Music Mark supports the sector as the refreshed National Plan for Music Education is released

The much-anticipated refreshed National Plan for Music Education has launched, titled ‘The Power of Music to Change Lives’. Music Mark is maintaining a page of related resources to support the sector here, and on Wednesday 29 June convened two live webinars with speakers from ACE and DfE.  The recordings of the two webinars are available to watch here.

Music Mark’s CEO, Bridget Whyte, was a part of the expert panel who advised on The Power of Music. She says, ‘I was privileged to be a part of the advisory panel who consulted on The Power of Music and am happy to see a receptive and positive response from our Hub leaders and wider membership. A key role for all of us now is to help those who may be seeing problems and challenges ahead by offering to help, particularly teachers and school leaders who are already overstretched. As a sector we should take the opportunity to promote the work we do and offer solutions. Music Mark will, of course, continue to work with its membership to ensure a high-quality music education for all children and young people and our expanding network of Music Mark Schools should know that we are here to support them.’   

Music Mark’s response

There is much to unpack from the weighty 80-page document, but Music Mark looks forward to supporting the sector to work with the new National Plan and has created a short summary paper highlighting its key points. Having long campaigned for additional funding, the commitment to £25 million allocated for instruments is welcome – as is the promised ‘Progression Fund’ and money to support a set of Hub Centres of Excellence. There is clearly a governmental commitment to the importance of music education and a recognition of the need for further investment. We are however acutely aware that schools and teachers may well receive the plan as an additional pressure point. Music Mark will support and empower our membership, and through our role as a Music Subject Association, work collaboratively towards a high-quality music education for all children and young people.  

What Music Mark is doing next

• On Wednesday 29th June, we hosted two webinars and Big Meets unpacking the detail of the plan, with speakers including representatives from the expert panel, the Department for Education, and Arts Council England. These webinars were free of charge to attend and open to all. The recordings of the two webinars are available to watch here.
• Music Mark has created and is maintaining a page of resources to support the sector, including summaries which support those working across the sector. Find it here.