The Importance of Music; a National Plan for Music Education
Whole Class Instrumental Tuition at Key Stage 2
The Importance of Music is the National Plan for music education. It states that
pupils, in addition to their statutory curriculum music entitlement provided by
schools, should also learn to play a musical instrument in a whole class ensemble
while at school.
Hounslow Music Service has worked with schools to co-design a one year
programme of whole class instrumental tuition which, when observed by Ofsted, has
been judged to be outstanding and we should all be very proud of this. Thanks to
continued additional funding from the London Borough of Hounslow, we have been
able to continue to keep costs for this programme as low as possible.
The programme provides an important opportunity for us to support your school
music leaders to develop their own capacity to lead music in the school, and help
schools respond to recent criticisms by Ofsted about weaknesses in music in schools.
Wider Opportunities and Further Opportunities in Hounslow
2014 – 2015
The Importance of Music, a National Plan for Music Education states that;
Music Education Hubs must ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn a
musical instrument (other than voice) through whole class ensemble teaching
programmes for ideally a year (but for a minimum of a term) of weekly tuition on the
same instrument.
Whole class ensemble teaching is what we call wider opportunities. It is a model of
whole class instrumental learning for children at Key Stage 2.
The whole school perspective
The key to the success of whole class instrumental learning is that the whole school,
including the head teacher, class teachers and teaching assistants, understand and
endorse this method of teaching. A key factor for the success of the programme is
the Continuing Professional Development opportunity it presents. The involvement
of the class teacher/teaching assistant learning alongside the students is integral to
the programme.
Deciding your strategy
Years 3 and 4 are seen as the ideal starting points for a Wider Opportunities
programme. Some instruments are ideal for year 3 children as they come in smaller
sizes, while others are more suitable for older children due to physical constraints
(teeth, height, strength, stamina etc)
What will pupils learn to do?
Pupils will learn to;
 Read music
 Understand musical terms
 Play the instrument to a level consistent with a year of whole class
instrumental learning
 Play and work collaboratively
 Create their own musical ideas
 Listen and respond musically to a variety of stimuli
 Appraise their own and others musical performances
The Hounslow Music Service suggested Three Year Programme
Learning to play a musical instrument is a long-term process and covers a range of
skills – musical, technical, creative, performing and aural. Even in the most ideal
environment there is a limit to what can be achieved in just 1 year. Hounslow Music
Service is therefore encouraging schools to commit to a minimum of a two-year
programme but ideally a three-year programme for students learning an instrument.
This investment from the school (time, money and resources) will result in higher
levels of achievement. It is worth noting that some instruments are good starting
points, which can then successfully lead on to other instruments and so a three-year
plan will not necessarily involve the students learning the same instrument over the
three years.
Wider Opportunities describes a child’s first year playing an instrument in a whole
class learning environment. The first year of tuition must be offered free of charge
to pupils in all wider opportunities programmes
Further Opportunities is our scheme to enable pupils to continue learning after the
first free year of tuition. Schools may charge pupils for this.
One /Two tutors – making the choice
Some instruments can be taught effectively to an entire class with one tutor + the
classroom teacher. In general the rule is one type of instrument = one tutor.
Where two or more different instruments are involved or where instruments
demand a greater degree of physical co-ordination two tutors are needed as well as
the classroom teacher.
There are several different routes for individual schools to follow and these will be
tailored to needs. Below are two examples of possible three-year plans:
Example A - A 2 form entry school with one HMS tutor
School Year
group
Instrument
3
Recorder
1st year of programme, 2014 – 2015
Number of
Type of lesson Number of
children
classes per
learning
week
60
Whole class
2
Lesson length
45 mins per
(30)
2nd Year of programme, 2015 – 2016
School Year
group
Instrument
3
Recorder
Number of
children
learning
60
4
Flute/Clarinet/other
60
Type of
lesson
Whole class
(30)
Whole class
class
Number of
classes per
week
2
2
Lesson
length
45 mins per
class
45 mins per
class
3rd Year of programme, 2016 – 2017
School Year
group
Instrument
3
Recorder
Number of
children
learning
60
4
Flute/Clarinet/other
60
5
Flute/Clarinet/other
30
Type of
lesson
Whole class
(30)
Whole class
Small group
(4 – 7)
Number of
classes per
week
2
2
4
Lesson
length
45 mins per
class
45 mins per
class
30 mins per
group
Example B - A 2-form entry school with two HMS tutors
School Year
group
Instrument
3
Strings (any
two string
instruments)
School Year
group
Instrument
3
Strings
4
Strings
School Year
group
3
4
5
1st Year of programme, 2014 – 2015
Number of
Type of lesson Number of
children
classes per
learning
week
60
Whole class
2
(30)
2nd Year of programme, 2015 – 2016
Number of
Type of lesson Number of
children
classes per
learning
week
60
Whole class
2
(30)
30
Whole class
1
(30)
3rd Year of programme, 2016 – 2017
Instrument
Number of
Type of
children
lesson
learning
Strings
60
Whole class
(30)
Strings
30
Whole class
(30)
Violin/Cello/Viola/Bass 20
Small group
(4 – 6)
Number of
classes per
week
2
1
4
Lesson length
45 mins per
class
Lesson length
45 mins per
class
45 mins
Lesson
length
45 mins per
class
45 mins per
class
30 mins per
class
Costs
Wider Opportunities – per year
1 teacher, including resources, instruments, training etc
Each additional teacher, per class
FREE
£1125
Further Opportunities – per year
1 teacher, including resources, instruments, training etc
Each additional teacher, per class
£1125
£1125
Free Schools and Academies will also be charged VAT
Notes
1.
1 year means; 30 in-school sessions (at least one of which may be a
performance), resources, instruments as well as staff training. It also includes the
cost of quality assurance, staff training and other associated costs.
2.
Schools will be invoiced termly for fees, 1/3 of the cost per term
3.
The Music Service is responsible for monitoring the quality of provision and
so if any school wishes to deliver this programme in the school using their own
teacher, please contact the service directly to discuss, providing a copy of the
scheme of work which is to be followed.
Instruments
HMS will provide instruments used for the first year of the wider opportunities
programme free of charge to schools. Schools who buy a year of further
opportunities will also have instruments free of charge. When lessons are offered in
small groups there will be a charge for the hire of the instruments.
HMS has a very limited budget for the purchase of instruments and a class set costs
on average £5,000. This means that instruments will be allocated to schools on a
first come first served basis.
Finally
If anyone has any questions please contact the Music Office on 020 8583 2967
during term time! Or email me direct on Oonagh.barry@hounslow.gov.uk