski, tells us very clearly about the impact of the programme – how, at its best, it can transform the lives of children, giving them a sense of pride and achievement, whilst providing them with a real opportunity to learn an instrument in a large group.  This programme is about giving a child the opportunity, indeed the entitlement, to learn an instrument for a year – free of charge – and then giving them the choice of whether to continue or not.

 

In my rôle as the Music Director of the Hallé I have always been passionate about enabling music – in all its forms – to be part of a child’s early life.  I am conscious of all those who may have talent but have not had the same opportunities as I did to make a career in music.  This report tells us that we have made a superb start in offering instrumental tuition to everyone, but it clearly sets out how we need to continue the investment, especially in tackling the real challenge of how children progress beyond the first year.

 

It tells us that we have started something which we must continue – for the sake of all children and the musical life of our country.

Sir Mark Elder CBE

 

Wow it’s music next! press release January 2010

Wow it’s music next - research key findings