Music: Education

(asked on 17th March 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) funding, and (2) operations, of music hubs.


Answered by
Baroness Berridge Portrait
Baroness Berridge
This question was answered on 6th April 2021

The government believes that the arts are an essential part of a broad and balanced education and that high-quality arts education should not be the preserve of the elite, but the entitlement of every child.

Music Education Hubs have a vital role to play not only in core school music but also ensuring children have access to all the benefits of a wider musical education through instrumental lessons and ensembles. They have acted swiftly and innovatively to support schools through the COVID-19 outbreak, including the continuation of continuing professional development to classroom teachers.

On Friday 26 March, the department announced £79 million in the financial year 2021-22, to fund Music Education Hubs. This funding had already been confirmed earlier this month with Arts Council England, our music hubs delivery partner, and they confirmed funding with all the Music Education Hubs organisations. The government also announced our ambitious plan for all children to have access to high-quality music education, with the publication of the Model Music Curriculum, a new music curriculum for key stages 1, 2 and 3. The plans to refresh music lessons follow the full return to school for all pupils this month, and alongside wider plans to help pupil catch-up on lost education.

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