REPORT OF THE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC GROUP: SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE TO RECOMMENDATIONS Theme 1 The value and benefits of music education and instrumental music tuition Recommendation SG response 1. Music Education, including the Accept. distinctive part played by instrumental music tuition, would Scottish Government welcomes the Vision and will work with members of an Instrumental Music benefit from a National Vision Implementation Group (IMIG) (to be established under recommendation 17) to compose and Statement. This should be the endorse a National Vision Statement (NVS). subject of a collective approach linking formal and informal It is anticipated that the following organisations will join IMIG, each with the necessary influence to providers and which highlights the help deliver particular recommendations. wider benefits of young people’s participation in, and the learning of Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA) a musical instrument, including Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES) singing. Education Scotland (ES) Heads of Instrumental Teaching Scotland (HITS) Scottish Association for Music Education (SAME) National Parent Forum Scotland (NPFS) Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) Scottish Government (SG) Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) Creative Scotland (CS) Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) 2. The provision of instrumental music services by all Local Authorities is unique, highly valued and helps deliver Curriculum for Excellence. The Group recommends that Local Authorities should continue to deliver this service, notwithstanding the current financial challenges. Accept. Scottish Ministers believe that music plays a vitally important role in education, helping to shape our sense of personal, social and cultural identity. Learning in music and the wider expressive arts also plays a role in supporting children and young people to recognise and value the variety and vitality of culture locally, nationally and globally. It is widely recognised that this recommendation will be challenging for LAs to deliver in the current financial climate. The Scottish Government will continue to work with CoSLA to assist Local Page 1 of 10 Authorities in the continuation of this service and build on the success and quality of music in Scotland. 3. There should be a general principle Accept. that pupils’ individual circumstances should not be a IMIG will assist LAs in taking forward this recommendation, which builds on much existing barrier to their ability to access and excellent practice. Clearly, LAs will continue to respond to local needs and circumstances when benefit from instrumental music determining their charging policies. It is envisaged that IMIG will have a role in supporting further tuition. Local Authorities should development under this recommendation in the period between now and December 2014. review their charging policies and concessionary schemes to ensure This is linked to recommendation 14 – maintaining a standard benchmarking framework. that pupils in their area are not prevented from learning a musical instrument because of their background, location, disability or financial circumstances. Local Authorities should be willing to share good practice on availability, access to and the transparency of their concession and charging policies including consultation on these matters. 4. Further to Recommendation 3, the Group noted the limited and variable provision of instrumental music tuition available for pupils with additional support needs as well as the huge value and lifechanging impact that learning to play a musical instrumental can provide. The Group recommends that Local Authorities share best practice in their delivery of instrumental music tuition to all children and young people equally, Accept. Scottish Ministers welcome this recommendation, which is in line with the principles and practices of Curriculum for Excellence, a curriculum for all. The IMIG will be invited to establish a sub-group to look at improving opportunities for those pupils who have additional support needs, including looking at opportunities for CPD for instrumental music teachers to support their work in this area. Ministers believe that the National Vision Statement under recommendation 1 should be clear about the impact and benefits of instrumental music tuition for pupils who have additional support needs. Page 2 of 10 including approaches to specialist training and continuing professional development for Instrumental staff to broaden out and extend provision, particularly to children with additional support needs. Theme 2 Charging for instrumental music tuition 5. The majority of Councils charge for Accept. the provision of Instrumental music tuition and a small number charge The Scottish Government also welcomes the decision by 5 Authorities to rescind charges for for instrumental music provision tuition in connection with SQA exams. The IMIG will keep policy and practice in this area under relating to learners’ SQA course review. work in music examinations. The Group acknowledges that decisions on charging for services sits with Local Authorities and further appreciates the financial pressures on Authorities, especially at this time. The Group notes that when it met for the first time, 5 Local Authorities charged for instrumental music tuition associated with SQA exams and wholeheartedly welcomes the recent decisions by all 5 Authorities to either rescind such charges or review them with the aim of ceasing the charge. Theme 3 Collaboration on and benefits to instrumental music with other local authorities, community groups, YMI and the more effective use of musical instruments Page 3 of 10 6. In providing instrumental music services in a challenging financial climate, Local Authorities should consider options for economies of scale. The Group noted the varied practice in Authorities’ collaboration with community groups, other Local Authorities and with national music bodies. The Group recommends that Local Authorities should investigate the options for better collaboration with other instrumental music services and Community Groups in the provision, purchase, repair and sharing of instruments and in the delivery of instrumental music tuition. 7. Local Authorities own and provide instruments in many different ways. The Group noted that the audit being carried out by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland of instruments across the country provides an excellent platform for future repair, maintenance and purchase policies of instruments, consistent with teaching provision and expertise. The Group recommends that Local Authorities use the information from this overview to derive the maximum use, economic efficiency and sustainability from these assets, including maintaining the inventory Accept. The Scottish Government welcomes this recommendation for LAs to consider collaborative working between instrumental music tuition services and other groups in the wider community. Ministers recognise the role that community music groups play in the success of our young people locally, nationally and globally. The IMIG will encourage relevant organisations to seek opportunities to share awareness of what each other does and build stronger links where appropriate. Ministers recognise that it may not be logistically possible for Authorities to share musical instruments but would like the IMIG to develop and support a mechanism to record instrument repairers around Scotland. Accept. The Scottish Government recognises that certain aspects of this recommendation may be challenging and complex to LAs. However, LAs should aim to address any realistic possibilities for sharing, in the interests of young people in their area who would benefit from playing a musical instrument. Scottish Ministers would like the IMIG to investigate the feasibility of an instrument apprenticeship scheme – including what level and type of demand exists. Page 4 of 10 and ensuring timely repairs. Consideration should also be given to following this up with a baseline study identifying supply chain issues and markets for repair and purchase of instruments which could be addressed by an instrument apprenticeship scheme. 8. The Group noted the different awareness and knowledge of instrumental music activities and opportunities across the country. To provide more consistency and better information for communities the Group suggests that consideration is given to the development and maintenance of a comprehensive user guide of instrumental music opportunities in Scotland. Accept. 9. The Group noted the varied but generally modest arrangements by Local Authorities for sponsorship by and partnership with the private and voluntary sectors. The Group recommends a far more pro-active approach should be taken by Local Authorities to seek external sponsorship for instrumental music provision, including at a regional or national level, to bring in support and extend opportunities for Accept in part. Scottish Government appreciates that this recommendation will require time to be implemented and that there are implications in terms of maintaining such a user guide, as well as creating it in the first place. It will be important to ensure that any new arrangement is sustainable and takes account of existing sources of information, avoiding unnecessary replication. Scottish Government anticipates that HITS and SAME will have key roles in taking this recommendation forward, and that the IMIG will wish to oversee the process. The Scottish Government accepts that it is ultimately for authorities to determine how they wish to approach this issue, and that sponsorship will not be a viable option in all circumstances. Ministers agree however that the IMIG should work with HITS to support any local authorities to extend their opportunities in this regard, forging links which are beneficial and suited to local circumstances. Page 5 of 10 learners. 10. The Youth Music Initiative (YMI) has been very successful in providing opportunities for young people across Scotland and its success has generated increased demand on local authority instrumental music services for progression opportunities after the initial YMI experience. The Group noted that there is a need at a local level for clarity in the demarcation between the YMI and Instrumental Music Services in schools. The group recommends that the National Vision Statement (in Recommendation 1) should take into account the remit and role of the YMI and other local youth music provision. Theme 4 New technologies 11. The Group noted that delivering instrumental music tuition in remote parts of the country and providing opportunities to learn from top professional musicians is challenging. Consistent with the collaboration agenda, Local Authorities should complement individual and group instrumental music tuition and explore the huge opportunities arising from the use Accept in part. The Scottish Government recognises that the impact of the YMI has generated an increase in those young people wanting to learn a musical instrument and that this has a strong bearing upon the demand that instrumental music tuition services wish to meet. The IMIG will have a role here in liaising with Creative Scotland in particular to generate a better understanding of the YMI. SG would welcome efforts to enable the YMI and instrumental music tuition services to operate alongside and in conjunction with one another as effectively as possible, building on success so far. Accept. The Scottish Government recognises that providing quality instrumental music tuition in remote parts of Scotland can be expensive and limited. In 21st century Scotland more work is needed to increase the use of ICT in the delivery of instrumental music tuition, notwithstanding the benefits of face-to-face tutorials. This is not only relevant for rural areas; greater use of ICT will benefit young people throughout Scotland. The IMIG should facilitate the gathering of existing relevant practice in this area with a view to enabling useful approaches to be extended further to support more learners in remote areas. Page 6 of 10 of technology to enhance the delivery of a 21st Century instrumental music service. Theme 5 Instrumental music tuition workforce 12. The Group identified several Accept. workforce development and planning issues for instrumental The Scottish Government, through the remit of the IMIG, will monitor developments and engage music staff including continuing with HITS and/or GTCS as appropriate. professional development. The Group also notes the aspirations of staff to gain greater professional recognition. Such recognition would be consistent with the provision of a highly valued and professional instrumental music service. Theme 6 Future work 13. The Group recognises the very significant benefits instrumental music learning provides for young people and society as a whole. However little is known about its wider impacts. Accordingly the Group recommends that specific research is carried out to examine the contribution of instrumental music learning to Scotland’s economic and cultural capital in an international context and also to children’s learning and development. Accept. Ministers are aware that the benefits of learning a musical instrument are numerous and likely to include many indirect benefits. More research on this would potentially be very helpful to LAs in justifying the future secure provision of a highly valuable aspect of education. IMIG will need to steer this work, working closely with Creative Scotland and the RCS. Page 7 of 10 14. The Group is grateful to the Improvement Service (IS) for its comprehensive research into instrumental music services as evidence for this report. The Group welcomes the Improvement Service’s offer to create, maintain and provide a standard benchmarking framework to capture in a standard form data on charging policy, current charges, participation and drop-out rates for instrumental music services across Scotland and recommends that, once established, this data should be monitored continuously by service providers. Accept. Ministers welcome the offer from the Improvement Service to maintain a standard benchmarking framework and see this as a key strand of work in support of recommendation 3, which focuses on how LAs can best ensure equity of access and transparency of concession and charging policies including trends in uptake and drop-out. IMIG will need to work closely with the Improvement Service to ensure that a suitable approach is agreed which is viable to create and maintain, and will be updated on an annual basis in coming years. 15. The Group recommends that the Accept. current Heads of Instrumental Teaching Scotland (HITS) The IMIG will be invited to establish a sub-group to take forward revision of these Guidelines. guidance – ‘Guidelines For Instrumental Teaching In Scottish Schools - 2003’ be updated in partnership with Scottish Government; Education Scotland; COSLA; and the EIS, to bring it in line with Curriculum for Excellence. 16. The Group applauds:a) the offer by ADES to sponsor a National Conference on Instrumental Music to promote a better Accept both aspects. Scottish Government is already working with ADES to arrange a national conference to take place in spring 2014. Ministers welcome this enthusiasm to promote the varied and numerous benefits of instrumental music tuition. They believe a national conference will be a useful opportunity to Page 8 of 10 understanding of the raise the profile of this aspect of education and inspire attendees to continue and build upon their benefits to young people existing practice. and society arising from Instrumental Music tuition, Ministers welcome the inclusion of instrumental music tuition within inspection findings. and b) the intention by Education Scotland to ensure that a statement commenting on the quality of Instrumental music tuition will be added to the list of obligatory statements in the Report of Inspection Findings for every school from September 2013. 17. The Group recommends that the Scottish Government sets up an Instrumental Music Implementation Group (IMIG) to oversee the strategic progression of these recommendations, support new guidance (recommendation 15) and report back to Ministers by December 2014. Accept. An Instrumental Music Implementation Group (IMIG) will be established to lead the process of implementing recommendations. Anticipated members are: Scottish Government (SG) Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA) Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES) Education Scotland (ES) Heads of Instrumental Teaching Scotland (HITS) Scottish Association for Music Education (SAME) National Parent Forum Scotland (NPFS) Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) Creative Scotland (CS) Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) Dates for meetings of the IMIG: November 2013; March 2014; June 2014; September/December 2014 Page 9 of 10 Page 10 of 10