MU Column: Supporting visiting music teachers

The MU has had a partnership with the National Education Union (formerly the National Union of Teachers) since 2011. It is an important relationship for us on a number of levels, since it allows us to work with a sister union on issues that impact members of both unions, such as the future of music education in schools and supporting the workforce that delivers it.

Between us, the two unions represent a majority of the workforce that delivers music education in both the formal and informal sectors. This includes teachers who deliver: curriculum lessons in primary and secondary schools; instrumental and vocal lessons through music services and agencies; and private lessons in and out of schools.

We have recently been looking at the issues that visiting music teachers (VMTs) face in schools, especially when their work involves being in a school for a short period only with little or no contact with the school's full-time teachers. We looked at a charter the NEU had produced to support supply teachers, who often face similar issues to VMTs, in particular around trying to obtain from schools the information that is needed for them to work effectively. We agreed that a similar charter for VMTs would be useful.

The Charter for Visiting Music Teachers, produced in conjunction with the NEU, contains practical advice on how schools can best support VMTs in their work. It is primarily designed for schools, although it contains information that would also be useful for VMTs, hubs and music services. It gives advice to help schools navigate the often-complex ways that VMTs are engaged or employed, aiming to help schools understand their obligations within the law and what they need to consider in order to be compliant with changes in legislation.

Our members who teach in schools report that with schools increasingly moving out of local authority control, there is much confusion about who is responsible for what and who has to supply what information to the VMTs. Teachers tell us that they are being asked to provide copies of their DBS checks and even copies of their passports to prove that they have the right to work in the school, when in fact they work for an organisation that has already checked these documents. Often, schools are concerned with not having the correct procedures in place and therefore decide to duplicate processes unnecessarily, even when it is not their responsibility.

The introduction of IR35 tax legislation for public organisations, which includes schools, has caused an immense amount of confusion within the sector. This legislation seeks to clarify when teachers and other staff should be employed as opposed to self-employed, and local authorities often give conflicting advice to schools about it. It is important that all parties work within the law, and the Charter gives clear guidelines for schools on all these issues, as well as what the mutual obligations are depending on whether the VMT is employed, a worker or self-employed.

The Charter also asks schools to consider what facilities their VMTs need, to provide a suitable teaching space for them, to share the school timetable and yearly calendar with them, and to outline the policies and procedures they should know, such as where to report safeguarding concerns. For teachers who may only be in the school for a short time each week, these things are crucial but sometimes difficult to find out. It is also important for VMTs to be aware of any issues to consider with the pupils they teach, such as reasonable adjustments needed for particular pupils – information that needs to be shared for the VMT to be able to support the pupil appropriately.

There is information in the Charter about the different responsibilities for whoever employs or engages the VMT, and how to manage things if the teacher is self-employed. Again, these are complex issues as the school has to navigate not only GDPR and safeguarding but also compliance in a number of other areas including health and safety and discrimination law, with increasingly little or no support from outside agencies.

VMTs make an important contribution to the musical life of a school, and if schools and VMTs can work better together it will benefit everyone, not least the pupils. We hope that the Charter for Visiting Music Teachers will help provide clarity and guidance to make it easier for schools and their networks of VMTs.

Download the Charter here.