Have Your Say: Letters to the Editor February 2024

The view from the classroom

I write in response to Hannah Fouracre’s article in Music Teacher (‘The view from ACE’, January 2024), which I read with sadness. As a director of music for over 23 years, I have a fundamental belief of everyone being able to access music education and thrive. (Surely that is the same as every head of music and music educationalist?) I should like ACE to respond to the following five-point challenge:

• Focus on schools, especially primary schools. The article makes little mention of schools, which speaks volumes about ACE and those making decisions. Schools are the start of the musical ecosystem, and unless we get students learning and inspired in primary schools it is an uphill battle and almost impossible.
• Focus on progression routes – just like the NMPE2 states. ACE seems obsessed with one-off events, partnerships and projects rather than sustained opportunities where students can make progress over time and achieve musical standards. It seems so hard to have sustained opportunities for instrumental teaching and music-making in primary schools. WCET is great up to a point, but as ACE’s own data shows, few [pupils] continue beyond these projects. The importance of primary schools to our musical ecosystem is continually ignored by ACE and music hubs. When has ACE ever consulted directly with schools?
• Sort out funding and accountability, so every penny gets to the front line – schools. ACE’s own hub data shows, for many hubs, how much is spent on admin and management – a shocking amount. Hold hubs properly to account for falling participation rates; for shocking progression rates; and for the quality and amount that they deliver in each school. Challenge hubs and those who spend public funding. Look for the answers that are not provided. If the aim is that music is for ‘every child and young person’, then address how those who cannot afford it can access it, in a sustainable way. Hold organisations who receive public funding to account for the falling numbers of students engaging in music.
• Connect to the wider music education community. The article does not mention falling GCSE and A Level numbers, or the effect of the EBacc. It does not mention instrumental exams that are far too expensive. It does not mention deep dives, pedagogy, or any curriculum. Music education seems to consist of organisations who all champion their bit so well, yet fail to work together. Music education is far, far more than the ACE article speaks about. Does ACE not care about the other parts?
• Listen – talk to families and students. Get out of meetings and home offices and find out what is not and should be happening in schools. Of course celebrate the amazing things that do happen, but really dig into the data of what is not happening. Society is changing at a rapid pace, so how and what we teach needs to change at a rapid pace. Any leaders that fail to listen are choosing not to hear what is actually happening.

ACE has been funding music hubs for many years, so ultimately the situation music education (in England) is in is as a direct result of ACE targets and actions. There are so many brilliant music teachers up and down the land who inspire musicians every day. They do so against the tide, pushing things uphill. Everyone in music education needs to work together all of the time.

Managers at ACE and music hubs need to start listening and stop ignoring what is actually going on. Unless they do, they will grind music education in state schools out of existence. Their own data shows this is already happening. Perhaps ACE and music hubs are not for the ‘whole’ of music education?

For context (the basis for my comments), I am director of music at an all-through school. We have a Strings Training Programme in Year 2, and students can learn woodwind from Year 3 and brass from Year 4. Over 500 instrumental lessons are delivered each week and I believe our success is due to our investment in our primary phase (time, ideas and commitment). Last year our musical ecosystem and progression routes led to eight musicians achieving LCM diplomas. In the past I have asked to meet with the ACE director of music education and this has been declined.

– Mark Taylor