Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on the policy paper entitled The Power of Music to Change Lives: A National Plan for Music Education, published by her Department on 25 June 2022.

As part of our Opportunity Mission, this government is committed to ensuring that every child has a rich and broad education, including access to arts and music, which sets them up to achieve and thrive throughout life.

The national plan for music education published in 2022 set out expectations on schools to put in place music development plans as well as a restructure of the Music Hub programme. The programme is being evaluated by the National Centre for Social Research to assess the impact of these changes. Any future steps will be informed by this evaluation.

The government’s independent Curriculum and Assessment Review aims to deliver a curriculum which is rich and broad, with a firm foundation in reading, writing and mathematics alongside ensuring that every pupil has access to creative opportunities including music. The government has also committed to launch a new National Music Education Network, to help families, children and schools access broader opportunities and support.