APPG for Music Education Meeting
21 March 2023
All-Party Parliamentary Group for Music Education, Briefing Minutes
Tuesday 21 March 2023, 5pm
Tuesday 21 March 2023, 5pm
Opening Proceedings
Parliamentarians present: Earl of Clancarty, Lord Aberdare, Lord Black of Brentwood, Barbara Keeley MP, Kevin Brennan MP
Apologies: Rushanara Ali MP, Brendan Clarke-Smith MP, Jane Stevenson MP, Stephen Kinnock MP, Harriet Harman MP, Kerry McCarthy MP, Lord Haskel, Lord Lipsey, Lord Watson, Lord McConnell of Glencorrodale
The attending parliamentarians were joined by members of the music education sector.
Welcome: Wera Hobhouse MP, Chair
Wera Hobhouse emphasised the benefits of music education and that all children are entitled to it. Music is central to the UK economy and supports our soft power. Yet it is under threat in schools and from music hub cuts. We need to point out to the government that if you don’t provide music education then we will lose something essential to our DNA. The government says it takes arts and culture seriously, but we need them to put their money where their mouth is.
Parliamentarians present: Earl of Clancarty, Lord Aberdare, Lord Black of Brentwood, Barbara Keeley MP, Kevin Brennan MP
Apologies: Rushanara Ali MP, Brendan Clarke-Smith MP, Jane Stevenson MP, Stephen Kinnock MP, Harriet Harman MP, Kerry McCarthy MP, Lord Haskel, Lord Lipsey, Lord Watson, Lord McConnell of Glencorrodale
The attending parliamentarians were joined by members of the music education sector.
Welcome: Wera Hobhouse MP, Chair
Wera Hobhouse emphasised the benefits of music education and that all children are entitled to it. Music is central to the UK economy and supports our soft power. Yet it is under threat in schools and from music hub cuts. We need to point out to the government that if you don’t provide music education then we will lose something essential to our DNA. The government says it takes arts and culture seriously, but we need them to put their money where their mouth is.
Presentations
Guest Speaker Anna Lapwood, concert organist and Director of Music, Pembroke College Cambridge
Anna Lapwood spoke about the impact of music education through her work with a girls’ choir, which has transformed the lives of several girls, including one with ADHD. Covid lockdowns have had a negative impact on young people’s attention spans, and studying music is an excellent way to improve their focus, as well as giving them a sense of identity.
Access to music education should be for all children. The emphasis on partnerships in the refreshed National Plan for Music Education is good. Better partnerships between Higher Education and schools should be part of this.
We need to take new social media platforms seriously, for example TikTok is a powerful way to find new audiences. People are now coming to her concerts after hearing her on TikTok.
The BBC cuts are the latest in a devastating series of blows for the sector. The BBC Singers embody what the profession should be, with 50/50 programming and their outreach work. It is down to us to make sure our children still have the opportunity to progress to groups like the BBC Singers in the future.
Deborah Annetts, CEO of the Independent Society of Musicians (ISM) – The state of music education in the UK
Deborah Annetts focused on the existential crisis in music in the UK. Members of the ISM are at risk of losing their jobs through the music hubs restructure, ACE cuts and now the BBC cuts. The BBC Singers are fighting back and the ISM is fighting with them. This is cultural vandalism, but if we make enough noise together we can win.
Dr Jodie Underhill, ISM Research Associate – ACE hub investment process
Jodie Underhill gave details about the ACE music hub investment process, which proposes to cut the number of hubs from 117 to 43. The funding of £79 million per year for hubs sounds like a lot, but it is actually less than £10 per child, and there are questions about the rationale behind the new geographies.
Michele Gregson, General Secretary of the National Society for Education in Art and Design – Secondary Accountability Measures
Michele Gregson spoke about the impact that accountability measures the EBacc and Progress 8 have had on arts subjects in English state schools since 2010. The NSEAD conducted a major survey which showed that art and design curriculum time had dropped by a third. Respondents strongly agreed that the impact of EBacc and P8 was negative. Even Ofsted has pointed out the decline in its recent Art & Design Research Review.
Accountability measures have created a false hierarchy of subjects which has resulted in a 40% decline in uptake of arts GCSEs since 2010. Despite this, the Schools White Paper’s only benchmark for success is numeracy and literacy. There is a big disconnect between Michael Gove’s desire for a Medici-style renaissance and what’s actually happening – the government needs to wake up to the damage they are doing.
Elena Wilson, Policy Manager, Edge Foundation – #SaveOurSubjects Campaign
Elena Wilson introduced the ISM and Edge Foundation’s campaign, #SaveOurSubjects. This focuses on the damage done by accountability measures in English state schools and has three main asks of the government:
Q & A Session
Kevin Brennan MP: The DfE and ACE approach to music hubs is fundamentally flawed and the National Plan for Music Education won’t deliver what it hopes to do in the current climate.
WH suggested writing to the DCMS and DfE select committees.
Earl of Clancarty: Agree there is an existential crisis in education. Also have concerns about TikTok ban from government given the potential of this kind of platform from an artistic creators’ perspective.
Lord Aberdare: Anna Lapwood’s idea of more university students teaching in schools is interesting. Is this happening in many places?
AL: It is happening in a few pockets but is not widespread.
Yogesh Dattani, Ealing Music Service: Funding for music hubs is a real problem. It is actually only £8.50 per child for his hub. Done correctly the investment process could be good, if it finds the right lead hub organisations, but the process is pitting colleague against colleague and causing a lot of heartache. The concept of hubs is excellent and Ealing have one of most diverse workforces in the country and a wide variety of musical styles. This helps them to support the young people in the area.
Barbara Keeley MP: This is fine for the London area, where there are many organisations and funders. But elsewhere there are far fewer resources and it is much more difficult. The situation overall for music is deeply worrying – ACE cuts have impacted opera but also the Britten Sinfonia and now the BBC cuts. The BBC’s undermining of classical music is serious. Trying to gather support in parliament to fight the BBC cuts. She encourages everyone to write to their MPs and to the BBC. She supports raising the issue with the select committees.
Lord Aberdare: The Lords have set up a Special Inquiry Committee on Education for 11–16-year-olds, which includes a call for evidence. He is keen that the committee should take account of music and cultural education, so he invites a good representation from the cultural sector about the needs of arts education. Submit evidence to the committee by 30 April.
Peter Bolton, Kent Music: The EBacc has been so damaging and its impact cascades through the system, making the job of hubs much harder. Can’t stress this enough. The DfE rationale for hub restructuring is not a rationale. It makes the case both for smaller and bigger hubs depending on how you read it. The infrastructure is better in small areas such as Brighton than large areas such as Kent, so ACE must look at it on a case-by-case basis, and bear in mind that organisations in an area might not come together willingly.
DA: Proposed a parliamentary campaigns group to pull all this together. ISM can provide the secretariat.
Simon Toyne, MTA former president: State school heads do want good music education but the majority haven’t experienced it themselves so the point of the NPME is to give guidelines about how to build it. His MAT has to deal with a lot of hubs so having fewer would be helpful.
Catherine Barker, MTA president elect: We must be realistic about the crisis and the need to look after our teachers, as many are working alone. The workforce is the biggest issue – where there is a good music teacher supported by a good head, then provision is good. But we have a crisis in teacher recruitment.
Actions:
Guest Speaker Anna Lapwood, concert organist and Director of Music, Pembroke College Cambridge
Anna Lapwood spoke about the impact of music education through her work with a girls’ choir, which has transformed the lives of several girls, including one with ADHD. Covid lockdowns have had a negative impact on young people’s attention spans, and studying music is an excellent way to improve their focus, as well as giving them a sense of identity.
Access to music education should be for all children. The emphasis on partnerships in the refreshed National Plan for Music Education is good. Better partnerships between Higher Education and schools should be part of this.
We need to take new social media platforms seriously, for example TikTok is a powerful way to find new audiences. People are now coming to her concerts after hearing her on TikTok.
The BBC cuts are the latest in a devastating series of blows for the sector. The BBC Singers embody what the profession should be, with 50/50 programming and their outreach work. It is down to us to make sure our children still have the opportunity to progress to groups like the BBC Singers in the future.
Deborah Annetts, CEO of the Independent Society of Musicians (ISM) – The state of music education in the UK
Deborah Annetts focused on the existential crisis in music in the UK. Members of the ISM are at risk of losing their jobs through the music hubs restructure, ACE cuts and now the BBC cuts. The BBC Singers are fighting back and the ISM is fighting with them. This is cultural vandalism, but if we make enough noise together we can win.
Dr Jodie Underhill, ISM Research Associate – ACE hub investment process
Jodie Underhill gave details about the ACE music hub investment process, which proposes to cut the number of hubs from 117 to 43. The funding of £79 million per year for hubs sounds like a lot, but it is actually less than £10 per child, and there are questions about the rationale behind the new geographies.
Michele Gregson, General Secretary of the National Society for Education in Art and Design – Secondary Accountability Measures
Michele Gregson spoke about the impact that accountability measures the EBacc and Progress 8 have had on arts subjects in English state schools since 2010. The NSEAD conducted a major survey which showed that art and design curriculum time had dropped by a third. Respondents strongly agreed that the impact of EBacc and P8 was negative. Even Ofsted has pointed out the decline in its recent Art & Design Research Review.
Accountability measures have created a false hierarchy of subjects which has resulted in a 40% decline in uptake of arts GCSEs since 2010. Despite this, the Schools White Paper’s only benchmark for success is numeracy and literacy. There is a big disconnect between Michael Gove’s desire for a Medici-style renaissance and what’s actually happening – the government needs to wake up to the damage they are doing.
Elena Wilson, Policy Manager, Edge Foundation – #SaveOurSubjects Campaign
Elena Wilson introduced the ISM and Edge Foundation’s campaign, #SaveOurSubjects. This focuses on the damage done by accountability measures in English state schools and has three main asks of the government:
- Review the impact of accountability measures (EBacc & Progress 8) on arts subjects
- Reform the Progress 8 accountability measure, giving young people more freedom of choice at GCSE
- Deliver the Arts Premium promised in the Conservatives’ 2019 election manifesto
Q & A Session
Kevin Brennan MP: The DfE and ACE approach to music hubs is fundamentally flawed and the National Plan for Music Education won’t deliver what it hopes to do in the current climate.
WH suggested writing to the DCMS and DfE select committees.
Earl of Clancarty: Agree there is an existential crisis in education. Also have concerns about TikTok ban from government given the potential of this kind of platform from an artistic creators’ perspective.
Lord Aberdare: Anna Lapwood’s idea of more university students teaching in schools is interesting. Is this happening in many places?
AL: It is happening in a few pockets but is not widespread.
Yogesh Dattani, Ealing Music Service: Funding for music hubs is a real problem. It is actually only £8.50 per child for his hub. Done correctly the investment process could be good, if it finds the right lead hub organisations, but the process is pitting colleague against colleague and causing a lot of heartache. The concept of hubs is excellent and Ealing have one of most diverse workforces in the country and a wide variety of musical styles. This helps them to support the young people in the area.
Barbara Keeley MP: This is fine for the London area, where there are many organisations and funders. But elsewhere there are far fewer resources and it is much more difficult. The situation overall for music is deeply worrying – ACE cuts have impacted opera but also the Britten Sinfonia and now the BBC cuts. The BBC’s undermining of classical music is serious. Trying to gather support in parliament to fight the BBC cuts. She encourages everyone to write to their MPs and to the BBC. She supports raising the issue with the select committees.
Lord Aberdare: The Lords have set up a Special Inquiry Committee on Education for 11–16-year-olds, which includes a call for evidence. He is keen that the committee should take account of music and cultural education, so he invites a good representation from the cultural sector about the needs of arts education. Submit evidence to the committee by 30 April.
Peter Bolton, Kent Music: The EBacc has been so damaging and its impact cascades through the system, making the job of hubs much harder. Can’t stress this enough. The DfE rationale for hub restructuring is not a rationale. It makes the case both for smaller and bigger hubs depending on how you read it. The infrastructure is better in small areas such as Brighton than large areas such as Kent, so ACE must look at it on a case-by-case basis, and bear in mind that organisations in an area might not come together willingly.
DA: Proposed a parliamentary campaigns group to pull all this together. ISM can provide the secretariat.
Simon Toyne, MTA former president: State school heads do want good music education but the majority haven’t experienced it themselves so the point of the NPME is to give guidelines about how to build it. His MAT has to deal with a lot of hubs so having fewer would be helpful.
Catherine Barker, MTA president elect: We must be realistic about the crisis and the need to look after our teachers, as many are working alone. The workforce is the biggest issue – where there is a good music teacher supported by a good head, then provision is good. But we have a crisis in teacher recruitment.
Actions:
- Try to get a parliamentary debate; this might need to be on music as a whole
- Set up BBC campaign group for MPs
- Letter from Music Education APPG to BBC and to select committees
Closing proceedings
The next APPG for Music Education meeting is planned to be hybrid; date to be confirmed.
Wera Hobhouse thanked the speakers and declared the APPG meeting closed at 6.15pm.
The next APPG for Music Education meeting is planned to be hybrid; date to be confirmed.
Wera Hobhouse thanked the speakers and declared the APPG meeting closed at 6.15pm.
