NPME to come ‘by the end of this academic year’, says DfE

In a written House of Commons answer, Robin Walker has confirmed that the government will publish the refreshed National Plan for Music Education (NPME) ‘by the end of this academic year’. 

The news comes in response to a question from Labour’s Louise Haigh, tabled on 25 April, which reads: ‘To ask the secretary of state for education, whether the updated National Plan for Music Education will be implemented ahead of the 2022-23 academic year.’

Walker added that ‘the department will continue to work with schools and the music education sector to ensure that the timetable for implementation is reasonable’ - likely referring to the publication date’s possible proximity to the summer holidays.

In August 2021, the government announced that the refreshed Plan would be published ‘early next year’, guided by an ‘expert advisory panel’. 

The lack of wider consultation has since raised concerns, with a recent ISM survey revealing that almost 100 per cent of teachers thought they should be consulted on a draft ahead of the NPME’s publication.

The reason for the roughly half-year delay is not clear. More recent delays may have been a result of the ‘pre-election period of sensitivity’ ahead of next week’s local elections.

Walker’s full response, provided today (28 April), reads: ‘The government is committed to ensuring that all children and young people have access to a high-quality music education.

‘The government has been working with a panel of experts from across the music education sector to develop a refreshed national plan for music education. This will shape the future of music education in this country and follows the publication of the non-statutory Model Music Curriculum for Key Stages 1, 2, and 3 published last year.’

‘The government will publish the refreshed national plan for music education by the end of this academic year. The department will continue to work with schools and the music education sector to ensure that the timetable for implementation is reasonable.’

MT will continue to monitor further developments.