Left-wing thinktank calls for national music service in England

The Fabian Society - Britain’s oldest political thinktank - has published a report setting out its vision for a national music education service, calling on Labour in Westminster to ‘learn from’ Labour in power in Wales.

This call for structural change comes less than two months after publication of the National Plan for Music Education in England (NPME), and a few months after Wales’ first plan and music service was announced. 

NPME ‘lacks’ policy levers

According to the report, the NPME ‘lacks the concrete policy levers’ to ‘actually deliver high-quality accessible’ music education. Concerns laid out here echo those raised previously  by the MU.

The 24-page report recommends that, as well as a national music service with ‘more money’ and ‘long-term funding settlements’, an ‘arts education premium’ should be introduced to improve music education in schools. 

A £90m arts premium for secondary schools was previously promised by the Conservative government, but was dropped in last October’s budget, delivered in the House of Commons by then-chancellor Rishi Sunak.

The report states that government policy over the last 12 years - since the Tories have been in power - has ‘repeatedly restricted’ young people’s ability to learn an instrument in school, ‘rather than widening access as promised’. 

A national music education service 

To ‘restore’ high-quality music education for all, the thinktank proposes a set of new policies and investments centered around a new national music education service.   

The proposed national service in England would be coordinated by a national body ‘with stronger powers’ (like Arts Council England), and a network of local organisations (like music hubs). 

Its mission would be to ‘end fragmentation and inequality’ in the provision of music education, and the Fabian Society argues that the service would offer leadership and consistency across the country, without ‘stifling’ local identity, innovation and knowledge. 

As well as the national service, other recommendations include a £105m capital investment for instruments (£80m more than promised in the NPME); the introduction of a ‘music education workforce guarantee’ to increase security and employment standards for music teachers; and improved data gathering and accountability measures reported by music hubs. 

‘A different vision for music education’

Written by Fabian Society senior researcher Ben Cooper, the new report has been produced with input from the MU’s Chris Walters and David Barnard, as well as individuals like Georgina Burt, Sarah McWatt, Vanessa Stansall, Jonathan Westrup, and Roger Wilson.

Chris Walters, speaking on behalf of the MU, said on the report’s publication: ‘The MU is delighted to have worked with the Fabian Society to offer a different vision for music education, building on what is working well, but without shying away from the inequalities and flaws that remain part of England’s music education system.

‘Unlike the worthwhile but non-statutory guidance provided by the government’s recent National Plan for Music Education, this report seeks to lay out what a statutory framework could look like.’ 

He continues: ‘We are pleased that this report takes seriously the issue of visiting music teachers’ pay and conditions. This must be addressed urgently if we are going to recruit and retain teachers in the state-funded part of music education, and treat them fairly and equitably. As the report says, we want to see England follow Wales’s good example in this regard.’

Walters adds that he hopes the report ‘will contribute to ongoing debate and policy formulation’.

Read ‘A National Music Service: How to ensure every child can access a good music education’.