Gloucestershire County Council
Local Authority Music Plan
Second Draft December 2009
This is a development of the original LAMP for Gloucestershire produced in
December 2008. Much of the content remains the same, although timelines
have been amended where necessary and new material has been included
following the detailed input of a number of partners.
Part 1: The current situation in Gloucestershire
Introduction and Context
The government have asked that all Local Authorities develop a Music Plan for their
area. It is intended that in Gloucestershire, whilst the main impetus for this
requirement comes from increased funding to support Wider Opportunities at Key
Stage 2, this plan should include all age groups and sectors of the community.
Gloucestershire is a large, predominantly rural county with significant centres of
population in Gloucester, Cheltenham and Stroud, and market towns providing
community foci, notably Tewkesbury, Winchcombe, Chipping Campden, Stow on the
Wold, Northleach, Cirencester, Dursley, Tetbury, Lydney, Coleford, Cinderford and
Newent. Demographically the small number of BME communities tend to be found in
Gloucester and Cheltenham. These include a growing number of residents from the
newly accepted EU countries including Poland and the Czech Republic.
There is a considerable amount of musical and other artistic activity in the county,
although this has been difficult to map in the past and even more difficult to
coordinate. Gloucestershire Music (GM) is the Local Authority county music service
and the main provider of tuition to the county’s schools, as well as out of school
activities for young musicians and adults. Schools and colleges also make their own
arrangements to employ tutors privately.
It is intended that Gloucestershire Music via the Head of Service will develop
facilitative support to ensure that music provision is coordinated, appropriate and of
high quality. This will be provided whatever the style or genre of music, age or
background of the participants and communities involved. On the basis of research
conducted by the Gloucestershire Music Forum on youth music opportunities in
Gloucester and Cheltenham it can be demonstrated that there is a significant need
for such facilitation.
Existing and developing support for Pre School and Early Years Music
Since 2004 Gloucestershire Music in partnership with the Early Years team, funded
by Sure Start and Youth Music, has developed a programme of support for early
years settings in the county. This project (“Music Mushrooms”) has already resulted
in
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Support for a number of publicly and privately funded playgroups and
nurseries in each area of the county via CPD and mentoring support following
a countywide survey of needs.
The production of a high quality DVD resource distributed free to all early
years settings in the county, including registered childminders.
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A developing coaching and mentoring programme in Children’s Centres in
each area of the county using designated outreach workers in each setting to
establish support networks.
High quality evaluation and support from leading experts in the field.
Support for family learning.
Gloucestershire Music also provides support for preschool children via its music
centre programmes.
Existing and developing support for Primary, Infant and Junior Schools (ASD P5 1P
(i-vii))
There are 250 schools in this category in the county. Because of the focus of
government funding in recent years this area has seen very significant levels of
financial support. Traditionally pupils at KS1 and 2 have represented a significant
proportion of the 10,500 children and young people reached by Gloucestershire
Music’s traded instrumental and vocal teaching. In 2006-8 the first tranche of
Standards Fund support for Wider Opportunities was devolved to schools resulting in
rather sporadic and uncoordinated activity. However, 35% of schools bought in whole
class instrumental or vocal teaching from Gloucestershire Music over a limited
period, resulting for the most part in improved pupil engagement with music in
schools.
Between 2008-2011 all classes of KS2 children will receive 10 hours of free sessions
of whole class instrumental and/ or vocal tuition. The funding for this provision has
been retained by Gloucestershire Music after consultation with the Schools’ Forum,
and the sessions will largely be provided by GM staff, with some support from
external providers.
The advantages of this model include
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A universal standardised entitlement to the scheme regardless of school
size.
An effective and equitable use of available resources provided by the
additional funding in Standards Fund 1.11.
A top slice each year to support historically poor levels of core funding (see
financial resources below), and to enable the programme to be properly
managed and quality controlled.
This programme is initially provided at no cost to schools to ensure equality of access
at the insistence of the Schools’ Forum. Over the past 12 months, a menu of possible
large group and continuation packages for schools provided at cost have been
developed with schools, together with bespoke models for particular areas (for
example the collaborative work done with Nailsworth Brass Band and the local
Primary School).
From January 2010 GM will seek to enhance CPD opportunities for practitioners
involved in this programme via the Trinity/ OU run KS2 music programme. A total
of 18 staff, most of them employed by GM will start the course at this time. Training
will be run in collaboration with South Gloucestershire and Bristol LAs.
There are still however very significant overall issues with the delivery of the Primary
Music Curriculum in Gloucestershire Schools.
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There is no subject specific advisory support for the subject in the county. The
music service therefore does not know in detail about the strengths and
weaknesses of each individual school.
There is a regional (and national) shortage of suitably qualified music
teachers who are also able to act as generalist teachers in primary Schools.
Smaller schools struggle particularly because each member of staff has to
lead on 2 or 3 different subject areas.
Some schools resort to the use of PPA time to deliver the music curriculum
with outside help or HLTA help which may or may not be appropriate.
Gloucestershire Music is being asked more and more to plug these gaps with
GM staff, but there is not the capacity within the team to cope with the
demand.
The problems above will not be solved by the Wider Opportunities
instrumental and vocal programme alone.
There are very few effective cluster partnership arrangements in the county
between Primary Schools to support the curriculum in general, and although
GM tried to encourage such partnerships in the first round of Wider
Opportunities funding this proved very difficult in practice. The problems are
exacerbated by the physical size of the county and the poor standard of road
links in parts of the Forest of Dean and Cotswold districts.
Although music technologies are used in a number of schools knowledge and
understanding of their use overall is poor.
Existing and developing support for children and young people with SEN (ASD P5 1P
(i-vii))
It is right and proper that this group be seen as overlapping the mainstream
categories of provision. There are 15 Special Schools in the county, most dealing
with a variety of disabilities, 2 dealing specifically with EBD students. In addition there
are a significant number of students in mainstream who either have been part of
earlier integrated policies and could be catered for in Special Schools, or who are on
the SEN register with a statement, but have needs that have always been catered for
in mainstream schools.
Traditionally, although Gloucestershire Music has provided support to Special
Schools via projects and more recently via devolved Wider Opportunities in Music
support, there has been no detailed strategy to support music in these schools.
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Conferences and specific training have been provided both to the wider
educational community and to GM teachers.
The Advisory Teaching Service (dealing with SEN pupils in mainstream) have
provided training to GM staff on hearing impaired, visually impaired, autistic
spectrum and dyspraxic pupils.
A conference at the National Star College featured speakers on music
therapy and from Music and the Deaf.
The Music Mushrooms project featured a speaker from Music and the Deaf at
a recent conference in Gloucester.
Gloucestershire Music has worked with Bristol Music Space to facilitate
access to music therapy in the county.
GM has worked with Live Music Now! to enhance support to special schools.
Out of Hours Learning funding has been accessed to support music making
at two special schools.
Training has been provided in the use of Soundbeam.
A coordinated package of support via CPD for inclusive practice in creative
arts activities with young people has been developed by the LA appointed
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Creative Inclusion Project Manager, and music has been included in this
programme.
A package of support linked to wider opportunities is being developed to help
train staff in SEN schools via the Drake Music Project and to link some SEN
pupils in an inclusive way with mainstream Wider Opportunities experiences
and performances where possible.
Existing and developing support for Secondary Schools (ASD P5 1S (i-vi))
Good relationships exist between GM and most of the 42 state Secondary Schools in
the county. At the end of Key Stage 2 pupils can opt to take an 11+ exam for entry to
the 7 state grammar schools. Only one of these is coeducational, and all are situated
in the main centres of population (Gloucester, Cheltenham and Stroud). The
remaining secondary schools are a combination of truly comprehensive community
schools and urban and rural schools supporting the pupils who did not pass for the
grammar schools.
GM facilitates the transition of pupils from KS2 to 3 via data sharing to give
secondary schools details of the pupils transferring. However, given the complex
nature of secondary school admissions in the county, this process is not without its
challenges. Sometimes GM manages to ensure that teacher continuity is maintained
but this is not always possible. GM encourages secondary schools to work effectively
with their feeder Primaries, and the most recent project involves pilot activities in the
North Cotswolds, working with the Cotswold School to set up a mini regional music
centre.
In addition there a significant number of independent schools in the county
(preparatory and senior), some with an international reputation. GM provides
(unsubsidised) teaching support to 2 Preparatory schools and is developing
relationships with most senior schools to facilitate the sharing of facilities and
expertise.
Most secondary schools have effective music departments, although one or two have
struggled to recruit and retain suitably qualified staff. GM provides instrumental and
vocal teaching support in all but 3 of these schools. In addition a number of
secondary schools have benefited from adaptations of our whole class instrumental
teaching programme for years 7 and 8. One of the largest schools in the county
recently involved their entire Y7 cohort in whole class instrumental activity linked
closely to the national curriculum.
In addition support has included:
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Support for the implementation of the KS3 National Strategy via termly
training and CPD opportunities. This has been funded by the LA, led by the
Head of Gloucestershire Music, and further supported by input from the Music
Adviser for Wiltshire.
These meetings have been an important focal point for discussion about other
issues. Topics have included Musical Futures, the recent new Curriculum
orders and related topics. They have also provided the opportunity to discuss
collaborative projects with GM.
There are no music specialist colleges in Gloucestershire, but links to the
Performing Arts specialist status schools in the county are strong.
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Facilities for the development and teaching of music technology are very
inconsistent between schools. They range from purpose built ICT suites to 4 or 5 non
networked PCs in a music room. Some schools offer AS and A2 Music technology
courses as standard: most do not. Student access to Garage Band can now be
facilitated via Gloucestershire Music as well as the opportunity for schools to link to
www.gloucestershiremusicinteravtive.co.uk via the Charanga music resource.
Pilot Creative and Media Diplomas are being developed locally with a large
emphasis on technology. 3 schools have recently been successful in a bid for such a
project in collaboration with Gloucestershire College, the largest FE provider in the
area.
Events are increasingly being organised by GM to enhance KS3 and 4 provision via
links with professional opera companies and orchestras, including particularly strong
links with Welsh National Opera’s outreach programme.
Out of hours provision for children, young people and adults
Gloucestershire Music provides a structured programme of out of school activities to
support the musical development of children, young people and adults in the county.
This includes
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3 regional music centres (entry level to Grade 4-5)
3 regional youth orchestras (intermediate level Grades 5-6)
Gloucestershire Youth Sinfonia (grades 6-8)
Gloucestershire Youth Orchestra (Grade 7 upwards)
Gloucestershire Youth Wind Orchestra (Grade 5 upwards)
Gloucestershire Jazz Live (our Jazz Centre: all levels up to Gloucestershire
Youth Jazz Orchestra): the excellence of GM’s work in this area has recently
been recognised by Jazz Services via the NMC Music Service Awards.
Forest of Dean Area Wind Band (a mini music centre)
County Junior Choir (in collaboration with Gloucester Cathedral)
County Youth Percussion Ensemble.
Voices of Youth (the senior county choir)
Gloucestershire Youth Brass Band and training brass band (in collaboration
with the Gloucestershire Brass Band Association): the GYBB recently
received the Gold Award in the Intermediate category at the National Youth
Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.
2 Learn as You Play Adult Bands at Five Valleys Music Centre, Learn as you
Play Strings
Lakeside Concert Band, Colwell Arts Concert Band, Colwell Arts Jazz,
Colwell Arts Orchestra (all adult groups)
Almost 1300 students take part in these activities and the programme is constantly
developing. It is acknowledged that most of this activity happens in the centre of the
county (Gloucester, Cheltenham and Stroud). Although pilot projects have been run
in other parts of the county (eg Cirencester) it has proved particularly difficult to make
such activity ”stick”. GM is employing a consultant in 2009-10 to work with schools in
the North Cotswolds to establish locally effective support mechanisms.
For the first time in 2010 Music for Youth will hold a regional festival in
Gloucestershire to give school and county groups potential access to out of county
opportunities.
Project work has been undertaken with funding from Out of Hours Learning and
Extended Schools clusters to support specific projects. It is intended that more
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effective relationships be established in the future with clusters of schools in the
county to enhance out of hours provision.
Opportunities for adults to make music in Gloucestershire
There are limited and mostly uncoordinated opportunities for adults to make music in
Gloucestershire. These include
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Classical music (amateur orchestras and choirs)
Brass bands
Pop rock and urban (via particular venues/ promoters)
Folk
Music from other cultures (this has not been systematically mapped but
would include Samba bands and the Gamelan orchestra housed at the
Pittville Pump Rooms).
Community choirs
There is virtually no cross over between these different genres and there are
significant issues in each, particularly with regard to the age profile of engagement (ie
there are not enough younger adults engaged). An obvious issue of continuity exists
with opportunities for school age students to continue to engage with music when
they leave school.
There is a large student population in the county, some of which will have moved into
the county from other parts of the country. It is not clear that the FE and HE
institutions are providing suitable performance opportunities for their students. The
Popular Music degree course offered by the University is the only course at NQF
level 4 offered involving musical performance.
In general there are not enough opportunities in the county for adults to make music
of whatever style or genre they choose. However, a major opportunity via the Severn
Project (Summer 2009) resulted in 6 community choirs working with a specially
commissioned piece based on an Alice Oswald poem. Overall the project involved
the participation of GLOSS Arts in Education Agency and Gloucestershire Dance
(both Arts Council RFOs), together with a specially written play, installation art,
circus performance and street theatre (http://severnproject.com).
Extending opportunities via partnership working
Gloucestershire Music is committed to working in partnership with all stakeholders
(local, regional and national) to achieve the vision and objectives set out in part 2 of
this plan, and is a signatory to the aims and aspirations of the Music Manifesto.
Informal and Non formal music making: Gloucestershire Music Forum
In response to the Music Manifesto Report’s recommendation to establish local
music hubs, GM has led the development of the Gloucestershire Music Forum. This
is a partnership of key stakeholders which has been formed into a community interest
company (Gloucestershire County Council, Gloucester City Council, Cheltenham
Borough Council, University of Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire College, Wired
Records).
The following has been achieved so far:
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A completed mapping exercise regarding musical activity within the 14-25
age group in Gloucester and Cheltenham, with specific case studies of
activity in the Forest of Dean and Wotton under Edge. This included an on
line survey and face to face interviews with young people and music leaders,
and was funded by GCC.
2 networking events in Gloucester and Cheltenham.
Growing links with the SW Music Forum representing largely music industry
based forums in the region.
5 local music development officers around the county to facilitate networking
and the development of opportunities for informal and non formal music
making for young people. This has been funded by the district councils.
This will be supported by links with a growing network of music leaders, Music
Leader SW and others.
Future plans in 2010 include the further development of projects in the districts.
It is also planned to work with Youth Music via their Music Mentor programme to
develop practitioners who are confident to work in informal and non formal youth
settings.
Support for Vocal Teaching via Sing Up
Since the launch of the Sing Up campaign in Gloucestershire in February 2009 CPD
input to all those working with young people has increased and improved markedly.
The local consortium of Swindon, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire music services
(SWAG) led by a Sing Up coordinator has proved effective in offering high quality
training led by nationally regarded trainers.
In Gloucestershire, 161 schools and individuals were registered with Sing Up by
December 2009.
Only one school has so far achieved a gold award, but from January 2010, a more
focussed effort will be made to encourage schools to apply for Silver, Gold or
Platinum awards with the support of GM.
The Sing Up coordinator is working with identified clusters of schools in the county to
improve teacher confidence and pupil participation.
Training and support is planned in February 2010 to develop young singing leaders.
GM will work with identified schools as part of this strand to encourage smooth
transition arrangements via Y5-8 choir projects.
GM will also link Sing Up training support via Drake Music in the “Beyond the
Mainstream” strand with our Wider Opportunities vocal programme in Special
Schools to support a performance at a celebration event in July.
The COP strand is supported in Gloucestershire by outreach projects led by both
Gloucester Cathedral (plus Kings School, Gloucester) and Tewkesbury Abbey (plus
Dean Close School, Cheltenham). The COP funding partially supports the running of
the County Junior Choir (in collaboration with the Cathedral) and Tewkesbury Youth
Choir (part of Tewkesbury Music Centre) in collaboration with the Abbey.
Both these partnerships have enabled both improved access to vocal opportunities in
local schools, and the input of high quality coaching from both establishments.
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Sing Up have solicited a bid from Forest of Dean Music Makers, a community based
organisation, to lead a project in 2010 supporting Looked after Children in
Gloucestershire and Herefordshire and providing training for those seeking to work
with this group.
Links with Youth Music
Music organisations in Gloucestershire have in the past been well supported by
Youth Music (for instance via significant funding for vocal and early years work as
well as the Bristol & Gloucester YMAZ). This last was discontinued in 2005, and
recently links have been made more difficult by the lack of an area coordinator for the
region. This situation will now improved following the recent appointment to this post.
GM is in regular contact with Music Leader SW and fully supported the initial
practitioner research carried out by them.
The Gloucestershire Music Forum has recently received a solicited invitation to bid
for the YM music mentor programme, one of only 3 organisations in the SW region to
be invited.
SW Music School
This DCMS funded project has been fully supported by GM, and pupils from
Gloucestershire schools regularly audition and are accepted onto this programme.
Links with other Music Services.
GM has good links with many regional music services through FMS links. TIPD links
with Colombia have been established regionally, led by Dorset Music Service and
benefitting a number of GM staff. Advanced musicians have also benefitted from
these links via the formation of a SW Youth Orchestra which visited Colombia in
2007.
Building Schools for the Future (BSF)
As the LA has not yet received BOF support, it has put in a “readiness to deliver”
submission for BOF support for the enhancement of 4 secondary school sites.
Gloucestershire is still awaiting the result of this, which if successful will mean
completion in 2014-15. GM will work with schools and other community partners to
ensure that provision for music on the new build sites is as effective as possible.
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Part 2: developing provision and opportunities for music making in
Gloucestershire 2008-11 and beyond
Vision: Quality, Access and Opportunity for all.
It is the aspiration of the LA that opportunities for experiencing music in
Gloucestershire be available to all age groups and backgrounds from the very
young to the very old. Music making and participation should be available
regardless of background, age, disability or ethnic group. These opportunities
as far as possible should be truly inclusive in nature.
With regard to access to opportunities, the main planning themes of Every Child
matters, Every Disabled Child Matters and Care Matters will be referenced
together with the central strands of the Local Area Agreement for Gloucestershire.
Gloucestershire Music as the Local Authority Music Service will use the Music Plan
to underpin its own business plan. A summary of resources likely to be available to
GM is included in appendix 1.
The most important aspect of this plan is the facilitation of networking and effective
use of joint resources to eliminate waste and duplication. Partnership working is
essential, not least in an area which does not have a natural abundance of every
style and genre of music making.
Consultation: GM is developing consultation mechanisms with all stakeholder
groups via the development of its new website and via newly formed “student
councils” in some of its county groups. The Gloucestershire Music Forum has
provided a wider framework with which to seek the views of the 14-25 age group.
Formal and informal consultation is often instigated and acted upon by GM, but it is
important to draw on other agencies both within and beyond the LA for further
insights. The LA is particularly skilled at effectively soliciting the views of pupils with
SEN and GM intends to develop an inclusion strategy for this group partly based on
the results of this work.
Communication systems which give advice on diverse musical pathways and
progression routes should be developed via a variety of media.
It is intended that local planning be developed along the lines suggested in the
Aspirations document (p5 section 2):
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
Annual planning of the KS2 Wider Opportunities provision enables around
33% of all KS2 pupils to access the programme in each year between 200811 (see p2 of this plan).
This is affordable within the context of the MSF 1.11. The grant will be top
sliced to support management costs relating to the programme and to
supplement support for the Vocal Strategy (see p10). Schools may and do
sometimes choose to supplement this funding to enable additional inputs,
usually over an extended period (12-24 months), but there is no guarantee
that this will happen.
Data analysis has been undertaken within the planning framework set out
below to enable an accurate and comprehensive data return to be made to
the DCSF in October 2009 (see ASD p6 “it is recommended that…”) GM’s
data for Wider Opportunities will be further supported by DVD evidence via a
specially commissioned record of GM’s work and by the independent
assessment of an ex OfSTED inspector.
Our draft budget for 2009-10 is included in appendix 1.
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v.
vi.
See references to Sing Up, Choir Schools and community music throughout.
See appendix 2 for extract from the GM business plan.
Extract from the GM business plan 2009-10 with updates/ modifications
Early Years Provision
Activity
Music Mushrooms: Develop
networks to support CPD via all
Children’s Centres in the county.
Produce further resources to
support this programme (eg
online resources, CDs and DVDs)
Timeline
By July 2011
Resources
Sure Start, Youth Music
Ongoing
Sure Start
Timeline
By July 2011
Resources
MSF 1.11
By Summer 2010
MSF 1.11
From January 2010
Trinity/ OU KS2
programme.
By Summer 2011
MSF 1.11
Ongoing to July
2011 and beyond
Sing Up and the National
Singing Campaign, MSF
1.11, other funding as
available.
Ongoing.
Local Authority funding,
MSF 1.11.
Ongoing.
MSF 1.11
Ongoing.
MSF 1.11.
Primary provision
Activity
Manage the KS2 Instrumental
and Vocal programme so that all
pupils have received their
entitlement by 2011. Roughly
33% of pupils will be reached
each year.
Engage with the 2% (down from
25% last year) of schools yet to
respond to agree meaningful
support programmes
Via the Trinity/ OU KS2 CPD
programme develop expertise in
whole class wider opportunities
teaching.
Commission an independent
assessment of the effectiveness
of the Wider Opportunities
programme by an independent
expert. (Completed Feb 2009).
Establish a comprehensive
strategy for developing vocal
work in Primary Schools via the
Sing Up campaign and the COP
outreach work from Gloucester
Cathedral and Tewkesbury
Abbey.
Establish more effective models
of support for CPD and mentoring
in Primary schools, via increasing
the numbers of music ASTs in the
sector.
Develop the sharing of good
practice via cluster support
arrangements.
Encourage sustainable
continuation of Wider
Opportunities inputs via training,
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advice and support, and the
development of suitable models
of delivery.
Develop data collection systems
to enable effective termly
monitoring of the KS2
programme. (Achieved).
Develop audit and assessment
tools with the Advisory Service to
facilitate the identification of
training needs and support.
Continue to develop support for
the take up of endangered
species instruments via free
access to instruments and tuition
Continue to develop traded
instrumental and vocal teaching,
supported by an effective
instrumental hire scheme.
By Summer 2009.
MSF 1.11.
By Summer 2010
MSF 1.11
Ongoing
MSF 1.11
Ongoing
MSF 1.11, income from
schools, parents.
Timeline
September 2009
onwards.
resources
MSF 1.11
Ongoing.
MSF 1.11.
Ongoing.
MSF 1.11, Extended
Schools grants, other
income as appropriate.
Ongoing.
MSF 1.11, other LA
funding.
Timeline
Ongoing.
resources
MSF 1.11, Sing Up.
Ongoing.
KS3 Strategy. MSF1.11.
From April 2009.
MSF 1.11, Glos Music
Forum
SEN Provision
Activity
Establish meaningful KS2
programmes appropriate to the
needs of Special Schools.
Develop closer relationships with
Special Schools via regular CPD
and networking.
Establish the principle of inclusive
practice based on the results of
previous consultations with SEN
CYP. Develop inclusive out of
hours programmes via Extended
Schools clusters and other
networks.
Develop more sophisticated
musical support for SEN pupils in
mainstream in partnership with
the Advisory Teaching Service.
Secondary provision.
Activity
Continue to develop effective
transition arrangements to
facilitate moves from KS2 to 3 via
Sing Up support (young singing
leaders) and other means.
Continue to develop support for
the KS3 and 4 curriculum via
regular meetings and other CPD
activity.
Diversify the support offered to
schools to include songwriting,
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rock, pop and urban music. Link
this to informal and non formal
music making outside school.
Develop relationships with the
Rock School exam system.
Provide increased support to
develop music ICT in secondary
schools.
Encourage the development of
musical relationships with cluster
primary schools.
From April 2009
Rock School
Ongoing
MSF 1.11 and traded.
Ongoing
MSF 1.11
Standards
Activity
Within GM continue to
develop effective
monitoring of the
standards of teaching,
linked to a planned CPD
programme, and support
for underperformance.
Develop a more
sophisticated support
system for identifying and
developing talented pupils
linked to the development
of the out of hours GM
programme of activities.
Work with Music Leader
South West to develop a
diverse workforce capable
of delivering our
aspirations.
Timeline
Ongoing.
resources
MSF 1.11
Ongoing.
MSF 1.11
Ongoing
MSF 1.11, ACESW, Youth
Music
Vocal Strategy
Gloucestershire Music in partnership with the National Singing Programme (Sing Up)
will support the development of vocal work in the county by
Activity
Timeline
resources
Continuing to employ a Vocal
Coordinator to manage the work
of GM based staff.
Ongoing
MSF 1.11
Working closely with the
appointed area leader for Sing
Up in allocating resources to
map need and provide
appropriate support, particularly
to KS1 and 2 music teachers.
Until March 2011
National Singing
programme
Assisting Sing Up in the
Until March 2011
National Singing
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organisation of high profile
training events throughout the
county, following a launch in
February 2009.
programme
Working closely with Gloucester
Cathedral and Tewkesbury
Abbey to assist and coordinate
the planning of outreach
chorister work in local schools.
Until March 2011
National Singing
programme
Continuing to develop
opportunities for young singers
via GM’s county activities and
music centres.
Until March 2011
National Singing
programme, MSF 1.11
Working with all age community
choirs and choir leaders to
strengthen networking and
support.
Ongoing
National Singing
programme, MSF 1.11
Via advocacy and support to
strive towards the DCSF
aspiration of every school being
a singing school.
In collaboration with Forest of
Dean Music Makers, the Virtual
School and Sing Up, developing
out of hours and holiday
activities for Looked After
Children, plus a training
programme for practitioners
working with this group.
Ongoing
National Singing
programme, MSF 1.11
From Feb 2010
National Singing
programme, MSF 1.11,
GLOSS arts in education
agency.
Informal and Non formal music making
This area is an extremely important part of the overall picture, but of its very nature
does not lend itself very well to being “managed”. It is hoped that the strengthening of
support structures and communication systems will lead to more activity on the
ground and the raising of aspirations and self esteem particularly amongst younger
musicians. The District Arts Officers £30,000 grant for 2009-10 to support 5 PT area
music leaders to coordinate and support community music making in their areas has
on the whole been very successful, and plans are being put in place now to embed
the legacy of these posts.
Activity
Develop the use of
Musical Futures
techniques within school
to enable a diverse
number of pathways to be
available to students.
Develop working
relationships with a variety
of diverse community
musicians.
Timeline
Ongoing
resources
LA KS3 support funding
April 2009-March 2010
District Arts officer funding
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Develop 5 area music
leader roles
(Gloucestershire Music
Forum) to be a true bridge
between the formal and
informal sectors.
Continue to work with the
SW Music Forum, Sound
Sense and the Music
Manifesto Partnership and
Advocacy Group to
develop strong and
diverse support for
community music making.
Seek to engage the music
industry in the
development of these
support systems.
April 2009-March 2010
District Arts officer funding
Ongoing
MSF 1.11
Ongoing
MSF 1.11
Music from diverse cultural backgrounds
Activity
Support the further
development of the use of
the Gamelan Orchestra in
Cheltenham.
Develop a working
relationship with World
Jungle and other local
providers of access to
World Musics.
Further develop access to
Samba via projects with
the Stroud Samba Band
and others.
Timeline
Ongoing
resources
MSF 1.11
Ongoing
Schools budgets, MSF
1.11.
By July 2010
MSF 1.11, Extended
Schools Budget
Timeline
By July 2009
resources
MSF 1.11, LSC funding as
appropriate.
Summer 2009 and beyond
Youth Capital Fund, MSF
1.11.
Ongoing
KS3 support budget
Music Technology
Activity
Map expertise in the
county and network
training opportunities via
partnerships with FE and
HE providers.
Develop recent investment
in Mac laptops and
software to provide GM
sponsored courses for
students of all ages.
(Partially achieved, and
developing via proposed
projects in Primary
schools).
Support the development
of opportunities in the
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development of Music
Technology courses at AS
and A2 levels in schools,
colleges and elsewhere.
Work with existing
producers and studio
engineers to coordinate a
wide range of recording
facilities and opportunities
for all ages of musicians in
the county.
Link with other
workstreams and
initiatives in other
disciplines (eg visual
media and film) to provide
integrated opportunities for
development.
April 2009-March 2010
Arts Advisory Group
(District Council budgets)
Ongoing
MSF 1.11
County Music Activities run by GM and others
Activity
Continue to review and
develop/ rationalise
existing county activities,
including a large scale
consultation exercise
developed from the GMF
online survey format.
Develop Singing
opportunities with Sing Up
(see Vocal Strategy P12).
Develop Ensemble
activities to support the
Wider Opportunities
programme via existing
music centres, local music
festivals and other
networked provision.
Continue to develop links
with the Gloucestershire
Brass Band Association to
support the development
of opportunities for young
brass players.
Via additional support
(weekend courses, holiday
courses etc.) develop the
standards of orchestral
playing at all levels in the
county. Work with other
SW FMS members to
establish a SW Youth
Orchestra with the BSO.
Develop masterclass
Timeline
Ongoing.
resources
MSF 1.11.
To July 2011.
National Singing
Programme
Ongoing.
MSF 1.11.
Ongoing.
MSF 1.11, GBBA.
Summer 2009 and
ongoing.
MSF 1.11, Bournemouth
Symphony Orchestra, fees
and charges.
Ongoing.
All specialist societies (eg
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opportunities,
opportunities for working
with top professionals in
all musical styles.
Develop local performance
opportunities with the
establishment of a
regional NFMY festival.
Continue to develop links
with Gloucester Academy
of Music to ensure good
networking of course
based opportunities.
BFS, CASS, ASTA),
orchestras and bands (eg
Army Air Corps, OAE,
CBSO etc.), MSF 1.11,
fees and charges.
MSF 1.11, NFMY.
March 2010
Ongoing
MSF 1.11, fees and
charges.
Vulnerable groups
GM has not systematically planned activities for many of the groups conventionally
considered as vulnerable. These could include:
Looked after Children (LAC)
Black and Minority Ethnic children and adults
Disabled adults
Elderly adults with mental health problems
Support for LAC with regard to the cost of tuition and the hire of instruments is now in
statute, and GM will work with the Head Teacher of the Virtual School to ensure that
Looked After Children are supported appropriately. Sing Up is funding a “beyond the
mainstream” project in Gloucestershire and Herefordshire in 2010 focussing on this
group.
Working with other providers and organisations.
It is essential that all providers of musical opportunities for people of all ages in the
county are aware of the overall music support systems. Key providers of
opportunities who could be considered part of such a system include
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schools and colleges (including music colleges, specialist music schools)
the Youth Service
the Libraries and information service
district councils
arts centres (eg Prema Arts Centre and the Brewery Arts Centre)
Tonalis Music Centre
Gloucestershire Music
Gloucester Academy of Music
Cheltenham Festivals (particularly their education outreach programmes)
University of Gloucestershire
Sing Up
Youth Music
Regional orchestras
Examination boards, including the ABRSM, Trinity Guildhall and Rock School.
Music industry organisations.
NFMY
The Virtual School in Gloucestershire supporting Looked after Children.
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The Community and Adult Care Directorate (of which Gloucestershire Music
is a part) supporting vulnerable adults.
Local Choral Societies (for example Cheltenham Bach Choir and Gloucester
Choral Society)
Local amateur orchestras (for example Gloucestershire Symphony Orchestra
and Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra)
Glos Folk
Community musicians.
Venues
Plans for 2012 and beyond
GM will continue to work with partners to ensure the sustainability of all parts of this
plan. In particular it will continue to build its capacity to deliver Wider Opportunities
provision in Primary Schools assuming a continued government investment in free
initial access to instrumental and vocal tuition.
Appendix 1 Resources
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Compared to statistical neighbours, GM has been poorly funded from Music
Standards Fund and receives virtually nothing in cash grants from the LA. In
2008-9, GM turned over £3.4m. In 2009-10, this is likely to reduce to £3.2m.
Most of the income came from the general public and schools. £467k came
from Standards Fund and £11k from GCC.
Because of the relatively poor level of core funding available, the
management structure of GM has been very flat over the years. This has put
limitations on its capacity to innovate as so much management time is spent
managing the work of over 200 teachers. It has put particular pressure on
management capacity to manage the new funding streams. A major review of
management structures and alternative models of governance is currently
being undertaken by the current Head of Service.
The instrument hire scheme was very well established before the welcome
further injections of funding to purchase instruments to support the Wider
Opportunities programme. It has for many years provided affordable
instrument hire to musicians in the county and is a key strategic asset of GM.
The additional FMS managed Instrument Fund (£109,000 per year in
Gloucestershire) has enabled GM’s Wider Opportunities programmes to be
well resourced.
GM has invested in staff training and support, most recently with regard to the
implementation of the local Wider Opportunities programme. It is important
that there is a match between available skill sets and the requirements of the
scheme.
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Appendix 2: Links to LA and other planning. (Extract from
business plan).
Coherence with other strategies
Our plans directly relate to the current Corporate Strategy, providing equality of
opportunity by improving outcomes for all children and young people and reducing
the gap between good outcomes for most and poor outcomes for some.
Our work links closely with many of the recommended outcomes of the Every Child
Matters agenda, as set out in the Children Act 2004.
Be Healthy: Promoting mental and emotional health via music.
Enjoy and Achieve: Achieving personal and social development and enjoying
recreation.
Make a positive contribution: Develop self confidence, develop positive relationships
and develop positive behaviour via participation in musical activities.
Achieve economic well-being: Ready for employment. Encourage awareness of career
paths in music.
In terms of our work with adults, we contribute to the Adult Outcomes Framework
(“Improved quality of life”) in providing access to adult education, leisure and social
activities.
Gloucestershire Music is a signatory to the Music Manifesto, a national statement of
a vision for the future of music education in the UK, and also works with key partners
and supports their strategic objectives. These include the Federation of Music
Services, Music Education Council, Youth Music, Arts Council England South
West (notably via Creative Partnerships in the Forest of Dean), and Sure Start.
We have growing collaborative links with other music services in the South West of
England, particularly in providing appropriate training and development opportunities
for managers, and in establishing international educational links, most notably with
Colombia.
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