Buckinghamshire Learning Trust Music
Working with Schools
The Music Service is part of the Buckinghamshire Learning Trust and shares its mission to support all
educational settings and the community to provide an outstanding education for all young people.
Our senior team has a wide range of experience in music education both in schools and in professional and
commercial environments and we are offering an exciting new range of services for schools. We now have
extensive expertise in curriculum, both primary and secondary and we are delighted to be offering bespoke
school support packages which can make a real difference in departmental and whole school development
plans. We are fully up to date with new developments from OfSTED, Arts Council and DfE and so can
respond to wherever you see your needs to be. In addition we have the experience and expertise to help
you identify where those needs are and tailor a programme of support with you.
Our CPD programme now covers a wide range of areas across the music education spectrum and all
trainers are experts in their field both from within BLTM and beyond. These courses are open to all music
practitioners and offer excellent networking and practice sharing opportunities for teachers.
Our vision
A Music Service that inspires exciting, meaningful and engaging musical experiences for every child in the
county;
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Experiences and opportunities that include all abilities, talents, genres and forms of music,
supporting all the outstanding work that happens now and that we will build in the future.
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Experiences and opportunities that take place in all types of school (both in the curriculum and
beyond), in music centres, in community settings and in commercial settings.
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Promoting opportunities for all students to access meaningful and high quality vocal and
instrumental experiences including opportunities to progress to the highest levels of excellence.
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Promoting and supporting the importance of music in all children’s lives as something valuable,
rewarding and fun.
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Providing a wide range of performance opportunities to both celebrate the achievements of young
musicians and empower them to be confident and skilled individuals who can express their creativity
and work together for success.
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Leading a radical development of music in schools and other educational settings working in
partnership with other areas of the Learning Trust (School Improvement, Specialist Teaching
Services, Early Years and Governor Services) to realise an outstanding education for all students in
the county.
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The core organisation of the Buckinghamshire Music Education Hub, supporting and facilitating a
range of partnerships, collaborations and projects that promote and realise outstanding music
education and opportunity for all children in Buckinghamshire
Our service provides a range of different provisions for schools and their pupils:
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Instrumental lessons for individuals and small groups.
 These lessons are taught by our instrumental and vocal teachers and cover voice,
all orchestral instruments, guitar, piano and drums. A number of schools also have
their own instrumental teachers and we look to work with and support them as
well. All teachers are encouraged to invite pupils to their local music centre to join
ensembles and choirs when they are ready to do so.
Ensemble/Choir leadership
 Many schools run their own choirs and ensembles using their own music teachers.
We also offer the possibility of our visiting teachers helping to set up and run these
activities. Schools interested should contact their Area Leader.
Whole Class Practical Musicianship (Wider Opportunities)
 This is designed to support the KS1, 2 or 3 curriculum and provide a wider range of
pupils with excellent, practical musical experiences that should inspire more of
them to get involved in longer term music making. We always strive to adapt the
provision to suit each school in order to meet their needs and desires and we
heavily subsidise this in keeping with the vision of the National Plan for Music.
Schools interested in discussing this should contact their Area Leader
Curriculum support packages
 The Leadership and Excellence teams within the Music Service have a wide range of
expertise that we make available to schools looking to review and develop their
music provision. Now that OfSTED are tasked to include a statement in their
reports regarding the quality of the music offer we will be offering a range of
bespoke packages to support schools to ensure quality. Please contact the
leadership team should you wish to discuss specific support or training.
Music Education forums
 We will also be providing Music network meetings for Heads of Secondary
departments and for Primary school leaders / practitioners to share opportunities,
expertise and discuss how we can best support music education in schools
Training courses for teachers
 Using both the expertise of our leadership team and a network of leading
practitioners within the county and beyond, we offer a substantial range of CPD
opportunities open to all music practitioners in schools, music service and
community groups. These can be booked either by contacting the Music Service or
directly through BLTonline.
The Music Service is constantly evaluating its provision and welcomes feedback from schools so that we
can look to respond to current needs and develop our offer to best support all music activity. We hold
regular forums for both primary and secondary music leaders and practitioners so if that means you,
please let us have your contact details if we don’t already contact you about these.
The BLTM Leadership team is:
Director
Paul Guenault
Head of Operations
Dan Francis
Business Support Leader
Daniela Worman
Area Leaders
Area
Fiona Jacob
Chilterns
Carolyn Sewell
South Bucks
Penny Hale
Aylesbury South
Fay Hayhurst
Aylesbury North
Kersten Luts
Wycombe North
Glynis Murphy
Wycombe South
Central Office
Base
Amersham Music Centre
Aylesbury Music Centre
High Wycombe Music Centre
The Area Leaders are responsible for the schools in their area and share responsibility for the running of
their Music Centre activities.
Central Office:
Buckinghamshire Learning Trust Music
King George V House
King George V Road
Amersham HP6 5AW
t: 01494 475937
e: musicservice@learningtrust.net
Amersham Music Centre
Woodside Junior School
t: 01494 586530
e: ammusic@learningtrust.net
Mitchell Walk
Amersham HP6 6NW
Aylesbury Music Centre
t: 01296 383243
e: aylmusic@learningtrust.net
Walton Road
Aylesbury HP21 7ST
High Wycombe Music Centre
t: 01494 475166
e: hwmusic@learningtrust.net
Millbrook Combined School
Mill End Road
High Wycombe HP12 4BA
Training courses for teachers and music practitioners
Available to all music practitioners in all settings
Rock and Popular Music in the Secondary Curriculum
Current menu of courses
See BLTonline for dates
Charged at:
Full day
£180
Half Day
£90
Twilight (2hr) £60
Developing Singing in the Primary Curriculum
Planning and Delivering Whole Class Instrumental Sessions
GCSE Music Moderation for Heads of Music
BTEC Music Moderation for Course Leaders
Music for EYFS Creative Development
Developing Music in a Special Needs Environment
Assessing Progress in the Arts - Assessment Without Levels
Creating a High Quality Primary Music Curriculum
Directing and Conducting a Musical Ensemble
Individual practitioners and
organisations affiliated to the
Buckinghamshire Music Education Hub
receive a 20% discount
Buckinghamshire schools receive a
second place free on any course
Schedule for 2015/16 courses will be
released in May 2015
Leading a Successful Music Department
School Support Packages
All packages are bespoke to the school. Details of focus, type of support and from whom and
follow-up evaluation is identified at the planning meeting.
Areas of focus may include:
 Curriculum development at KS1 - 5
 Developing a new course – BTEC / GCSE / A-level
 Developing extra-curricular provision in your school
 Preparing for OfSTED
 Applying for Artsmark
 Creating an Arts Policy
 Developing your Primary Singing Strategy
 Music & MFL in KS2
 Developing Leadership in the Arts
Bronze
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Planning meeting with Director / Head of OQ
1 full day equivalent support (can be split)
Follow-up advice / support can be negotiated
£600
(Additional day £600)
Silver
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Planning meeting with Director / Head of OQ
3 full days equivalent support (can be split)
Follow-up advice / support can be negotiated
£1800
Early booking reward of 3 days
equivalent of CPD bookings at BLT
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Planning meeting with Director / Head of OQ
5 full days equivalent support (can be split)
Follow-up advice / support can be negotiated
Gold
(before 1st June 2015)
£3000
Early booking reward of 5 days
equivalent of CPD bookings at BLT
(before 1st June 2015)
Forums for networking, sharing of practice and building partnerships
Secondary Heads of Music: termly
For all schools in Buckinghamshire
FREE
Primary Music Leaders: termly
For all schools in 3 Area hubs
FREE
Whole Class Practical Musicianship (‘Wider opportunities’)
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Package of 11 lessons of teacher time, including
planning and evaluation time and including free loan
of a class set of instruments where required.
Selection of instruments / format / group size is
discussed with each school’s Area Leader to
determine what will work best for that school.
Currently available for Years 2 – 6.
Pilot projects for Year 7 provision in progress.
£330 per class per term
This represents a 60% subsidy of the real
cost of this provision. We are committed to
grant funding as much of this provision as is
viable across the county. The annual cost to
schools is slightly less than the Pupil
Premium funding for one child, and equal to
£1 per child per lesson.
Instrumental, Vocal and Ensemble tuition
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All orchestral/band instruments, voice, piano, guitar,
drums are available to students in schools or in
Music Centres.
Lessons are individual or in small groups (2/3) for
beginners / elementary depending upon uptake.
Instrumental / Vocal teachers can be engaged to lead
ensembles / groups / choirs in schools in addition to
their instrumental teaching in discussion with the
Area Leader.
Option for schools to purchase themselves and
administer to their parents OR to adopt ‘Parent
(Direct) Billing’ where parents are invoiced by the
Music Service and pay BLTM directly.
Parent (Direct) Billing relieves the school of some
administrative burden and the Music Service keep
the school closely informed of full details of the
pupils and teachers involved, ensuring to negotiate
times and rooms with the school that fit with normal
school operations.
The Music Service provides teachers with
preparation time and time to record and report
progress through practice diaries and parent
meetings.
The Music Service makes instruments available for
loan wherever possible at a cost of £15 per term. We
also operate the Assisted Purchase Scheme with local
partners enabling parents to buy instruments at
educational rates (non-VAT).
£36 per hour for school purchase
This applies to instrumental tuition and
ensemble / group / choir coaching
For Parent (Direct) Billing
Individual 30
minute lesson
Individual 20
minute lesson
Group 30 minute
lesson
Group 20 minute
lesson
£204 per
term
£136 per
term
£108 per
term
£72 per
term
*33 lessons per year
The Music Service provides the following
subsidies to pupils on Parent (Direct) Billing:
Students eligible for
Free School Meals
2nd child
Siblings
3rd child
Each
subsequent
child
50%
reduction
25%
reduction
50%
reduction
75%
reduction