In Harmony Liverpool year 4 interim report by Liverpool Philharmonic

In Harmony Liverpool Interim Report: Year Four September 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; August 2013 Published October 2013 Susanne Burns and Paul Bewick

Contents Executive Summary

Part One: Overall Impact to Date 1. Introduction and Context

2. In Harmony Liverpool

3. Evaluation Methodology and Framework

4. Interim Findings: The Children

5. Interim Findings: The School

6. Interim Findings: The Community

7. Interim Findings: The Partners

8. Management

Part Two: Summary of Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations 9. Summary of Key Findings

10. Key Conclusions

11. Recommendations

Appendices

List of Tables 1.

Reach of In Harmony Liverpool

Performance and Attainment 2012/13

Faith Primary School Pupil Statistics

Percentage of Faith Primary pupils progressing by two or more sub levels

Percentage of Faith Primary pupils (whole school averages) progressing by increasing sub levels in one year (School National Curriculum Points Scale)

Percentages of Faith Primary pupils achieving teacher-set targets in reading, writing and numeracy

Detailed breakdown of percentages making good progress (according to points and sub levels) and percentages attaining national expectations (School National Curriculum Points Scale)

Percentages of Faith Primary students Meeting National Expectations on Attainment (School National Curriculum Points Scale)

Attendance Figures

10. Percentage of children achieving musical targets 11. Musical Attainment 12/13 12. Reach of In Harmony 13. Immersion and Reach (Excluding Faith Primary School) 14. Immersion and Reach (Faith Primary School) 15. Participation in Performance Programme 16. Progression Data 17. In Harmony @ Home Visits 18. Attendance at concerts facilitated by In Harmony Liverpool 19. Liverpool Philharmonic Box Office Data

The Team Susanne Burns is a senior development consultant with 28 years of experience in the arts sector specialising in research, evaluation, strategy, and organisational development and planning. She has a background in education and has led major evaluation programmes including the national evaluation of the Youth Dance England Next Steps project. She is currently Project Director of the Paul Hamlyn Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s special initiative, ArtWorks and is also carrying out evaluation and reviews for Belfast Exposed, mima and Forward Theatre Company. Based in the North West but having worked nationally at a senior management level, as well as within HE, she brings a wealth of relevant experience to this research. She was Director of Business Development at Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and worked closely with the education team in establishing the Music for Life project in Kensington. She was Course Leader for the MA Cultural Leadership run by Liverpool John Moores University and has a Professional Doctorate from Middlesex University. Paul Bewick is a senior consultant with an extensive background in education and local government senior management of Cultural Services. He brings extensive experience of the Arts in schools, in-service training, development and management of Music and Arts Service provision, family learning, extended schools, whole school approaches to the Arts and learning, Arts and health, curriculum development and cross curricular use of Music and Arts in schools. He has substantial experience in management and leadership of public sector services including Arts, Museums, Libraries, Creative Industries, Tourism, Marketing, Events, Sustainability and Environmental Development, Community and Voluntary Sector Support, Enterprise and Regeneration, and Neighbourhood Wardens. He has led on corporate and multi agency pan-Merseyside and regional initiatives. He is currently supporting NW Tourism in Ireland in Festival development. Between them, the consultants have extensive knowledge and experience of the cultural sector, music education, extensive knowledge and experience of the role of the arts in regeneration, social and economic renewal, monitoring and evaluation and data gathering and research.

Executive Summary 1. In Harmony Liverpool is now in its fifth year of operation in West Everton having started in February 2009. This report is the fourth annual evaluation report and seeks to provide an overview of the academic year 2012/13 year whilst relating this to previous years and the 2009 baseline. 2. In Harmony Liverpool continues to be evaluated against the outcomes and outputs outlined in the original programme document submitted to the Department for Education (then known as Department for Children, Schools and Families) in autumn 2008, as well as indicators that have been identified as the programme has progressed. The evaluation is using a wide range of indicators at four levels: • • • •

The Children; The School; The Community; The Partners.

We are seeking to evaluate impact in all four dimensions, and examine the relationship between each to measure the impact of the programme and model on the whole community, particularly in terms of added value and the development of social capital. We are also working to evaluate the project management model, seeking to identify key success factors. 3. In this fourth year, we have continued to gather quantitative and qualitative data from a range of sources that is sufficiently reliable and robust to support conclusions. The size of the In Harmony Liverpool cohort of children and young people, and attribution of impact remain issues for the evaluation, as it is always challenging to be specific about the causal effects of the music interventions as opposed to other factors that may be at play in individual and family lives, in schools, homes and the community. 4. In addition to the evaluation study, the evaluation team has continued to support Liverpool Philharmonic through the In Harmony Liverpool team with the production of discussion documents and short reports, facilitation of training sessions and support through the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded In Harmony Liverpool Research Network. This work has affected planning and change within the programme, ensuring that learning and continual improvement remains at the heart of the ethos underpinning In Harmony Liverpool. 5. Some key statistics illustrate the reach and scope of the In Harmony Liverpool programme: •

The programme has expanded the age range of child participants and is currently catering for a total of 211 children and young people aged 0-15 years. This represents a 250% increase in scope and reach within the programme since the first year in 2009, when 84 children aged 3-11 years were involved.

•

Since the programme began in February 2009, In Harmony Liverpool has engaged a total of 302 children and young people and their families in West Everton. Whilst all primary school aged children at Faith Primary School are accessing up to 4.5 hours per week of music making in curriculum time, in 2012/13, 62% of those children participated in after school provision including brass, percussion and chamber ensembles – participating in up to 10 hours per week. 100% of the 128 children and young people engaged in the full orchestral programme in 2012/13 performed at least 3 times in this year, with 77% participating in 5 or more performances. Young people in West Everton Super Strings presented 11 performances across the year. A total audience of 2,832 people from West Everton and the City attended a total of 27 In Harmony Liverpool performances throughout the year.

6. We conclude that there continues to be strong evidence that In Harmony Liverpool is exceeding its expected outcomes and outputs. In Harmony Liverpool provides compelling evidence of a holistic and enriching musical education resulting in a positive impact on the personal, social, emotional and educational development of children and young people. 7. In Harmony Liverpool continues to progress well against the outcomes established at the onset of the programme. The programme remains on a highly positive trajectory with the children and young people, the school, the families, the community and the partners, with much to celebrate at the end of its fourth full academic year. Through the intensive and immersive approach of In Harmony Liverpool and its child and family centred ethos, the programme provides a potential powerful model for social change and the generation of social capital throughout the community. 8. Children are making excellent musical progress, evidenced through live performances, qualitative feedback from children, parents and the community, ongoing and termly assessment by In Harmony musicians and Faith Primary School Ofsted reports including a Good Practice Visit in 2011 by Ofsted’s National Adviser for Music. The programme has been extended and enriched to meet the growing demands of the children as they progress. Programme developments have reflected the need for differential learning pathways and ensured In Harmony Liverpool does not remain static but is instead responsive and dynamic placing the musical and social needs of the individual child at the centre. 9. Data on educational attainment continues to evidence significant improvements in children’s academic performance across the Faith Primary School population since In Harmony Liverpool began. In the first year of In Harmony Liverpool, we saw a significant increase in recorded attainment levels in English and Maths. This has subsequently plateaued, but with attainment levels being maintained at improved levels. Data demonstrates:

• • •

Increases in proportion of children exceeding national expectations in levels of progress measured through national curriculum levels; Increases in proportion of children achieving national expectations on attainment levels; Increases in percentage of children achieving teacher set targets across all three areas of reading, writing and numeracy.

10. Qualitative evidence from the Head Teacher, school teachers, parents, musicians and Ofsted inspections support the data on improvements in children’s academic achievement, highlighting contributing factors including: • • • •

The development of cognitive skills through music; Improved motivation to learn, enhanced concentration and focus in children; Improvement in school attendance; Improvements in the culture of school as a ‘learning community’ through children and adults learning together and peer to peer mentoring, teaching and learning, thus the ongoing ‘virtuous cycle’ of change noted in September 2010 continues to be apparent within school and community.

11. Data on children’s emotional wellbeing demonstrates a continuing positive trend and this can now be compared to data gathered from other In Harmony programmes through the Arts Council England (ACE) commissioned NFER (National Foundation for Educational Research) national evaluation. Data on wellbeing includes: •

•

Children reporting improved self-confidence, teamwork, aspirations, cooperation, resilience and enjoyment of school and music, and a sense of belonging, captured through focus group and case study interviews and termly online wellbeing surveys; Children demonstrating improved behaviour, confidence, listening, reflection and awareness, with strong evidence that greater maturity and focus is emerging as reported by teachers, musicians and parents, and apparent in evaluation focus groups.

12. The community impact is evidenced in a range of different ways and the programme is growing organically. •

•

The programme has continued to expand and diversify, ensuring provision for progression of children leaving Faith Primary School and moving to secondary school, as well as provision for children attending other schools in the area, an early years programme for children and parents/carers and community engagement through performances, home visits and community events; There is evidence that parental engagement is accelerating and deepening and that life choices are being made. Music is linking key events in families’ lives and becoming a normal part of life within the community. Parents report improved relationships with their children. They are proud of their children and young people in a collective way as well as individually;

•

Through focus groups, interviews and wellbeing surveys, community members have reported increased civic pride, hope and enthusiasm, positive relationships with children, increased wellbeing and confidence in the future, and increased involvement with the community as a result of In Harmony; Self determination and social capital are building within the community and In Harmony Liverpool has played a key role in enabling and supporting this. The community feels a strong sense of ownership over ‘their orchestra’ and In Harmony Liverpool as a programme. In Harmony has made them feel more positive about themselves and their future, and they feel they have the ability to change their life.

13. The achievements of 2012/13 have taken place within a context of significant change: the evolution of the national In Harmony programme, the current multiple funding model of In Harmony Liverpool, the structural change within the local NHS, changing policy context and curriculum changes. And yet, In Harmony Liverpool appears to have been more stable than in the previous three years. There is a greater confidence, a capacity for learning and collaboration that seems to stem from this confidence and the ability to plan forward for progression and development that has not been evident to the same extent in previous years. 14. The revised In Harmony Liverpool evaluation framework has created greater ownership within the In Harmony team of data being collected and informing practice, planning and reflection, ensuring that learning and improvement remains at the heart of the ethos underpinning In Harmony Liverpool. 15. The wider In Harmony Liverpool research framework is evolving with the Arts and Humanities Research Council funded Research Network. This work is critical to the transition to new sustainable and embedded practice that reaches beyond the music and cultural sector into community regeneration and development. 16. The In Harmony Liverpool team has become a community in itself with profound reported impact on individuals and the team. This in turn is having an impact on the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra as more musicians engage in the programme on a sustained basis. 17. The success of the programme to date appears to be attributable to several key success factors that continue to be monitored: •

Partnership Development.

Developing partnership has been a key element of the programme and potentially its greatest strength in terms of future development and sustainability; Partners are working collaboratively across professional disciplines, placing the interests and needs of each child and family as the central driving principle for decision making; Faith School itself continues to improve with a Head Teacher and team who hold a strong belief in the potential value of music in continuing this improvement;

The community has embraced In Harmony Liverpool with great enthusiasm and is increasingly involved in the programme and the life of the school; There is a strong sense of ownership from the main partners and increasingly so within the community, all unanimously enthusiastic and supportive of the programme and ambitious for its continued development.

•

Leadership of the programme by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.

The leadership role provided by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic (RLP) is proving to be potent in generating community pride. The high quality musical interventions made possible through the orchestra are arguably critical to the quality of the musical pedagogy and its impact on the children and the wider community; The profile of In Harmony Liverpool has continued to be high at local, national and international level, for example through the inclusion of the West Everton Children’s Orchestra in Liverpool Philharmonic’s BBC Family Prom at the Royal Albert Hall.

•

A delivery model that focuses on one school and provides an immersive musical experience for the whole school community.

The strategic decision to focus on a single school in a relatively small community has been critical to the success of the programme to date. The immersive experience of the whole school approach has had a major impact on the culture change and the speed of change in Faith Primary School and the West Everton community; By providing such an immersive experience for every child at Faith School, the impact has been more immediate and has allowed testing of approaches to be undertaken in a contained way. Basing the music team within Faith School has also helped to embed In Harmony within the school, and enabled relationships to develop naturally between the music and teaching staff, and with the children and families.

18. Within this positive context, there are always areas where continuing improvement can be attained as the programme continues to develop. We make a series of recommendations that we suggest should usefully inform planning and implementation of the programme over the coming twelve months. Our recommendations fall into six principal groups: • • • • • •

Partnership development; Community engagement; Professional Development and Peer to Peer Learning; Ongoing programme development and refinement; Organisational Impact; Evaluation.

19. The continuing development of the overall programme of provision is testimony to the constant and ongoing reflection that takes place within the In Harmony Liverpool 7

team and the school about the best way to deliver the programme as it evolves. We have always stated that the In Harmony Liverpool model cannot be a static model and this is a key element of the learning to have emerged over the four years of the programme. In Harmony is perhaps better viewed as a framework and a process. The major success factor in ensuring that it connects to and supports children and families in a particular community is that it is a dynamic model and will constantly evolve.

Introduction and Context

1.1.

Since the inception of In Harmony Liverpool in February 2009, the programme has undergone significant change not least in making the transition from a two year pilot funded by the Department for Education into a more sustainable programme with secure funding through to 2015. It is important to acknowledge this journey.

1.2.

In June 2008, Government announced the fourth component of a major £332 million package of investment in choirs, orchestras, performances, new instruments and free music lessons announced in November 2007: “Schools Minister Andrew Adonis will today call on local areas to make the government’s aim of giving every child the opportunity to learn an instrument a reality by 2011. Speaking to an audience of heads of music services he will unveil a radical new orchestral programme called In Harmony. Inspired by the hugely successful Venezuelan project El Sistema and chaired by world renowned cellist Julian Lloyd-Webber, children from the most deprived parts of the country will be taught musical instruments by charismatic, high quality music teachers. They will then be brought into full scale orchestras and encouraged to play live in front of audiences from an early age. Children as young as four might play concerts as part of these orchestras. Three or four areas will be chosen to launch initial pilots in the autumn.”

The programme, chaired by Julian Lloyd Webber, encourages participation in music – in the form of the Symphony Orchestra – which can have huge personal benefits for the children involved, providing opportunities to grow and develop, both socially and musically. The programme is essentially a community development programme using music to bring positive change to the lives of young children in some of the most deprived areas of England, as well as delivering significant benefits across the wider community. The three pilot programmes, Lambeth, Norwich and Liverpool were announced in December 2008 following a bidding process and the Liverpool project began in February 2009. 1.3.

The initial two year pilot programme was characterised by three key elements: •

There is recognition that it is a long term undertaking and a commitment to address the longer term future of the children engaging in the programme although the initial funding is for two years and three months;

•

The programme is a community development programme and the pilots are located within three of the most deprived areas of England; and

•

The programme is based on the model of El Sistema and is premised on the traditional orchestra.

These principles have remained consistent throughout the four years in question and sit at the heart of the ethos that underpins the work of the team and the partners. In 2011/12 interim funding was provided to the three pilot In Harmony programmes pending the outcomes of the National Plan for Music Education and throughout 2011/12 work was ongoing to secure future funding, both locally and nationally, to support the continuation of the programme. In 2012/13 funding packages were agreed that secure the In Harmony Liverpool programme through to 2015.

1.4.

This report seeks to summarise the findings to date over the four year period, and draws on seven previous reports produced by the evaluation team: Bewick, P & Burns, S, 2009 (September), Baseline Report, In Harmony Liverpool Bewick, P & Burns, S, 2010 (March), Interim Report Year One, In Harmony Liverpool Bewick, P & Burns, S, 2010 (September), Evaluation Update (internal document) Bewick, P & Burns, S, 2011 (March) Interim Report Year Two, In Harmony Liverpool Bewick, P & Burns, S, 2011 (September) Evaluation Update (internal document) Bewick, P & Burns, S, 2012 (September) Interim Report Year Three, In Harmony Liverpool Bewick, P & Burns, S, 2013 (March) Evaluation Update (internal document) This report adheres to the format of previous reports in order to afford the opportunity for comparison. It will update data where possible across the four years of the programme and will summarise findings, identify trends and draw some conclusions, finally making recommendations for future action.

1.5.

The political and economic context within which the In Harmony Liverpool pilot has been taking place has been turbulent. Midway through the initial pilot, in May 2010, a General Election saw the emergence of a coalition government between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. The subsequent spending review and unprecedented cuts to public spending and government departments did not seem conducive to the continuation of the Labour government’s commitment to music education. Cuts to the Arts Council grant in aid from government also triggered a review of the Arts Council portfolio and a new funding scheme was introduced to which all organisations and projects had to apply from a zero base in January 2011. The implications of this for the programme were extensive in resourcing and management terms. These extraordinary times provided the backdrop against which the second year of In Harmony was assessed and evaluated. The period since that date saw the publication of the Henley Review of Music Education (February 2011), the Henley Review of Cultural Education (March 2012) and the development of a National Plan for Music Education (November 2012)1, which committed funding to the continuation of In Harmony but which transferred responsibility for its management to Arts Council England (ACE). The National Plan for Music Education also supported the establishment of a network of music education ‘hubs’, again established and monitored through ACE. The RLP is a key partner in three music hub, including Liverpool, and this continues to have major implications for the potential future development of In Harmony, particularly in how the work of In Harmony fits strategically within, and is able to inform, wider music education delivery and infrastructure. In 2012/13 with a shift in the funding responsibility to ACE, a decision was made to continue to fund two of the initial pilots, Liverpool and Lambeth, and a call for proposals to lead four new programmes was launched in late May 2012. Funding was agreed in July 2012 for the four new programmes to start in September 2012, with funding being offered on a declining basis over a three year period.2

https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-00086-2011.pdf

http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/media/uploads/pdf/In_Harmony_commissioned_grant_guidance.pdf 10

This allowed the RLP to lever additional funding to enable the business plan for In Harmony Liverpool to be realised over this three year period. It has also required the adjustment of internal processes in order to ensure the In Harmony team is able to meet the requirements of multiple funding agencies whilst also staying true to the longitudinal evaluation model established at the onset of the programme. 1.6.

The core principles of the new In Harmony programme were refined but clearly reflect the key success factors of the initial pilots, and in particular the Liverpool programme. The immersive approach, the centrality of the orchestra, the high quality teaching, links with a professional orchestra and the emphasis on community development and transformation are all key success factors of the Liverpool programme: • • • • • • • • •

In Harmony is inspirational and transformational for children, families, schools and communities. It raises the expectations and improves the life chances of children through high quality musical education In Harmony is modelled around participating in an orchestra In Harmony is immersive – with children playing instruments together several times a week from an early age In Harmony seeks to engage all children in the school or community in which a project operates, and it is open to all Children learn together while playing in an orchestra together. They are encouraged to express themselves through music, balanced with a rigorous approach so that progression is embedded from the start of a project The teaching is of exceptionally high quality As children progress, they help each other to learn and progress In Harmony inspires others to invest in it. Projects are sustainable and entrepreneurial In Harmony projects are mutually supportive and generous in sharing learning, experience and expertise. They seek to develop models that can be replicable or adaptable in different social contexts

Throughout 2012/13 the implications of this “refreshed approach” to In Harmony have impacted on the programme in a range of different ways: •

• •

1.7.

The new programme has an overarching national evaluation framework and outcomes and whilst there is significant overlap between our own localised framework and the national framework developed by NFER, negotiation was required between the two evaluation teams to ensure there was no duplication and that the integrity of the longitudinal model developed in Liverpool was not lost; The ongoing partnership between the In Harmony programme and the network of music education hubs has had positive benefits for both partners; and The commitment to mutual support and collaborative learning within the national programme, whilst having resource implications, has brought potential for cross project working and learning that has enriched the programme and the team.

This national context has meant that In Harmony Liverpool has evolved within a climate of uncertainty which has been an ever-present undercurrent for the four years in question and it is a credit to the team that the programme has continued to develop and thrive in the way it has. It is noticeable that in 2012/13, the team have felt more stable and settled. The relative certainty that now faces the team is

encouraging and has informed a great deal of work that has been undertaken over the past twelve months. This will be reflected in the report. It is also important to note that the initial funding secured from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation in 2011/12, was complemented by the Foundation also commissioning a comparative study to assist in understanding what could be learned through comparisons and dialogue between Sistema Scotland, In Harmony Liverpool and the London Music Mastersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Bridge project. Thus, 2012/13 has been a year when In Harmony Liverpool has been involved in extensive discussions through ACE with the new In Harmony programmes announced in July 2012, has engaged closely in an analytical comparative process that has enabled learning to accrue from other music programmes and has benefitted from the debate, reflection and learning that can stem from such collaboration and connectivity.

In Harmony Liverpool

2.1.

The Background: In October 2008, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic responded to the call for tenders from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) – now Department for Education (DfE) with a comprehensive proposal that proposed an ambitious programme of work with a group of partners in West Everton setting out with the following Vision and Aims: Vision Our vision is a healthier, inspired and higher achieving West Everton empowered to celebrate the community through music. Aims • To improve the health and wellbeing of children in West Everton through an ‘all-consuming’ music programme; •

To increase their aspirations and achievement through intensive participation in the best quality, daily music making;

•

To support the improvement in standards and numbers of children on the school roll at West Everton’s Faith Primary School through developing a sustainable music specialism;

•

To inspire and support the social development of children in West Everton through sustained relationships with musicians at the top of their profession and group learning;

•

To empower the whole community, increasing confidence and ability to change their own lives through volunteering and exposure to/participation in live music in community and City Centre venues;

•

To maximise the sustainable benefits of the new Royal Liverpool Philharmonic orchestral rehearsal centre in West Everton for the local community.

The underpinning ethos of the proposed project was outlined as being to: •

provide an all-consuming high quality musical experience;

•

use a holistic approach – including instrumental and vocal music making, musicianship, fun games and activities, movement, live performance, visits to live concerts, cross-curricular music making, family learning;

•

Everyday part of life – transforming the current 50 minutes music per week at Faith Primary School into 50 minutes per day for all children;

•

Supporting progression on an individual child and family basis, depending on the standards they reach and their ambitions through music;

•

Learning together – in small groups, large groups, mixed age groups, children and adults learning together;

• •

Every child to access a musical instrument. Group by ability not age. Although beginning with teaching in year groups, over time move to grouped by ability.

The key partners to the proposed project were, and have remained, Faith Primary School, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool Music Support Service (now Resonate Music Education Hub), the Shrewsbury House Youth Centre (The Shewsy), and the West Everton Community Council. 2.2.

The Liverpool pilot outlined the following outcomes and outputs in the initial tender document: •

All children attending Faith Primary School, The Shewsy and Everton Children’s Centre to have the opportunity for daily instrumental and vocal music making (over 130 children over the life of the programme)

•

An improvement in levels of achievement and attendance at Faith Primary School

•

A significant increase in reported levels of self-esteem, self-confidence and increased well-being amongst West Everton children, measured using qualitative evaluations with children, families, community organisations, schools and teachers

•

A significant proportion of family and community members from West Everton reporting improved wellbeing through engagement in music making and live music performance

•

A community that feels ‘music is a normal part of our life’

•

Increases in take up of Further and Higher Education by people from West Everton (a key part of Government’s Widening Participation agenda. Target is 50%, Currently 27% in Liverpool and significantly less in West Everton)

•

A vision for sustained music development in West Everton beyond 2011

It is against these outcomes and outputs that the programme was evaluated in its first three years. However, given the “refreshed” ACE funded In Harmony programme with its stated mission to transform the lives of children in deprived communities through orchestral music-making, and the aspired for outcomes of the new programme, the overall framework was revisited in 2012/13 to ensure that the ongoing localised and autonomous evaluation is remaining consistent in its data sets whilst also ensuring that data was collected to inform the overarching national evaluation framework that is to be developed. The stated outcomes of the re-launched programme were articulated as follows: •

For children: o Improved musical skills o Improved attitude to learning, self-confidence and self-esteem o Improved social skills o Good school attendance and low exclusions o Improved wellbeing, relationships with parents and health 14

Improved attainment (especially in literacy and numeracy) Avoidance of anti-social behaviour, drug abuse, and crime Participation in education, employment or training at the end of compulsory education For parents: o Improved relationships with their children o Higher expectations of and aspirations for their children o Greater involvement in schools and their child’s education o Improved sense of community For In Harmony projects: o In Harmony projects attract a wide range of investment and support and have a sustainable model o The core principles of In Harmony are replicable in different contexts o o o

•

These were mapped against the initial outcomes and the evaluation framework was revised for 2012 – 2015 to take this into account. Further, the additional funding secured from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation injected additional outcomes and these were also incorporated into the evaluation framework which is contained in Appendix One. 2.3.

The Community: In Harmony Liverpool is based in West Everton, and is the result of the initial collective bidding and partnership approach by the West Everton community, Faith Primary School, Liverpool Music Support Service, Hope University and the RLP. West Everton makes up part of the larger Everton ward and, geographically, is on the edge of Liverpool City Centre. Liverpool is recognised by Government as the most deprived Local Authority in England.3 The area has continued to receive significant investment from Liverpool City Council since In Harmony began and there continues to be a growing recognition that the programme is an ongoing part of investment in the regeneration and rebuilding of this community. In Everton, almost all residents (97.6%) are within the most deprived 10% in the country, with 89.1% living in the most deprived 1% neighbourhoods in the country. Worklessness is at 38.4%, the highest in the City.4 22.9% claim incapacity benefit 5– twice the Liverpool average.6 Health deprivation and disability is 2nd highest in the country and overall the area ranks as the 29th highest in the country on the Index of Multiple Deprivation. Emotional, physical and social wellbeing are central to learning and achievement and the fact that Faith Primary had 68% take up (all pupils on role) of free school meals in 2011/12 an increase from 66% in the previous year and 36.48% on the special needs register in 2011/12 an increase from 34.83% in the previous year highlights the impact of the context on the wellbeing of the pupils.

DCLG Index of Multiple Deprivation 2010 (Most recent published) In 2009, this figure was 47.6% so there has been a slight improvement in worklessness over the three year period. 5 In 2009, this figure was 25.5% so again, there has been a slight improvement over the three year period. 6 Liverpool City Council Ward Profile 2011 4

2.4.

The Programme: Every primary aged child in West Everton (218 children) has the opportunity to learn an instrument from aged 4, and to be part of the West Everton Children’s Orchestra, and, this has led to continuing expansion of the reach of the programme in its fourth year. “The orchestra as a form is crucial. For an orchestra to succeed, it must be greater than the sum of its parts. Every person has a role to play. It combines leadership, teamwork, discipline, communication skills and respect with friendship, great fun and positive social experiences. It develops the foundations of musicianship and musical literacy through the enjoyment of learning, rehearsing and performing as an ensemble of musicians.” (Peter Garden, Executive Director of Learning, RLP) In April 2009, 70 children were allocated instruments by February 2010 a total of 106 children had instruments, in March 2011 this figure totalled 114, in March 2012 there were 122 and in March 2013 there were 128. Thus, 128 children engaged in the orchestral programme. Throughout the 4 year period a total of 196 children have had access to instruments. In addition, 14 adults - members of the school staff - are learning to play instruments alongside the children. The programme has expanded the age range of child participants and is now catering for a total of 211 children aged 0-15. This represents a 250% increase in scope and reach within the programme since its inception when 84 children were involved. Since the programme began in February 2009, In Harmony has engaged a total of 302 children and young people in West Everton from early years to age 15. Whilst all primary aged children at Faith Primary School are accessing up to 4.5 hours per week of music making in curriculum time, in 2012/13, 62% of those children are participating in additional after school provision including brass, percussion and chamber ensembles – participating in up to 7 hours per week. The children engaged in the orchestral programme are predominantly drawn from Faith Primary (86), but after four years, the programme of work now reaches a further 19 children of primary age living within the geographical area and attending 7 different schools and a further 23 children who have progressed to secondary education but continue to engage with the In Harmony programme. Table One: Reach of In Harmony Liverpool Number of children currently from: Faith Primary School

The Beacon Church of England Primary School Other Primary Schools North Liverpool Academy Notre Dame Catholic College Other Secondary Schools

14 5 10 5 8

In Harmony Liverpool’s weekly schedule has continued to develop and the programme currently includes: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Sectional rehearsals (group instrumental lessons) on violin, viola, cello and double bass twice weekly at Faith School; Sectional rehearsals (group instrumental lessons) on violin, viola, cello and double bass twice weekly at Beacon Primary School Sectional rehearsals (group instrumental lessons) on violin, viola, cello and double bass weekly at the Friary for those children that attend neither Faith nor Beacon West Everton Children’s Orchestra rehearsal each Friday afternoon for Faith children, with an additional Orchestra rehearsal after school open to any primary aged child living in West Everton Twice weekly ensembles to include: West Everton Super Strings (Years 7 - 10 Chamber Orchestra); West Everton Mini Strings (Years 2-3 chamber ensemble), and Brass sectionals Weekly ensembles to include: West Everton Junior Strings (Years 4-6 chamber ensemble); West Everton String Quartet (various) and Percussion sectionals Shake Up and Sing whole school singing each morning at Faith and a commitment to enhancing choral development within the project Twice weekly Shake Up and Sing sessions with children from Beacon Primary School to enhance choral development within the project; Once weekly Shake Up and Sing sessions with children from neither Beacon Primary School nor Faith Primary School to enhance choral development within the project; Twice Weekly musicianship classes for those in Nursery and Reception at Faith Primary School Weekly musicianship classes for those in Year 1-3 at Faith Primary School Weekly composition classes for those in Year 4-6 at Faith Primary School Regular attendance at various ensembles by the 7 Ensemble Coaches musicians from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra who regularly attend sessions throughout the year and perform alongside ensembles; Master classes by artists visiting Liverpool; Regular high profile performances including Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Derry UK City of Culture, and chamber performances at the prestigious

• •

St George’s Hall Concert Room in Liverpool city centre, all including musicians from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra; Regular visits to live performances by Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and chamber ensembles; and a Strategy to introduce woodwind into the project, moving towards a full symphony orchestra.

During the summers of 2012 and 2013, the programme included the In Harmony Summer School. During the year, the team have continued to offer In Harmony at Home, providing live performances by individual or small groups of children accompanied and supported by professional musicians in their own living room for families and friends, prioritising and targeting those children and families yet to receive a home visit. Thus, the school programme is immersive. It is providing an in depth musical education at a whole school level for the children registered within the school but it is also reaching out to preschool age children within the community as well as those attending other schools nearby who live in West Everton. 2.5

Performances are shaping and driving the programme with 2012/13 bringing the opportunity to perform in Derry- Londonderry as part of the UK City of Culture events, and the invitation to perform at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms 2013 has also been a significant driver in the programme. 100% of the 128 children engaged in the orchestral programme performed at least 3 times this year with 77% participating in 5 or more performances. The children in West Everton Super Strings had 11 performances throughout the year. The team continue to select performances that will benefit the children and audience in different ways and use three key questions to guide decision making: • •

•

How will it benefit the children musically? How will it benefit the children socially? How will it benefit the community?

There is no doubt that the performance programme benefits the community as an estimated 2832 people attended a total of 27 concerts throughout the year.

Table Two: Performances and Attendance 2012/13 Ensemble 1

West Everton Super Strings

West Everton Super Strings and West Everton Children’s Orchestra Year 5 and 6 Faith Primary School

West Everton String Quartet

Brass Ensemble featuring Tine Thing Helseth West Everton Children’s Orchestra featuring Julian Lloyd Webber West Everton Super Strings Nursery and Reception Choir, Year 1 Orchestra, Year 2 Orchestra, Year 2 West Everton Mini Strings

7 8 9

Month

Estimated audience

Sep-12

181

Sep-12

Oct-12

150

Nov-12

The Friary

Nov-12

Parents Open Evening, The Friary

Dec-12

Faith Primary School Foundation Open Morning

Dec-12

Event and venue Hope Street Feast, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall National Heritage Open Day, St George’s Hall Concert Room Visit from National In Harmony programmes, Friary Visit from two Merseyside Archbishops Buxton String Quartet Residential Weekend Faith Primary School

West Everton Junior Strings

The Reader Organisation “Ha’penny Readings”, St George’s Hall Concert Room

Dec-12

150

Year 3 West Everton Mini Strings

Hopscotch Nursery

Dec-12

West Everton Children’s Orchestra, featuring brass and percussion

In Harmony Christmas Concert, St Francis Xavier’s Church, West Everton

Dec-12

155

West Everton Children’s Orchestra Bass section

Jan-13

150

West Everton Children's Orchestra and West Everton Super Strings

Jan-13

Year 4 group

Mar-13

Clownfish group

Tea & Tunes featuring Marcel Becker, Faith Primary School Side by side rehearsal with RLPO in Philharmonic Hall (WESS parents only invited) Performance at Royal School for the Blind Performance for parents/children at the Friary

Mar-13

Showcase in Faith Primary

Mar-13

Chamber Concert in the Friary

Mar-13

550

May-13

100

May-13

200

Jun-13

160

Jun-13

250

Jun-13

100

Jul-13

Aug-13

TOTAL

2832

17 18 19

Nursery and Reception Choir, Year 1 Orchestra, Year 2 Orchestra, Year 3 West Everton Mini Strings Brass Ensemble, West Everton Junior Strings, West Everton String Quartet, West Everton Super Strings West Everton Children's Orchestra and West Everton Super Strings

15 children from Years 5,6,7,8,9,10

Year 3 Mini Strings, West Everton Junior Strings, Percussion Ensemble, String Quartet, West Everton Super Strings

Faith Primary Year 3 students

West Everton Junior Strings

25 26 27

Reception Choir, Year 1 orchestra, Year 2 Orchestra, Year 3 orchestra, Whole School Choir Clownfish (Year 1/2 Beacon Primary School pupils) Summer School orchestra

In Harmony Liverpool: Celebrating Four Years at Philharmonic Hall Light Night - performance at opening of Liverpool Central Library Performance at Derry/Londonderry's Millennium Forum as part of Unison event celebrating Derry UK City of Culture 2013 In Harmony Liverpool Chamber Concert, St Georges Hall Liverpool Southbank Centre London, Nucleo weekend, joint performance alongside Sistema in Norwich, In Harmony Newcastle/Gateshead, In Harmony Lambeth and In Harmony Nottingham Sistema in Norwich end of year celebration concert, Junior Strings performed live by web stream Faith Primary School End of term show End of term performance for Clownfish group, The Friary Summer School, The Friary

2.6.

The active engagement of the wider community beyond the school remains a significant and ongoing challenge to the programme and there remains a potential opportunity to impact directly on the lives of local residents through dynamic engagement in the programme. There will always be scope to expand this programme in recognition of the fact that In Harmony Liverpool is a social programme seeking to build community wellbeing through music and, whilst budgetary constraints remain a significant issue, it is recommended that this element of the programme delivery be reviewed within the broader delivery partnership.

2.7.

The continuing development of the overall programme of provision is testimony to the constant and ongoing reflection that takes place within the team and the school about the best way to deliver the programme as it evolves. We have always stated that the In Harmony model cannot be a static model and this is a key element of the learning to have emerged over the three years of the programme. In Harmony is perhaps better viewed as a framework and a process. The major success factor in ensuring that it connects to and supports children and families in a particular community is that it is a dynamic model and will constantly evolve.

Evaluation Methodology and Framework

3.1.

Our overall approach to the evaluation of In Harmony Liverpool has always been informed by the need to measure impact. But it is also informed by a specific approach that we clarify in every report. We believe that evaluation is not advocacy. Genuine sustainability will come not from advocacy but from clear evidence of impact. We are therefore interested in genuine learning stemming from a robust evaluation that is shared and owned by project stakeholders. We stated at the onset of the evaluation work that this approach could: •

Inform project development

•

Encourage action learning and reflection

•

Inform problem solving

Our approach has ensured that we are seen as partners to the programme rather than monitors and it is clear that this has supported and informed the ongoing development of the programme and the work, encouraged learning and reflection, creating a heightened awareness and understanding of outcomes and impact, and supported the team and the school in dealing with problems and issues as they have emerged. 3.2.

The evaluation of In Harmony Liverpool has used a wide range of indicators at four levels from the onset. In 2011/12 due to a scaling down of the budget, the evaluation work was also scaled down and this continues to date. However, we have continued to consider the four levels and sought to protect key data sets where possible: •

The Children

•

The School

•

The Community

•

The Partners

From the onset, the design of the overall framework has been carried out with stakeholders in order to ensure the feasibility and viability of on the ground data gathering as well as a sense of ownership of the process. The effectiveness of this approach and the successful delivery of the framework depends on the active and ongoing engagement of all partners and this has proved difficult over this crucial fourth year of the programme. We have been supported in data gathering by partners within the Primary Care Trust (PCT), from Liverpool City Council (LCC), and within the school, the In Harmony team and the RLP. Changes within the PCT and LCC have 21

affected data collection over the past eighteen months. We have also worked closely with the project management team to build capacity in this area in order to ensure that the revised framework is owned and will provide the most useful management information. The revisions have a strong focus on creating enhanced feedback loops between the evaluation work and the management of the programme as we realised this was something that was jeopardised within the scaled down work during recent years. 3.4.

Sustained investment follows from a clear demonstration that any activity directly contributes to, supports or achieves the key target outcomes of national policy. It is therefore important that the evaluation is carried out within the context of recent trends in national policy development, particularly in the current climate of economic constraint. We noted at the onset of the project that: “Much of the policy development to date in this field tends to focus on the ‘why’ and ‘what’ of the challenge of actively engaging young people in their own future, rather than the ‘how’. If In Harmony is to ‘make a difference’, we need to clearly and effectively evaluate how it does so.” This remains the central challenge. Understanding the process is as important, if not more so, than gathering the impact data. The ‘how’ of In Harmony is critical.

3.5.

Over the four years of the programme external factors have influenced both the school and the community and it is difficult to isolate the impact of these from the impact of In Harmony. For example, there is no doubt that the move into a new school building had a major impact on the school community. It is a more pleasant working environment for both staff and pupils and its impact on attainment and behaviour cannot be ignored. Investment in the local community and improvements in housing and infrastructure are ongoing, again rendering it difficult to be precise about the root cause of any discernible trends and changes. What is clear, however, is that In Harmony has been a significant element of the overall changes occurring within West Everton and that its role has been important.

3.6.

Initially the evaluation process involved: •

Identifying appropriate impact indicators

•

Establishing a framework of measures for these indicators

•

Establishing the baseline

The baseline report is available on request. 3.7

A revised evaluation framework was developed collaboratively between the evaluation team and the In Harmony project team in August 2012 and this has been in place throughout the 2012-13 academic year. The revised framework contains refined indicators and measures that reflect the required outputs for year four of the programme across the multiple funders. The framework seeks to ensure that the longitudinal data gathering is sustainable within reduced resources. It is informing the In Harmony team on an ongoing basis by providing valuable management data that can inform planning and development of the programme, and creates enhanced feedback loops for learning and reflection. The revised framework is attached as Appendix One.

3.8

We have worked closely with partners to develop data gathering mechanisms that have included: •

Identifying case study children in Faith School that we are tracking over an extended period, and in 2011/12 we added a group of children from Beacon Primary to this case study cohort.

•

Carrying out a series of community and parent/carer focus groups and individual interviews.

•

Tracking school statistics on attainment and attendance in Faith Primary and, from 2011/12, a comparison of attainment in two other schools in the local area.

•

Tracking musical progression.

•

Tracking observations of the In Harmony team and school staff.

•

Recording observations from Home Visits.

•

Observing teaching.

•

Undertaking community questionnaire surveys.

•

Development of wellbeing assessment survey for pupils.

•

Collection of GP data, developing a new partnership approach between PCT, Children’s Services and Social Services.

•

Tracking socio-economic data in West Everton and comparing this with a control area in Kirkdale.

•

Tracking attendance at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.

•

Analysing press coverage.

This approach means that we are now able to present quantitative and qualitative data that is sufficiently reliable and robust to support emerging conclusions. We have continued to focus on gathering wide ranging qualitative data in addition to the quantitative data that is beginning to be available, to assist us in identifying trends and support emerging findings. Narratives continue to emerge from the qualitative data gathering around the perceptions of impact and the nature of the changes being observed within the children, the school and the community. These are examined throughout the report using quotes from conversations with children, parents, teachers and musicians as a means of assessing progress against planned outcomes. This triangulation of data gathering continues to be critical to its reliability throughout the continuing evaluation of the work. 3.9.

In addition to the regular reporting, the evaluation team have also produced discussion documents on an ongoing basis and have worked with the RLP to identify issues that could inform continuation of the project given the continuing economically and politically sensitive context. 23

Interim Findings: The Children

4.1.

Attendance and engagement with the programme remains excellent amongst eligible children in the West Everton area. The programme is currently working with 132 primary aged children out of an estimated 218 primary school aged children in the community, a total of 60% of eligible children. The programme has diversified and expanded to meet the needs of this growing group of children and we see strong evidence of improvement in academic attainment, musical attainment, wellbeing, confidence and an overarching sense that the impact on the children is far greater than imagined. In Harmony could be said to have been a catalyst for change that is being achieved through collaborative effort between the school, the RLP and the community and the children sit at the heart of this change. "The children are more able to concentrate, they're more focused on their work, they're more open to working at different levels. At the orchestra, they all have their different parts and they're all different grades of ability. At the end of it, it all fits together to make a beautiful sound, so they're not worried about it. Children learn from the adults and adults learn from the children. There are times where I can't make practices because of meetings and children, particularly one child, has said to me, 'If you meet me at playtime, I'll go through it with you.' This is a 10-year-old child saying she'll teach me! That has had an amazing effect on the school because they see that everybody has to learn, everybody has to practice together. In the first year, 75% of the children exceeded their targets - there was a vast improvement in academic achievement. After that it's sort of plateaued. But children are reaching national expectation far more than they were in the past. It's down to a lot of things, but the music has contributed to it." (Sister Moira Meeghan Headteacher)7

4.2.

As part of the evaluation process, evidence being collected is both qualitative and quantitative and includes: • • • • •

Interviews with 26 Case Study pupils8 Team and Teachers’ Observations Parent/Carer Interviews Attendance and Attainment figures Pupil wellbeing surveys

The evidence gathered to date clearly shows that in relation to whole child development, In Harmony Liverpool has had a very real and significant impact on the children. Improvements in academic attainment, musical attainment, behaviour, confidence, wellbeing and aspiration are all clearly evidenced through the data making an evolving and compelling case for the value of the intervention. 7

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23932186 This was the initial number in the sample. In July 2010, 3 of the pupils left Faith Primary to move to secondary school. In July 2011 a further 3 moved to secondary school. An additional 5 year 1 and 2 pupils were added to the case study group in February 2012 and a further 6 in February 2013

It is critical to note that the number on roll at any time in Faith Primary is small. In 2012/13 there were 132 children of school age. This means that any statistical comparisons must be taken in context. Some recent data has been provided by Liverpool City Council that matches the children in Faith Primary to the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) and although this data is for 2010/11, it is important context to any statistical evidence provided. It sets Faith Primary against a sector average within Liverpool. IMD 1 is the most deprived area and 82.35% of Faith Primary children were living in this area. Attendance of these IMD 1 children totalled 94.41% in 2011/12 against a sector average of 94.16%. • •

68.24% of the children on roll were entitled to free school meals against a sector average of 33.16% 36.48% of children on roll were SEN (School Action, School Action Plus and statemented) against a sector average of 25.52%

This data is important when considering attendance and attainment data for Faith Primary. Firstly, it points to the fundamental statistical unreliability of data where variance is affected by cohort size. For example, in 2011/12 there were 14 children in Year 6 and in 2012/13 there were only 5. Any comparison on percentage terms would be unreliable given this variance and the small sample involved. Secondly, it highlights the very specific issues faced by the school in meeting government floor targets. SEN pupils are expected to make the same two levels progress between KS1 and KS2 as non SEN pupils. Thirdly, children enter the school at very low levels. In 2012, 36% of children entering school at nursery level were working at 16 – 22 months and 36% at 22 – 36 months. When considering the exceptional circumstances and contextual factors, children’s learning and progress is good.

Table Three: Faith Primary School Pupil Statistics

TOTAL NUMBER OF PUPILS ON ROLL

Baseline (2007/08)

No.

2008/09 No.

2009/10 No.

104

Free School Meals

2010/11 No.

118

66.3%

2011/12 No.

2012/13

No.

110

132

66.3%

68.2%

68%

Pupils with Statements/SEN or Supported at School Action Plus

4.3%

17%

8.7%

9.3%

11.8%

Pupils with SEN supports at School Action

36.6%

26.6%

26.9%

23%

24.7%

18%

TOTAL SEN

40.9%

43.6%

35.6%

32.3%

36.5%

27%

4.3.

Attainment data â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Academic Throughout 2012/13 the In Harmony team have been able to collate attainment data in more detail than was possible in previous years through having access to the pupil tracker system and we are therefore able to present a more detailed picture of progress across the period of the programme. In the first year of In Harmony we saw a highly significant increase in recorded attainment levels in English and Maths. This has subsequently plateaued, but with attainment levels being maintained at higher than expected levels and it is noticeable that a significantly higher proportion of children are now achieving national expectations. It is clear that following the introduction of the In Harmony programme in Faith Primary School in 2009 the school experienced a significant improvement in the percentage of pupils meeting national expectations in English and maths. This level of improvement was significantly greater than that recorded in the other two benchmarked schools in the first two years of the project as previously reported (Bewick, P & Burns, S, 2011 (March) Interim Report Year Two, In Harmony Liverpool). It has proved difficult to continue with the comparative work across the other two benchmarked schools due to sensitivity around data gathering and presentation and the fact that this has become another task for already stretched staff teams who can see no real benefit to their own school in continuing to do this work. This is unfortunate and the team plan to work with the schools during 2013/14 to identify a way forward for this comparative work. Nevertheless an analysis of numbers of Faith Primary pupils progressing two or more sub levels reveals a clear positive trend since the inception of In Harmony:

Table Four: Percentage of Pupils Progressing by 2 or more Sub Levels

Table Five: Percentage of pupils (whole school averages) progressing by increasing sub levels in one year (expected progress is 3 sub levels over 2 years or 1.5 levels over 1 year)9 Writing: Progress Decreased Maintained Increase of 1 sub level Increase of 2 sub levels Increase of 3 sub levels Increase of 4+ sub levels Total percentage increasing by 2 or more sub levels*

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 0 0 6 0 2 6 3 18 12 8 39 38 28 27 23 42 18 35 42 48 14 28 5 14 18 0 13 8 5 2

Reading: Progress Decreased Maintained Increase of 1 sub level Increase of 2 sub levels Increase of 3 sub levels Increase of 4+ sub levels Total percentage increasing by 2 or more sub levels*

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 0 0 2 1 0 20 2 13 7 6 44 15 39 23 26 19 28 26 39 55 17 28 13 25 10 0 28 8 5 3

Maths: Progress Decreased Maintained Increase of 1 sub level Increase of 2 sub levels Increase of 3 sub levels Increase of 4+ sub levels Total percentage increasing by 2 or more sub levels*

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 0 0 3 0 0 20 5 20 5 3 47 20 29 24 31 21 35 28 49 52 14 25 11 15 11 0 15 9 7 3

*as shown in the graph on previous page (Table Four) A significant increase in levels of attainment was observed in 2009/10 coinciding with the introduction of In Harmony to the school. Whilst this significant improvement has not been replicated year on year, attainment has subsequently generally continued at improved levels. This is further borne out by the increase in percentage of pupils meeting teacher-set targets (see Appendix Three for individual year group data). This can be most clearly seen in aggregate whole school percentages of all pupils meeting teacher-set targets for all areas:

Data sourced from Faith Primary School online School Pupil Tracker (www.spto.co.uk) 28

Table Six: Percentage of children in whole school that met teacher targets for all three areas (reading, writing and numeracy) 2008/09 12% 3/26 children

2009/10 55% 29/53 children

2010/11

2011/12 42%

39% 29/75 children

36/86 children

2012/13 36% 28/77 children

Table Seven: Detailed breakdown of percentages making good progress (according to points and sub level systems) and percentages attaining national expectations National Expectations are: • Achieving 11 points or sub level 1A at the end of Year 1 • Achieving 15 points or sublevel 2B at the end of Year 2 • Achieving 18 points or sub level 3C at the end of Year 3 • Achieving 21 points or sublevel 3B at the end of Year 4 • Achieving 24 points or sub level 4C t the end of Year 5 • Achieving 27 points or sub level 4B at the end of Year 6 Writing

Whole School Averages

2009/10 2010/11 2011/12

% making Good Progress (points system over one year) 71 45 68

% making Good Progress (sub level system over two years) 88 87 78

2012/13

Reading

% meeting National Expectations on attainment level achieved 37 39 45 44

Whole School Averages

% making Good Progress (points system over one year)

% making Good Progress (sub level system over two years)

% meeting National Expectations on attainment level achieved

2009/10 2010/11 2011/12

87 46 72

70 94 74

47 52 59

2012/13

Maths

Whole School Averages

2009/10 2010/11 2011/12

% making Good Progress (points system over one year) 76 50 76

% making Good Progress (sub level system over two years) 40 77 71

% meeting National Expectations on attainment level achieved 40 42 57

2012/13

The significant recorded improvement in the percentage of pupils achieving national expectations on attainment remains very impressive in the context of 4.5 hours being taken out of curriculum delivery time across the school and dedicated to music through In Harmony Liverpool. The attainment trend continues to be very positive: Table Eight: Percentages of Students Meeting National Expectations on Attainment

Whole School Averages % of children meeting National Expectations for attainment level achieved Maths Reading Writing 2009/10 40 47 37 2010/11 42 52 39 2011/12 57 59 45 2012/13 58 54 44 The significant impact of In Harmony on the pupils and the wider school community is highlighted in the school’s recent Ofsted reports: ‘The curriculum is carefully and thoughtfully planned. Music is a particularly strong feature and has an outstanding impact on the personal and spiritual development of the pupils, as they all receive four and a half hours of music support per week. Pupils are not only learning to play musical instruments but are developing a deep appreciation of music. Staff learn to play musical instruments alongside the pupils and they also perform together to a wide range of audiences, thus establishing an excellent learning community.’ (Ofsted inspection report September 2013) ‘The school’s involvement in a national music project is reaping exceptional rewards, especially in how it engages pupils in their learning and motivates them…….. pupils progress is improving quickly. For example more pupils now achieve the level expected of them at this age and …… more pupils are reaching above the expected levels for their age.’ (Ofsted inspection report July 2010) ‘It is very clear that participation in the In Harmony programme has a much wider benefit for the pupils’ personal and social development as well as for their general educational attainment’ (Ofsted Good Practice Survey Inspection February 2011) The impact of the programme on the attainment and behaviour of the pupils and on the school overall is continually highlighted in comments from teachers: •

‘The music is now all encompassing – it is part of the school and would be really missed if it wasn’t here, so much has changed to accommodate it’

And parents: •

‘The change in the kids’ behaviour has been amazing – they are just so good at concentrating now, and they seem so confident’

•

‘The confidence in the kids now is amazing’

•

‘They have learned to breathe, listen and take instruction – what they learn in music transfers into home life’

•

‘The kids are more mature at home – more grown up and confident.

“For our children and staff at Faith Primary School in West Everton, to be by taught by musicians from Liverpool Philharmonic, for them to become our friends, and for Liverpool Philharmonic to become like a second home to our community is something very special. We’re all learning from each other, the educational attainment, health and wellbeing of the children is improving dramatically, and classical music is no longer a world that we are excluded from… it’s now our world, we love being in it and we love having the opportunity to share it with others.” (Councillor Jane Corbett - Cabinet member for Education and Children’s Services, Liverpool City Council addressing guests at the In Harmony Liverpool concert in Derry – Londonderry)

4.4.

Attendance Pupil attendance has improved significantly across the school in recent years. In 2009, absence was reported at 7.94%, an improvement on the 2008 figures reported in the Baseline Report of 8.8%. 10 This increased in 2010 but there is now evidence of significant continuing improvement with the school average rate of absence of 6.5% in 2013. However this remains below the sector average. Table Nine: Attendance Figures Year:

07/08

Attendance:

Absence:

4.5.

08/09

09/10

10/11

11/12

91.2%

92.06%

91.02%

92.7%

94.1% 93.5%

8.8%

7.94%

8.98%

7.3%

5.91

12/13

6.5%

Attainment – Musical Musical progression is evidenced across the cohort of children. The musical development of all children has been tracked against a set of indicators developed by the In Harmony Liverpool team since the beginning of the project with team assessment of individual children and ensembles integrated as part of termly

10 http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/cgibin/performancetables/school_09.pl?Mode=Z&No=3413964&Type=LA&Begin=s&Num=938&Phase=p&Year=0 9&Base=p

reflection and planning sessions. Each child is individually assessed against level indicators, which were developed by the In Harmony team at the start of the programme. This came about as a result of the team of musicians being keen to track the progress of the children without introducing formal testing such as music tests or grade examinations. The indicators are attached in Appendix Two and have been further revised to take into account the increasingly high levels of attainment now being reached by pupils who have been playing for four years. In Harmony Liverpool Artistic Director, Rod Skipp, offers this insight: “Although our assessment criteria focus on the children and young people’s progression in terms of technique and musicality, it is important to recognise that the driving force and motivating factor behind this progression are the orchestra and ensemble performance opportunities. All children in the In Harmony Liverpool programme will have been involved in a wide variety of performances, in venues such as Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, St Georges Hall Concert Room and this September at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms. These experiences as much as anything drive individual progression, and progress is always faster and most concentrated leading up to these events. It is this ability to perform to high standards on these stages with regularity that underpins all of the teaching and learning within In Harmony Liverpool.” Musical progression continues to be evidenced across the cohort of children with very few examples of slow progression. Team assessment and target setting is an integral part of termly team reflection and planning meetings. A significant change in assessment took place in this year, with a new requirement for the In Harmony musicians to set termly musical objectives for each individual child, building on the previous term’s reflection and child progress. The variation in percentages in the following table is likely to be the result of this new process being established. 88% of children are achieving or exceeding the targets set for them by the In Harmony team. Table Ten: Percentage of children achieving musical targets Term 11 (Sept 2012 – Dec 2012) % of all children assessed matching or exceeding a majority of targets (4 or more out of 7 categories)

Term 12

Term 13

(Jan 13 – Mar 13)

(Apr 13 – Jul 13)

94%

79%

93%

88%

(77/82)

(70/89)

(82/88)

(229/259)

44%

21%

23%

29%

(36/82)

(19/89)

(20/88)

(75/259)

21%

12%

(5/82)

(19/89)

(6/88)

(30/259)

Whole Year

% of all children assessed matching or exceeding all targets, across 7 categories

% of all children assessed NOT achieving a majority of targets

“These results show that the children and young people continue to achieve and exceed what is expected of them. It is important to note that these targets are set by 33

the In Harmony musicians, taking into account that child’s individual needs, and is designed to challenge each child to progress as far as possible. It is pleasing to see such a high percentage achieving these goals.” (Rod Skipp) Whilst these assessments take place on a termly basis, the evaluation of progress and skills learnt by the children is a constant process, and often discussed in the weekly String Sharing meeting and in other forums with regards to Brass and Percussion. In Harmony is a constantly evolving process, and lesson groupings are often changed, or individual support is offered in order to best meet the needs of all the children. Differentiation is worked into every piece of repertoire and technical exercise that is presented. Sometimes the differentiation is so specific that it takes into account individual children’s needs and a part or chart will be created to support that individual child’s learning. This year has seen for the first time the introduction of some individual or paired tuition, as a result of the Artistic Director’s observations and discussions during his trip to Venezuela. This has been used two-fold, in order to stretch as far as possible those children excelling and needing further challenge, and also to support those children who may have missed some tuition in order to catch up, or to support those children with additional needs to continue to feel a valued part of the orchestra and programme. The In Harmony team have found this to be very successful, and the team’s ability to adapt and diversify their approaches has been a great asset in this regard.

Table Eleven: Musical Attainment (Strings) Term 11 % not achieving targets

% achieving targets

Term 12 % exceeding targets

% not achieving targets

% achieving targets

Term 13 % exceeding targets

% not achieving targets

% achieving targets

Whole Year % exceeding targets

% not achieving targets

% achieving targets

% exceeding targets

Musicality, Confidence, Commitment, Communication

16%

60%

24%

18%

70%

11%

23%

63%

15%

19%

64%

17%

Singing and Solfa

11%

56%

33%

23%

58%

19%

83%

15%

12%

66%

22%

Pulse, Rhythm and Meter

20%

42%

39%

36%

45%

19%

47%

50%

34%

46%

20%

Right Hand Technique

11%

52%

37%

32%

51%

18%

80%

18%

15%

61%

24%

Reading Skills

60%

34%

43%

48%

32%

56%

13%

27%

54%

18%

Posture

23%

57%

20%

33%

62%

33%

53%

14%

30%

58%

13%

Left Hand Technique

15%

51%

34%

26%

66%

26%

63%

11%

22%

60%

17%

West Everton Children’s Orchestra West Everton Children’s Orchestra remains the central ensemble for the In Harmony Liverpool programme, focused on children in Years 3-6 and expanding or contracting as per the performance requirements and availability of young musicians. Following last year’s introduction of separate orchestras for those in Year 1 & 2 within the programme, the Orchestra is not as large scale as it was in Year 3, but this reduction in size has also allowed greater focus on each section within the orchestra. Repertoire for the full orchestra has continued to develop and expand into new areas. The continued progression of the percussion and brass sections have brought new challenges, but also exciting opportunities. Orchestral repertoire this year has included Dvorak’s Finale from his New World Symphony, Stravinsky’s Finale from the Firebird, Mussorgsky’s Great Gate at Kiev, each with a rich symphonic sound at their core. And to continue to use music that the children are familiar with on a day to day basis, this year’s finale for the 4th Birthday Concert at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall was an arrangement of One Direction’s What Makes You Beautiful. The Children’s Orchestra is playing arrangements of pieces mostly around ABRSM Grade 2 level, with differentiation either side to support those who haven’t been learning as long or are not progressing as quickly, and also to challenge those that are progressing more quickly. Whereas previously a range of parts may have been written for all children at a particular level to play regardless of instrument, each section is now finding its role within the orchestra, with differentiation within each instrumental grouping. In Harmony Liverpool continued with the process of generating an annual performance plan for the programme, which supports a balance between regular performance opportunities within the community and school environment, whilst continuing to involve regular performance opportunities in world class venues such as Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, St Georges Hall, and the Southbank Centre in London. The Christmas Concert has become a real focal point for community involvement, which is presented within the Everton community at St Francis Xavier’s church. The annual March ‘In Harmony Birthday’ concert continues to be a spectacular, high profile occasion at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, with each year group of children taking an active role in helping with the production of the programme, posters, promotion and distribution, and audio visual introductions. And the summer concert this year is the biggest yet, as the children perform alongside the full Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra with Liverpool Philharmonic Children’s Choirs as one great ‘superorchestra’ for the BBC Proms. The orchestra as a whole has developed greatly in terms of the complexity of parts that the children are playing, but also the different ways they are presented. The team have really pushed the introduction of standard notation this year, but have done this in a way which takes account of their learning to date. Arrangements are made using ‘Sibelius’ software which allows coloured notes that children recognise from their previous charts, also allowing symbols and pictures to be inserted, or words to be written underneath, bringing the sheets to life. It also helps children’s listening to how their part fits in with those around them – a key orchestral and life skill. It has been pleasing to see that following on from last year’s evaluation report, which highlighted the need to continue to stretch and engage those in Year 5 & 6, that the changes to orchestra (Years 3-6) and approaches in lessons seem to be working, enhanced through the exciting orchestral repertoire for the BBC Proms performance. Likewise, for Year 1, 2 and 3 as individual cohorts, their progress has been more closely monitored and tailored to their needs and stage in their musical development.

In the Tea and Tunes performance in July at Faith Primary School, it was noticeable to see the progress through the age groups in a way that has perhaps not been visible in the past. 4.6.

Musical Attainment: Children with Special Education Needs or additional support requirements The one to one work with pupils identified through referral by the In Harmony team and Faith School staff is proving successful in providing an opportunity for children to express themselves, supporting positive behaviour and preventing children from disengaging or falling behind. In Harmony continues to provide opportunities for those who may find it difficult in a group situation or have special educational needs to have one to one support. This has been substantially scaled up this year, with the team acting quickly and proactively to give additional support, and identify children who might be struggling in one particular area and give that child one to one attention. This support is also available through child led music making sessions with Mandy Burvill. Mandy is a former contract clarinet player with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, who now leads extensive education and health projects for Liverpool Philharmonic and performs as a freelance musician in the RLPO. Mandy provides an opportunity for the children to try anything musically that they would like to and allows the children control but also the ability to have a conversation through music. This allows the child to let their creativity take hold and express themselves in a musical way without any constraints of technique or having to fit into an ensemble situation, which can be a great musical and emotional release and support mechanism.

4.7.

Reach and Attendance data: The reach of the In Harmony Liverpool has extended significantly over the four year period as evidenced in Table Eleven below: • • • •

The programme has now reached 302 children since its inception; 211 primary age children are engaging with the programme from a baseline of 84; 128 children have instruments and therefore take part in the orchestral programme; and 64% of eligible children at Beacon are taken part in 12/13 and 50% from other primaries.

Table Twelve: Reach of In Harmony Liverpool Reach Estimated number of primary school children in West Everton Number of children with instruments in given year, and therefore the number of children on the orchestral programme Total number of primary aged children with any involvement in given year Total number of children (primary and secondary) with any involvement in given year Cumulative number of children since Feb 09 having had instruments Cumulative number of children since Feb 09 with any involvement Number of eligible children at Faith School (no. on roll) in given year Number of eligible children at Beacon Primary in given year

Number of eligible children at Beacon Primary School regularly taking part in given year Number of eligible children at other primary schools in given year (estimated) Number of eligible children at other primary schools taking part in given year Number of eligible secondary school aged children (cumulative of all children moving up into secondary school since Feb 09) Number of eligible secondary school aged children signed up to, and regularly attending IH

Baseline

9/10

10/11

11/12

12/13

N/A

135

146

218

106

114

139

128

N/A

132

130

151

165

211

106

130

169

196

130

174

218

302

104

118

132

N/A

As number

As percentage

As number

As percentage

As number

As percentage

As number

As percentage

76.5%

92.9%

80.0%

64%

N/A

58.3%

46.7%

50.0%

50%

N/A

The immersion of children in the programme is impressive with 100% of Beacon children and those from other primary schools attending 4 sessions per week and this marks a major improvement on previous years and is to be commended. Secondary age children are also showing major improvements with 87% attending three sessions a week and 35% attending 4 sessions.

Table Thirteen: Immersion and Reach (excluding Faith Primary) Beacon Primary School

Number of sessions available to group each week % of eligible children attending 1 session per week on average % of eligible children attending 2 sessions per week on average % of eligible children attending 3 sessions per week on average % of eligible children attending 4 sessions per week on average Average attendance of each participating child to after school sessions (e.g. on average WESS members are attending **% of available sessions)

Other Primary Schools

Secondary School

09/1 0

10/11

11/12

12/13

09/10

10/11

11/12

12/13

76%

10/11

11/12

12/13

28%

15%

10%

31%

87%

36%

27%

58%

27%

50%

57%

53%

100%

20%

100%

69%

59%

46%

09/10

Secondary provision started June 2010

35%

N/A

69%

54%

Within Faith Primary School, we can also see similar improvements in attendance with 62% of children attending 9 or more sessions a week as shown in Table Thirteen: Table Fourteen: Immersion and Reach (Faith Primary) Faith Primary School Number of sessions available to eligible children per week, in school time (KS1 and KS2 only) Total number of eligible children for out of school sessions % of eligible children on average attending 9 or more sessions per week Frequency of attendance at after school sessions (% of available sessions)

9/10

10/11

11/12

12/13

64%

45%

62%

46%

55%

75%

16%

78%

100% of eligible children have performed in a minimum of three performances, with just less than a quarter performing in 11 or more. This is a significant commitment to active engagement in out of school activity and demonstrates that the emphasis of the programme on building the commitment of children and families is working effectively. Table Fifteen: Participation in Performance Programme Performances % of children performing in a minimum of 3 performances % of children performing in a minimum of 4 performances % of children performing in a minimum of 5 performances % of children performing in a minimum of 6 performances % of children performing in a minimum of 7 performances % of children performing in a minimum of 9 performances % of children performing in a minimum of 11 performances

4.8.

12/13 100% 78% 77% 48% 34% 30% 23%

Programme Engagement and Expansion The In Harmony Liverpool programme has expanded significantly since the beginning of the programme and there are many different ways in which children can now engage. Chamber Ensembles and After School Activity As well the Orchestra being at the centre of In Harmony, there are many opportunities for children to develop their ensemble playing after school through chamber groups. For years 2 and 3, these take the form of ‘Mini Strings’ – an after school group that offers another opportunity to play, fun with musicianship games, and for the Year 3 group especially a chance to start developing playing in several parts as a lead in to chamber music. Once children reach Year 4, they have a range of options available to them. They can choose to learn an additional Brass, Percussion, (and from September 2013) Wind instrument. They can also continue to develop their ensemble playing by joining West Everton Junior Strings, access brass and orchestral percussion ensembles, and establish smaller ensembles such as quartets and quintets. Performances for these groups as standalone ensembles are central to the children’s enjoyment and progression and all groups are encouraged to perform locally or at major events at least once per term. For many, it is more regular than this. These performances all culminate in an annual chamber music concert at St Georges Hall Concert Room in Liverpool, the beautiful venue that also hosts Royal Liverpool Philharmonic’s chamber series. It is a spectacular venue both in terms of its physical grandeur, and also the wonderful acoustic that it possesses. Many of the children have had the opportunity to see brilliant musical artists such as the Simon Bolivar String Quartet, Tasmin Little, and the Belcea Quartet perform in this venue, and it is very powerful for the children to then have the opportunity to perform on the same stage. It is a real driver of musical excellence, as the children can hear themselves individually and as a group with such clarity in this environment. A highlight of this year’s concert was the first performance of the Percussion Ensemble. They learnt ‘Jamaican Rumba’ by ear, and performed it from memory with technical and musical flair, much to the delight of the audience. West Everton Junior Strings continued to have many different opportunities to perform, which was very much a motivating factor behind attendance and satisfaction 40

levels in the group. Following demand from the children, the rehearsal was increased from 1 hour to 90 minutes, giving time to learn harder parts and pieces selected by the children. Performance wise, one of the highlights was performing in a live webstreaming concert. This was based at Epic TV Studios in Norwich, led by Sistema Norwich and with participants from In Harmony Lambeth joining them at the venue. Our Junior Strings then streamed into the concert, performing one solo piece and two pieces alongside the orchestra that had assembled in Norwich. The live web streaming technicalities (expertly handled by the Junior Strings Director Merlyn Sturt) meant that the children had periods of inactivity followed by bursts of having to be really focused, and they performed well in this new and exciting setup. This will hopefully be the first of many such opportunities as In Harmony and Sistema continues to grow not just in the UK but around the world. This year has seen the continuation of West Everton Teacher Strings on Monday evenings. This continues to be a successful and regularly attended part of the In Harmony timetable. In the summer term, with the focus on SATS within the school, and the focus on the BBC Proms repertoire, this had a knock on effect on after school attendance, however, with discussions in joint staff meeting, it is obvious the teachers still feel this is a valuable opportunity for them, and will reengage with this from September 2013. Brass This year saw a new intake of children keen to learn a brass instrument alongside their string provision. This took the form of two after school lessons a week for those attending Faith Primary, and one lesson a week (with additional responsibility to continue practice and learning at home) for Super Brass, our secondary brass ensemble. November 2012 saw the Brass students have a special workshop with Tine Thing Helseth, a Norwegian trumpet soloist who was performing with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and was keen to come and work with our young musicians. This was a real thrill for the children, and they performed what they had work on for family and friends, which for many was the first time they had performed on their brass instrument in public. This stood them in good stead for the chamber concert later in the month, where they performed Brass Tutor Eve Harrison’s arrangement of the ‘Theme from Rocky’ with much enthusiasm and panache, and they were thrilled with the result. Other highlights include being the featured section in our arrangement of the Finale from Dvorak’s New World Symphony in the March 2013 concert in Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, and performing Mussorgsky’s ‘Great Gate at Kiev’ and Stravinsky’s Finale from ‘The Firebird’ alongside the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra at the BBC Proms. The children overall have been extremely committed to both brass groups, with attendance over the whole year averaging 71%, with all children classed as attending regularly. The introduction and inclusion of the brass ensemble coaches has been vital for inspiration, energy and aspiration. Some of the boys especially relish spending time with Rhys Owens (Principal Trumpet) and Simon Cowen (Principal Trombone) and enjoy talking about them and what they do when they are not in class.

Rhys in particular took it upon himself to help the brass section through a fast-paced proms rehearsal, offering to point and play the In Harmony brass parts to really support their experience. We look forward to continuing to build these relationships next year, and also allowing more opportunities for Eve, Rhys and Simon to jointly discuss teaching methods and approaches. West Everton String Quartet For the String Quartet (the eldest and longest standing In Harmony participants), this was a defining year for them. November saw In Harmony Liverpool’s first ever participation in a residential weekend, where the West Everton String Quartet made the journey by train to Buxton to join in a chamber music weekend at the Whitehall Centre. The rehearsals were intense, with 4 to 5 hours of rehearsal built into each day, with a mixture of coaching from a team of professional musicians, as well as some times when the quartet would have to rehearse on their own – a new challenge. The group found this big step up in intensity challenging, but really grew into it as the weekend progressed and performed to a very high standard at the final concert on the Sunday afternoon. This appeared to build their confidence and that intensity solidified many core chamber music and leadership skills in a short period of time. It was motivating for the quartet to see other children of a similar age performing to a very high standard. West Everton Super Strings (WESS) Deputy Artistic Director Alex Dunn writes about the development of West Everton Super Strings this year: “We have made a number of changes to Super Strings over the course of the year. Firstly we extended rehearsal times, going from 4:30-5:30pm to 4-5:30pm on Tuesdays and 4-5:30pm to 4-6pm on Thursdays. The level the children had reached with their playing meant repertoire was now longer and more complex and we felt that in order to continue to push their own playing technique as well as learn repertoire for orchestra we needed more time. We spoke to parents about this possibility at the Parents’ Open Evening in December and with a very positive response we went ahead with this for the summer term. Extending the rehearsals also allows for a break each session, which is valuable social time for the group. The extra time also means RLPO Ensemble Coaches can go into more depth with the children, something they were keen to do. The other major change again happened in the Summer term. At this point we invite all Year 6s to join WESS, however, even with these potential new members we were still looking at a very unbalanced orchestra, with a shortfall of violins. As this affects the repertoire we can play and the sound of the orchestra significantly we decided to offer a limited number of spaces to Year 5 violins. We wanted to make sure this was seen as a special opportunity, so we offered auditions to those interested to ensure we maintained the standard of playing that WESS was achieving. This was the first time we had done any kind of audition on In Harmony Liverpool, but the process itself was successful. Six children decided to audition, all coming along to the Friary afterschool to play a piece and do some bowing variations for us. One of the boys came with a friend for moral support and another asked if his friend could go first as he knew he was nervous. Some came at lunchtime beforehand to prepare and their responses to questions about why they wanted to join WESS were very positive and demonstrated maturity. They included: playing 42

harder pieces, playing with the older children and improving their playing. We then phoned them all that evening to let them know of their success. Parents and children alike were all very excited and there was a buzz going round the school that week with one Year 2 child talking to me about the Year 5 success! Since the auditions there has been mixed take-up from those Year 5s. The majority of them began with excellent commitment, noticeably more than the new Year 6s who hadn’t auditioned. However, with a two week half-term and numerous school trips as well as one child being away this petered out slightly after half-term before reviving towards the end of term. One noticeable trait of the Year 5s is a big appetite to learn harder parts and they are very keen to progress quickly. For them, the challenge has been to polish everything to a higher level and pay more attention to detail. The addition of the Year 5s and 6s also required some adjustment from the previous WESS members who had by then gelled well as a group. There was some surprise from the older ones at how quick the younger ones were at learning the music, but some positive relationships have developed and the sound the orchestra can now create is more satisfying. Expanding the orchestra in this way meant we felt more regular staff were needed, so in addition to Merlyn (viola) and Mary (double bass) each doing one session a week, RLPO violinist Sally Anne Anderson came each Tuesday to work with the violins. This allowed us more flexibility for sectionals, to push some of the more advanced players a bit further and also for me to follow up immediately on children who hadn’t made it to the rehearsal. This regular and consistent sectional coaching will become even more important next year as we move away from lessons in school for secondary school children. This year we continued offering children at local secondary schools, North Liverpool Academy and Notre Dame Catholic College, lessons in school with In Harmony tutors, however, it continued to become more apparent that these lessons weren’t always the best use of time. Following consultation with our young people, from September 2013, lessons will be integrated into the afterschool sessions which will be extended again to go from 4-6 on Tuesdays as well as Thursdays, allowing us to create a more complete program.” Composition This year also saw the introduction of Composition into the In Harmony curriculum for the first time. This was in order to give students access to a different creative experience and provide for them an outlet for their individual musical voice and expression. Eve Harrison, one of the In Harmony musicians, is a composer with considerable experience and creative skills in this area. Two sessions were offered each week, one for Year 4 and one for Year 5 and 6 combined, and where possible this was linked in with curriculum. Projects for the year included designing melodies, creating Graphic scores, exploring Ostinati, a semi-improvised approach to musical direction, song-writing, and creating fanfares. Many of these subjects involved close working with class teachers Miss Carney and Mr Fraser, and one such example was the Year 4 project around World War II song-writing. Eve Harrison explains:

“Following a successful link with the Year 5/6 Space topic I was keen to link in with Year 4. Miss Carney shared with me her plans for the term and I described previous song writing projects I’d run in other settings. The idea was to start the project with a class trip to inspire the song lyrics and then tell stories / descriptions of events they had learned about, using their imagination to put themselves in the position of people at the time. We used stories and pictures, sang WWII songs to set the scene and gradually gathered words for lyrics. The class chose styles, tempo, chords and melody notes for their various phrases, which we layered in a 4 part song. Miss Carney and I co-delivered this project, which worked really well as she could provide insight into the literacy skills and angles that the class were familiar with, and this way of delivering would be great to explore again in the future. The repetition, questioning, discussion, singing, imaginative approach to the topic (allowing the learning to stay with them and be more in depth) and the embedding of composition into their daily learning were very successful outcomes.” This work also provided opportunities for children to see their finished product as composers, so that they not only enjoyed and learnt throughout the process, but could be proud of their achievements and could have something tangible upon completion. This was achieved in a variety of ways, from creating graphic scores to display on the wall in the music room, to creating a CD using their artwork as the front cover, to creating individualized printouts of their work on ‘Sibelius’ software. This is something that the team plan to continue and expand in the year ahead. The work in composition highlights the importance the In Harmony team place on creativity within the learning environment. This is particularly shown in the compositions the children create, but the creative approach extends further than this. Improvisation is supported and encouraged in lessons and orchestra, children’s creative input is applied to technical exercises and warm-ups, children and young people have an input into the repertoire that is chosen to be learnt and performed, and they are also involved in the creative process of preparing promotional material for the concerts such as posters and programme notes. This diversification of the programme demonstrates the expansion in opportunity for the children, the sensitivity of the team to the children’s diverse needs and highlights the fact that the In Harmony programme is not a static model but is one that stays flexible. The musical attainment of the children is impressive and is testimony to the fact that the team place the needs of the children at the heart of all decision making and the increasingly close working relationships between the In Harmony team, the teachers and the RLP musicians who are now engaging with the programme continues to provide enriching opportunities for development and growth. 4.9.

Wellbeing: Wellbeing surveys have been undertaken by the evaluation team with the case study pupils on nine occasions since In Harmony began: Feb, July and November 2010; February, June and December 2011; March and November 2012; and July 2013 (Detailed scores are available separately to this report). Pupil wellbeing scores have continued to improve overall during the life of the programme to date most notably in relation to trying hard with schoolwork and wanting to do well. The case study pupils’ aggregate responses indicate that for the majority of the areas questioned, a more positive response continues to be reported as the programme progresses, which may well suggest a general improvement in pupil wellbeing. More recently a generally more positive response to ‘I help other 44

people’, ‘I carry on trying even when I find something hard’, and ‘I like coming to school’ has been recorded across all age groups. There has also been a notable improvement in positive responses to ‘I like doing music at school’ and ‘I like doing music out of school’ across all ages. This change in aspiration and cooperation is strongly supported by the views of all teaching staff and parents, and by improvement in reported levels of concentration and recorded attainment. It was noted in June 2011 that aggregate responses indicated that, for the majority of areas questioned, scores had in general slightly reduced or plateaued at a lower level than those recorded in July 2010. This was reported in the September Evaluation Update as ‘early signs of an apparent waning of enthusiasm and engagement of some pupils, particularly noticeable in older pupils’. It was felt that it could suggest some tailing off of interest as the programme became a ‘normal’ part of school life. It was recommended that this pattern, and its apparent link to repertoire and differential skills development, required some attention by the In Harmony team in partnership with the school. A review of the programme’s classroom delivery and orchestral rehearsals was subsequently undertaken to ensure that delivery continued to be fresh and engaging. This resulted in a recorded continuing recovery in overall pupils’ aggregate responses. Scores have not only now recovered to their earlier levels, but in many areas have improved and continue at a higher level. This is supported by verbal comments in the case study group sessions, which is very encouraging: •

‘It’s much better rehearsing separately’ (Yr 4 Pupil)

•

‘Rehearsals are great now – we practice on our own first’ (Yr 3 Pupil)

•

‘Concerts are good because you get to express yourself and to be proud’ Yr 3 pupil)

•

‘Everyone gets on better. It’s good to be mixed ages’ (Yr 5 pupil)

•

‘I sometimes teach my teacher’ (Yr 6 pupil)

•

‘We help the reception kids on the yard – not just playing with our own ages – people get on better’ (Yr 6 pupil)

Parents also continue to be very positive about their children’s development and wellbeing: •

‘The confidence in the kids now is amazing’

•

‘They are learning new things all the time’

•

‘The kids are more mature, grown up, confident’

•

‘What better start to life than In Harmony?’

Measures of case study pupils’ wellbeing will continue to be monitored, and changes tracked, over the ongoing In Harmony programme. Throughout the academic year, the In Harmony Project Staff have also undertaken regular whole-school wellbeing surveys with all children participating in the programme. These were undertaken as follows: •

July 2012 (all participants from Year 2 upwards – 79 children total)

• • •

December 2012 (all participants from Year 2 upwards – 89 children in total) March 2013 (all participants from Year 3 upwards – 74 children in total) June 2013 (all participants from Year 1 upwards – 97 children in total).

The responses from the 12 surveys undertaken since March 2009 have been collated and merged (Appendix Four). The In Harmony Team has highlighted five questions that they feel relate closely to emotional wellbeing (aspiration, teamwork, confidence, happiness, resilience): • • • • •

I help other people I carry on trying even if I find something hard I try hard with my school work I want to do well I feel happy at school

The average response to the questions across all children surveyed (1 - Strongly Disagree and 5 - Strongly Agree) has been analysed. They have also detailed the percentage of children responding positively to each question (Agree or Strongly Agree). This is however only comparable for the most recent surveys as that level of detail from surveys pre-July 2012 is not known. Analysis shows some interesting trends with an ongoing sustainment of reported improved wellbeing in most areas, highlighting the continuing positive impact of the In Harmony programme on the reported wellbeing of pupils in Faith Primary. These results should be treated with some caution at this stage as the whole school surveys and the case group surveys are not directly comparable. It is suggested that there is perhaps a need during 2013/14 to correlate the wellbeing data gathered from the case study children against the whole school surveys to cross reference and check reliability. Throughout the year, the responses from the surveys have been used to provoke actions within the Project Staff. The responses relating to music (e.g. I like doing In Harmony at school) were discussed within the team, and provoked discussion on those specific children and what may have affected their response. This in some cases led to changes in lesson groups, and/or changing delivery style for some children. During the year the In Harmony management team have also worked closely with the Faith Primary School staff to support the wellbeing of the students, using the wellbeing surveys. The project manager analysed the responses from the surveys, and highlighted any concerning responses. This information was shared with the School Headteacher and Pastoral team, who then took relevant action.

During the autumn term, a wellbeing survey was undertaken with all students within the In Harmony programme. The responses were analysed by the Project Manager, and a number of concerning responses were noticed. These related to the questions ‘I feel happy in school’, ‘I feel safe at school’ and ‘I feel happy at home’. The Project Manager noted any child who responded negatively to those questions (Disagree or Strongly Disagree) and informed the Headteacher and Pastoral staff of these responses. From this list, the Headteacher and Pastoral staff identified 5 children that they felt concerned by this negative response. The Learning Mentor put together a programme of sessions that she then ran with these children, to develop a greater understanding of the issues they were facing. This resulted in improved results from the same 5 children in the wellbeing survey undertaken the following term. The Project Manager states: “Undertaking the wellbeing surveys so regularly has assisted us in measuring the impact of In Harmony Liverpool, but has also increased the close working of the project staff and school pastoral staff. The actions following the surveys, and relationship between the project and school pastoral staff demonstrates that both teams are always working collaboratively, in the best interest of the children.” Child A was a keen and committed member of In Harmony, attending more than one after school club regularly since the programme began. However the team noticed a marked decrease in the child’s attendance during the autumn term, and discussed their concerns with the school Learning Mentor. This provoked the Learning Mentor to work with the child and their parents to ascertain what the issue was. As the Project staff and the parent in question had a good relationship, combined with the support from the Learning Mentor, it resulted in the child being able to take part in one of our many major events this year. Without this combined approached from the Project and School Staff, the child’s involvement in this event would not have been possible. Mandy Burvill has continued to work with individual students throughout this year, delivering child-led sessions to children identified by the In Harmony team alongside the Faith Primary staff. Mandy has worked with a total of 11 children from Faith Primary School in this academic year and has joined the rest of the In Harmony team at reflection sessions to feedback her observations and comments. The team have regularly discussed wellbeing throughout the academic year, with a portion of the weekly team meeting designated for discussion on the children. This allowed the team to have time to reflect on each child, and formulate team-wide action plans where necessary. Wellbeing was also a specific topic of discussion at the Joint Faith/In Harmony staff meeting in June. In addition, the NFER commissioned research for the national In Harmony programme included a pupil questionnaire with years 3 -6 and this was carried out in April 2013. The results are interesting and allow us to benchmark Faith Primary School against the other schools surveyed. The results show that there is a significant difference between Faith Primary and the average across the other schools in several key areas and triangulate our own findings: • • • •

90% of Faith Primary School pupils stated that they tried hard at school in comparison to 66% average across the other schools surveyed; 100% of Faith Primary School pupils want to get a job (against 69% average); 92% think they will have a happy life (against 85%); 72% always do well at school (against 49%); 47

• •

69% are a happy person (against 54%); and 92% carry on learning (against 85%).

4.10. Health data Health data for all pupils attending Faith Primary School was originally collected through a partnership with the Liverpool Primary Care Trust (PCT) Information Management Technology Team. This was collected from 26 GP practices over the first two years of the programme with baseline data going back to April 2008. However the recent disestablishment of the PCT and the consequent structural and personnel changes has meant that data has not been forthcoming for the past eighteen months. However it is intended that the continuing collection of data to track any changes in the health profile of pupils attending Faith Primary school will be raised with the recently created Liverpool NHS Clinical Commissioning Group in the near future. 4.11. Progression beyond Faith – tracking data The difficulty of tracking the educational and wider development of the children moving to Secondary school continues as altogether there are now 55 ‘graduates’ attending 11 different schools. A revised approach was adopted in 2012/13 as described in the Evaluation Framework in Appendix One. In total 35 secondary school age young people are now regularly involved with In Harmony, having instrumental lessons and attending the after school programme of activity. From the data contained in Table Thirteen we can see interesting developments in commitment from secondary aged pupils in 2012/ 2013. In 2011-/ 2012, the average attendance at Super Strings rehearsals was 54%. This increased to 78% this year. 8 secondary aged children are now attending over 4 hours of In Harmony music making after school, in addition to their own after-school commitments. This is attending a combination of the following secondary activities: • • • •

West Everton Super Strings (3.5 hours); Brass sectional (30 mins); Percussion sectional (45 mins); and West Everton String Quartet (45 mins).

The team believes the increase in continuation is due to the following: • • • • •

The development of a coherent secondary school programme within In Harmony to meet the needs of the young musicians; The ongoing development of West Everton Super Strings, and their performance schedule, which is seen by children as a natural progression route on leaving primary school; The increased commitment and desire of pupils to continue their music making locally with their friends; The growing numbers of young people transitioning from primary school in West Everton leading to a stronger ensemble; and The partnership with Liverpool Music Support Service and each secondary school Head of Music to identify the appropriate progression route for individual young people.

It is recommended that this data continue to be examined by the In Harmony team throughout the coming year, and that the team continue to give consideration to how pupils can be supported to continue with their musical engagement after leaving Faith or the other schools. The team have observed other interesting changes during this year with the secondary aged pupils: “Our String Quartet members (the four eldest members of the programme) have blossomed into a close-knit, committed ensemble, with the four children attending all sessions regularly, often juggling a number of other commitments to do so. Despite pressures of exams, we have seen their attendance continue to be regular, and they have developed into talented young musicians. Given this, we decided to take that group on a regional Quartet residential weekend in November to develop their ensemble skills and introduce them to other young musicians the same age as them. More recently, the quartet attended the Southbank Centre Nucleo weekend as mentors, supporting and helping young musicians from other Sistema Inspired programmes.” Table Sixteen: Progression Data Secondary Progression and commitment Number of children moved up from Year 6 into Year 7 whilst involved with In Harmony in given year

09/10 (graduating Jul 09)

10/11 (graduating July 2010)

11/12 (graduating July 2011)

12/13 (graduating July 2012)

Number Number of secondary aged children continuing with music with In Harmony in given year (as at March 31st in given year) Number of eligible secondary aged children continuing with music with In Harmony (out of cumulative total in row 17) Average attendance of regular secondary aged WESS attenders

As percentage

Number

As percentage

Number

As percentage

Number

As percentage

13%

60%

71%

81%

13%

39%

56%

42% 78%

4.12. Observations from Interviews with Children at Faith Primary: Interviews with the case study pupils in Faith School continue to reinforce several key observations made by the evaluation team and reported by the classroom teaching staff. Evidence of a waning of the children’s enthusiasm for the programme was reported in the 2012 Interim report with a suggestion that this might have been attributable to the ‘normalisation’ of the activity as it became part of everyday school life, rather than the ‘special’ activity that it was when it was first introduced to the school. It was suggested that this may be a reflection of the ‘very real challenge of building a culture of persistence, hard work and resilience that is required to succeed in 49

learning a musical instrument. In Harmony is intended to be challenging this social phenomenon by encouraging sustained engagement and application. The stage that has been reached is therefore a very exciting and challenging stage for the programme. Deep seated cultures, values, attitudes and aspirations need to be challenged’. A review of the programme’s classroom delivery and orchestral rehearsals was subsequently undertaken by the In Harmony team and the school to ensure that delivery continued to be fresh and engaging. This has resulted in a number of positive outcomes as evidenced in recent Case Study pupils’ responses: •

‘Rehearsals are great – we practice on our own first’ (Yr 3 pupil)

•

‘The orchestra is feeling better’ (Yr 4 pupil)

•

‘It’s much better rehearsing separately’ (Yr 4 pupil)

•

‘We are doing new fingering and new pieces’ (year 6 pupil)

•

‘The concerts are important because it makes us rehearse and the adults come to see us’ (Yr 4 pupil)

•

‘Concerts are good because you get to express yourself and to be proud’ Yr 3 pupil)

•

‘Everyone gets on better. It’s good to be mixed ages’ (Yr 5 pupil)

•

‘I sometimes teach my teacher’(Yr 6 pupil)

•

‘We help the reception kids on the yard – not just playing with our own ages – people get on better’ (Yr 6 pupil)

The profile of the work, and working with professional musicians, continues to be a major inspiration to the pupils: •

‘Julian Lloyd Webber was great. He is famous.’ (Yr 3 pupil)

•

‘Julian Lloyd Webber was amazing – we are very grateful because other people don’t get the chance. Some people can’t afford him.’ (Yr 4 pupil)

•

‘In the rehearsal with the ‘Phil it was hard – quite fast. I got lost sometimes with my counting’ (Yr 4 pupil)

•

‘It was amazing because I just watched their fingers and they were really fast’ (Yr Yr 4 pupil)

•

‘When you are older we can look back and say ‘I played at the Albert Hall’’ (Yr 4 pupil)

•

‘I like it when we play fast – if you get lost there is always someone behind you to help you’ (Yr 4 pupil)

•

‘Playing in the Albert Hall is brilliant – Olly Murs played there. In future we might play there as professional musicians’ (Yr 4 pupil)

•

‘When we first started playing we had cardboard instruments – now we are playing in the Albert Hall!’ (Yr 4 pupil)

The In Harmony team continue to provide positive role models for the children and the children admire them. Providing positive male role models is felt to be particularly important as there is only one male member of the classroom teaching staff. It is interesting to note that following a recent rehearsal with the RLPO one pupil asked why there were no women in the brass section, and asked if they were not allowed to play, and also why there was only one female cellist. Issues of gender and equality might usefully be explored in future. There is still some disconnect between the pupils’ experience in the classroom and that in music sessions. Pupils are also aware of a difference in the approach and style of the In Harmony team as opposed to the classroom teachers: •

‘All teachers teach you what to do. Miss teaches you work, the others teach you music’ (Yr 4 pupil)

•

‘We are doing different things (playing instruments or writing and sums) so we have different relationships’ (Yr 4 pupil)

•

‘With music teachers we only have to concentrate on one thing at a time – our other teachers teach us all different things’ (Yr 3 pupil)

•

‘We can move around more with music teachers’ (Yr 5 pupil)

•

‘Music teaching seems separate in school, I don’t think of them as teachers’ (Yr 6 pupil)

The physical demands of the experience are a constant thread through conversations with pupils: •

‘The worst thing is having to stand up for a long time playing’ (Yr 6 pupil)

•

‘Fingers are great’ (Yr 3 pupil)

•

‘It sometimes feels like your fingers are going to drop off’ (Yr 3 pupil)

•

‘I sometimes want to sing as well as play – Like One Direction’ (Yr 3 pupil)

•

‘It’s worst when I’m tired, or my fingers and arms get tired’ (Yr 4 pupil)

•

‘Singing and dancing are embarrassing – I’m too sleepy to dance in the morning’ (Yr 6 pupil)

There is a continuing issue in that different levels of attainment can appear to hold some older or more able pupils back at times, and this gap will keep extending as the programme progresses in coming years. This must continue to be monitored and addressed if the children are to remain motivated and engaged. •

‘Sometimes it’s boring because we have to be quiet and wait for others to catch up to us – we have to keep practicing things we already know’ (Yr 5 pupil)

The team appear to be aware of this tension and it will always be a delicate balance of achieving the inclusion sought alongside the need to create opportunities that motivate and develop progression opportunities. In Harmony Liverpool is not, and never has been, a static model. As it progresses into year 5 and beyond, the challenges of differing levels of ability will increase and there will be an ongoing need for the

team to remain alert, to make relevant and appropriate changes and to respond as they have been doing to the differential demands of the children. The social context of the pupils is never far away: ‘I sometimes can’t get to trumpet because I have to help my mum with cooking the tea and cleaning the house’ (Yr 4 pupil) 4.13. Parent Focus Groups Meetings with parent focus groups have been held over the life of the In Harmony Liverpool programme, and most recently in July 2013. The focus groups reveal widespread support and immense pride amongst parents who remain a major resource for the programme and whose comments triangulate the above findings in relation to improvements in the children. The focus groups bear out the observations made by the team, school staff and the children themselves about enhanced confidence, aspiration and wellbeing: •

‘The confidence in the kids now is amazing’

•

‘They are learning new things all the time. They are wanting to carry on after primary school’

•

‘The kids have changed in their approach to the environment and to other people’

•

‘They have learned to breathe, listen and take instruction – what they learn in music transfers into home life’

•

‘The kids are more mature at home – more grown up and confident. I don’t get so much backchat.’

4.14. Beacon Primary In February 2012 we began tracking a group of children from Beacon CE Primary School. We have interviewed four groups of children on three separate occasions: February 2012; January and July 2013. Two groups are from years 1-3 and two are from years 4-6, half of whom are taking part in In Harmony and half of whom are not. This was to establish a comparator group for the programme. The delivery model at Beacon school is significantly different to that at Faith primary in that only some pupils are currently eligible to take part in In Harmony as it is post code specific, resulting in some pupils not being able to participate. Eligible pupils receive some tuition in school and also walk down to the Friary to take part in rehearsals with pupils from Faith primary and secondary schools. The children who are not eligible for participation in the In Harmony programme speak positively about their current engagement with music: •

“We sing in assembly and got the Sing Up Gold Award”

•

“I like playing my recorder but would like to play the drums, guitar and piano ... maybe not the violin though as it would be too hard!” 52

•

“I love music, it makes me feel joyful, happy, calm and safe”

•

“Music makes you feel all tingly and funky”

There is a regret that they are not part of In Harmony but respect for the children that do take part: •

“I missed out and wish I could take part. The instruments make great sounds”

•

“I am proud of those people who have stuck with it – I couldn’t catch up.”

•

“I am a street away .... “

•

“I think it should be for everyone, the whole of Liverpool ... there could be some good musicians out there ...”

The children that do take part are appreciative of being able to do so: •

“It’s a great opportunity and I will always have it”

•

“You don’t want it to stay the same in life. You need challenges and for things to get harder”

•

“In 3 years I have come from not playing to playing in the Albert Hall”

They talk of the importance of the concerts, the excitement and nervousness they feel when performing and the pride that they feel in learning new pieces and pushing themselves to move up a level. Several talked about careers in music with one noting: •

“I’m already a violin professional. I play for chocolate,”

The orchestra is important to them as is making new friends outside of the school: •

“It’s very important – you have to play your part”

•

“I like meeting new people and making new friends and playing with everyone else.”

•

“We sound like a proper orchestra now that we have percussion and brass”

There is a strong work ethic in this school, that is reflective of a culture within the school community which is impressive and respected by the children. This would support the further extension of the In Harmony programme into Beacon School and would enable the programme to be complimentary to an already strong music programme. •

“I like school and think it is a good school”

•

“Homework is good .... it’s like practice”

There is a teaching assistant who is assigned to the In Harmony pupils who accompanies them to the sessions at the Friary and personally escorts them afterwards. She provides a unique link between the school, the pupils, In Harmony and the home, and is a powerful advocate for the programme in the community as well as providing a direct feedback link to parents and guardians on a weekly basis. The school is now paying for her time outside of In Harmony as a consequence of her work with the In Harmony pupils. 53

She continues to talk very enthusiastically about the In Harmony programme: •

‘ I can see the difference in attitude in the kids – they concentrate much better in the orchestra – they get a lot of praise and positive feedback’

•

‘The kids sitting next to the members of the RLPO was the best thing ever – the kids were in awe – they were really engaged’

•

‘My ambition is for all pupils to have the opportunity. The difference is that our kids choose to do it and so they want to do it. They all love doing it and are all committed’

•

Some kids are really disappointed because they are just out of the right post code area – some parents are upset because they are just one street away – lots of parents are envious.’

•

‘The kids are often very tired – they rehearse Monday and Friday evenings. On Monday they have breakfast club as well in the morning and on Friday they have swimming too – sometimes they don’t finish until 5.30 – and they have to walk up and down the big hill too.’

•

‘The kids get a great sense of achievement and they are more positive.’

•

‘I encourage them to practice and to take their music and instruments home. I live in the area. I see them all the time. Sometimes they come round to practice. I am always encouraging them and checking – seeing what they have been doing’

•

‘I am passionate about the kids being able to access other things. The only way out is through education. If you are passionate about something you can achieve anything.

•

‘Some children have bought their own instruments because they are not part of In Harmony’

•

‘The kids perform to the rest of the school and their parents outside of In Harmony’

•

Child B’s parents and teacher have all commented on them being part of In Harmony and how the child’s group work and confidence has really improved because of In Harmony. The child was very, very shy but is now much better because they enjoy working as part of a group with In Harmony.’

•

‘I engage the parents when I drop the kids off – I tell them what they did in rehearsal today and make sure they know what is going on – and that gets them involved too.’

•

‘Child C has Asperger syndrome – they are on the special needs spectrum. Child C has really come on now and really loving the music – this child has had the biggest change in behaviour and attitude. The child is a superstar in the music lessons – sitting still for an hour on a chair. Every kid on the spectrum should do music – this child didn’t want to come to school previously. Child C has also had a positive adult male role model’

•

‘More parents are now getting involved because of In Harmony – they are forming other social groups. One child’s mum is starting to talk to others – she was previously very isolated.’

The role of the teaching assistant, who provides a link between the pupils the school and the community, is a very compelling one that is apparently having a significant impact on the programme in Beacon school. Beacon School staff clearly recognise the value and impact of the In Harmony programme on the pupils involved: •

‘The pupils are more confident and enthusiastic as a result of In Harmony’

•

‘It gives them a great sense of belonging and pride – it is a very positive and powerful experience. They are all more confident in singing in public’

•

‘Are the pupils keeping up? – because they get less time during the week than children at Faith’

There are also a number of very positive suggestions from Beacon school on how the programme might be improved: •

‘Regular feedback on how the pupils are doing would be very useful and welcomed.’

•

‘What could the school do in the curriculum to support the programme? Extra rehearsals?’

•

‘How does the special needs spectrum feed into the In Harmony sessions?’

•

‘How do parents’ views feed in?’

•

‘The music coordinator in Beacon school could meet regularly with the IH team.’

•

‘Is there anything from music theory tests or grade exams that could feed into pupils going up to secondary school?’

•

‘Could other Beacon staff be involved in observing IH sessions? ‘

•

‘How can music be embedded in the curriculum? How can it become central to the curriculum rather than just on the outside? How can we ‘mash’ music with curriculum areas – how can it be knitted with other subjects?’

The headteacher at Beacon School has expressed a keen interest in looking at curriculum modelling and how music might be more embedded within the curriculum, and is very open to integrating music as part of curriculum delivery. It is recommended that this could usefully form a significant part of the development of the In Harmony Liverpool approach.

Interim Findings: Faith Primary School

5.1.

The impact of In Harmony on Faith Primary School11 and its wider community continues to be hugely positive, and the learning community is evolving, with both pupils and teachers commenting on improved relationships throughout the year. The growing sense of ownership identified in the year three report has continued to evolve and the staff team at Faith remain committed, engaged and enthused. Teachers continue to report an ongoing overall improvement in pupil performance, behaviour and self-confidence, and improved relations within the whole school community and attribute this to the In Harmony programme. It remains important that teachers and staff are learning alongside the children and this is also being felt by the In Harmony musicians. One musician reported a session with a child when the musician made a mistake and the child commented: “Don’t worry, that’s fine.” It is important that children see learning as part of a lifelong process and this is one of the key elements to the Liverpool model that appears to have had a major impact on the culture of the school community.

5.2.

The Faith School demographic has begun to change with a noticeable increase in numbers in nursery and reception (currently 60) compared to 5 pupils in year 6. Teaching staff have suggested that a number of parents have recently stated that In Harmony was the main reason for choosing Faith school for their child. This will need to be tracked in coming years.

5.3.

The In Harmony team and the school staff have continued to work closely together and regular termly staff meetings have facilitated this process. These meetings provoked focussed discussion on key areas, and identified key actions that will be discussed and implemented where relevant during the next academic year. • • •

Is In Harmony where we want it to be? What is working and what could be improved? Motivation and Teamwork Parental Engagement and Children’s Wellbeing

“The joint meetings and ongoing informal discussions are indicative of the maturing relationship between the two professional teams – Faith School and In Harmony – recognising that through collaboration that draws on both teams’ professional expertise and knowledge, we can collectively be a major force for good in the community.”(IH Team Member) 5.4.

A series of interviews have been held with Faith primary school teachers over the life of the In Harmony programme and most recently in November 2012 and again in July 2013. Over the course of the programme there has been a marked change in the feedback from teachers and it has become apparent that staff now think more critically about how In Harmony impacts on the whole school rather than just the children. This is 11 It is important to state that, at this stage, no work has been done to assess the impact of In Harmony Liverpool on the Beacon CE Primary School. This does not seem to hold much relevance at this stage given the numbers of children involved in the programme but may become an important consideration moving forward.

felt to be extremely positive as it suggests that school staff have taken more ownership of the programme, developing their skills and confidence and desire to see better integration and, as a consequence, making more critical judgements about the programme. This is being harnessed and built upon by the In Harmony team and management. This joint working has been demonstrated in examples of co-delivery, curriculum development and shared planning and this collaborative effort seems to sit at the heart of the successful impact the programme is having on the children. Some key observations emerge from the interviews with teachers that demonstrate the critical thinking present and offer some pointers for ongoing improvement and learning: •

Differentiation in Skills Acquisition and Challenging the Children: o The separation of rehearsals has been welcomed, as ‘there is not such a basic starting point now’. o There is still a feeling that the more able children are not being challenged enough which affects behaviour, and also that ‘there is still a need for more differentiation of learning which some music staff seem resistant to’. Whilst it is acknowledged by teaching staff that there has, to a degree, been some movement in terms of differentiation, challenges remain.

•

Curriculum Pressure: o ‘The music is now all encompassing – it is part of the school and would be really missed if it wasn’t here, so much has changed to accommodate it’ o ‘Music is still seen as sacrosanct to a degree – it seems to be driven by deadlines and performances….. The music content is driven by concerts’ o The concentration on IH means that there are now no drama productions or nativity plays in school’

•

Cross Team Working: o ‘Joint staff meetings are good to hear other perspectives.’ o ‘Staff can find the joint meetings challenging because they have to face issues they would rather not – their role in lessons and the role of IH staff – they have to be honest – but they find them useful’. o The role of the classroom teacher in IH music sessions has been questioned, with some teachers reportedly finding it hard to remain motivated when they are not progressing and repeating work from previous years, sometimes feeling their time could be better spent on classroom activities. ‘Surely some teachers could be used to deliver some of the songs and rhythms after learning them for a year’ ‘Sometimes it feels like Groundhog day as lower down the school we are doing the same things every year’. Again classroom teaching staff report that they have started being used more recently, but there is still a degree of feeling that they could be more closely and productively involved ‘We could be used more in the orchestra – to help as teachers’. o ‘Could the classroom teachers be used in a teaching role more? Similar to the way that we would productively plan the time of a teaching assistant into a lesson?’ o ‘There could be more sharing of the IH teaching objectives with the pupils and classroom teachers. We need to be part of the planning process with 57

more briefing on the session or the content. There could be more team teaching and joint lessons. There should be more joint planning and a more formal approach to music and the curriculum’. There is a recognition that both teams would benefit from learning from each other. 5.5.

It is evident that the In Harmony team are aware of these challenges and that collectively the two teams are working hard to address them in an ongoing way. The school teaching staff continue to see the significant impact of the In Harmony programme on attainment, behaviour and wellbeing, and continue to see impact on the individual children they teach in relation to non-cognitive skills development, social development and attainment, there is however a far more critical edge to their thinking than in the early years of the programme. There is now far more questioning of management, teaching styles and approach. This supportive critical approach is to be welcomed, but will require ongoing monitoring, re-evaluation and readjustment of the programme and approach.

5.6.

We noted in 2011/12 that, “Once something becomes a ‘normal’ part of the way things are done, enthusiasm can wane. This appears to be happening and there is a need to address this on an ongoing basis to pre-empt disengagement. Some of this appears to relate to the differential levels of attainment and the difficulty of stretching pupils within the mixed groups and the orchestral model but there is also evidence from case study interviews that some of the solutions to this have brought challenges and may be perceived as excluding children. The team are aware of this danger and are addressing it.” Throughout 2012/13 much has been done to address this through programme differentiation and expansion and working approaches and the teaching staff recognise and value this. The importance of ongoing collective working that places the needs of the children at the heart of the work needs to continue to take place between teaching staff and the In Harmony team as, although changes have been made to accommodate difference and all parties agree that this has been successful, it will continue to challenge the programme and the school as the differential levels of attainment become greater between the children starting to play and those that have now been playing for 4.5 years. The interviews with children at The Beacon CE Primary School remain interesting in this context as the children do not see it as a normal part of school life at all and their enthusiasm and commitment remains consistently high.

5.7.

The relationship between teaching staff and In Harmony staff offers rich opportunities for professional development and curriculum planning. Both teams have a technical expertise that is complementary and continue to find ways of exploiting this for the benefit of the children. During this year much has been achieved in developing this two way process of skills sharing and this must continue to be built upon. The opportunity for the programme to combine the strengths of both professional skill sets to develop and embed a new and powerful approach to engagement and learning in schools remains rich. From a pedagogical perspective, there is evidence that the working methods of both teams are now being interrogated in meaningful and rich ways. There is also evidence of enhanced dialogue, communication and engagement and this is impacting well on the programme. All partners share a commitment to place the child at the centre of provision. There is evidence that the resources are being managed to support this. However, as we have 58

noted previously, given that the school staff team has no control over the resource, it remains important that the two teams continue to regenerate and refresh their shared vision to ensure that true partnership working continues to develop within a shared culture, management and commitment to the experience and development of the children and the school community. 5.8.

It is interesting to note that the two teams work together and yet separately and are managed separately. This differentiation is evident to the children who see the In Harmony musicians as different, calling them by their first names and clearly relating to them in a different way to the way they relate to the teachers. This brings many benefits as it provides the children with different role models, different voices and ears and different perspectives. There is clear evidence that the two teams communicate and collaborate effectively to generate good outcomes for the individual children.

5.9.

In relation to the curriculum, the two teams are constantly seeking to find ways to integrate music and the overall curriculum in relation to repertoire choices, topics and themes. However, at a deeper level it could be argued that the non cognitive and cognitive skills development, confidence and maturity that are observed by all parties places In Harmony centrally within the broad curriculum offer that children are experiencing.

Interim Findings: The Community “I have lived in West Everton since I was a baby, and never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine I would see our children and their teachers playing in an orchestra, on stage at the Philharmonic Hall, making such beautiful music together! We are so proud of our children and what they are achieving, and we can see the difference it’s making not just to them, but to our families and to our whole community. This is a little bit of heaven we’ve been given and we’re keeping tight hold of it and not letting go!” (Anne Roach, West Everton Community Council) “For our children and staff at Faith Primary to be taught by musicians from the Philharmonic, for them to become our friends, and for the Philharmonic to become like a second home to our community, is something very special. We’re all learning from each other, the educational attainment and health of the children is increasing dramatically, and classical music is no longer a world that we’re excluded from…it’s now our world, we love being in it, and we love having the opportunity to share it with others!” (Councillor Jane Corbett) Source: ‘In Harmony – In Unison’ Programme, Derry Millennium Forum, May 2013

6.1.

In 2012/13, significant changes appear to have occurred in the area of community engagement and empowerment. After 4 years of working within and with a community, the In Harmony team and the RLP are now perceived as a part of that community, not an outside benefactor bringing resources to it, but a part of it, ‘ours’. Language is very telling and during interviews and consultations, the evidence was clear that trust and ownership are strong and are creating a climate that over time will build social capital and community strength. It is evident that the involvement of the team in the community, the extended partnership working and the development of the programme to include activity that directly responds to community need has generated a much enhanced social development programme. It is the view of the evaluation team that the approach adopted has been both appropriate and successful. The community engagement aspects of the programme, including performances and early years activity are examples of activity but viewing the social development aspect of In Harmony solely from this perspective misses the important issue of ownership. Importantly, what we see in this fourth year is that the RLP and the In Harmony programme are not outside of the community but have become a part of it. It is no longer seen as just a school’s programme with some additional community benefit, but as a community owned, and increasingly community driven, programme that has grown and evolved organically. The children’s involvement in high profile events, such as the Derry concert and the BBC Prom, has increased the civic pride and support for the programme from local residents. The children’s orchestra and ensembles are owned as ‘our orchestra’ and the RLP is seen as the partner who has made this possible.

“The orchestra is at the heart of the community now ... the community are proud of the children and young people in a collective way rather than dividing them as individuals.” (IH Team Member) The evaluation team have consistently recommended that local residents need to be more actively involved in the programme, as engagement here could potentially provide a real context to engage local people in issues affecting them and the future of the local area. The challenge remains a real one but it would appear that In Harmony Liverpool has turned a significant corner in this fourth year. It is not simply a case of who the programme reaches but how it does so in order to attain maximum impact. The organic growth in engagement appears to be taking place slowly and from the bottom up rather than being in response to programmed activity that is targeted at key groups. There is still some way to go with this and there is evidence that some community members are seeking different ways of engaging and the team may wish to carry out some informal consultations, retaining some flexibility in budget and programme to accommodate ideas that emerge from within the community. Volunteering programmes have attracted some support, but there remains a need to address the engagement of community volunteers within the programme. Learning is being drawn from other music programmes such as Sistema Scotland and Liverpool Football Club programmes of work to support the team in finding new solutions. In Harmony Liverpool is a potentially powerful tool and a new approach that can galvanise and build social capital, putting more influence and opportunity in the hands of local people in support of the aspirations of national government agendas around developing and growing communities. The argument that In Harmony offers a sustainable model of community engagement and civic renewal has been well rehearsed in previous reports and this remains one of the most exciting, if challenging, opportunities faced by the team and the partners. 6.2.

The evaluation programme continues to record high levels of support for the In Harmony programme within the West Everton community: • • • •

Pride and continuing enthusiasm for the work is consistently evident in interviews, focus groups and surveys. Wellbeing surveys reveal residents continue to feel more involved in their community as a direct consequence of In Harmony. Parents continue to report improved relationships with their children and the school. The majority of residents are reporting that In Harmony has made them feel more positive about themselves and the future, and that they feel they have the ability to change their life.

Wider socio economic data comparing changes in West Everton with an area in Kirkdale is also being tracked, however it is still too early to draw any firm conclusions on the socio economic impact of the In Harmony programme in West Everton. This will continue to be analysed over the life of the programme. 6.3.

Community Wellbeing Tracking of the longitudinal impact of In Harmony Liverpool on community wellbeing is essential if it is to be fully understood and positioned to directly inform

local, regional and national policy development, particularly in the current economic and political climate. Tracking of the impact on community wellbeing to date has included: • • • • •

Wellbeing surveys Parents/carers’ focus groups Community focus groups In Harmony at Home Parent and babies/toddlers group

Community wellbeing surveys have been undertaken on five occasions (Dec ’09, Mar ’10, Jan ’11, Mar ’12, July ‘13). (Appendix Six) In the majority of areas respondents have returned increasingly positive responses since the baseline survey in 2009, and most recently notably in: •

I feel part of the West Everton Community

•

I feel involved in the community

•

I feel people from outside West Everton see the area in a positive way

•

I feel I have the ability to change my life

•

I feel my health is generally good

•

I give unpaid/voluntary help to a group, club or organisation in the local area

•

I am a member of a group that makes decisions that affect my local area

•

I have attended a concert by the RLPO

•

I listen to classical music

•

I have bought classical music

•

I have attended other cultural activities

This backs up the observations made above in paragraph 6.2. Self-determination and social capital are building within the community and In Harmony has played a key role in enabling and supporting this. Other areas that continue to return a consistently high score include: •

I have seen an improvement in the behaviour of children attending Faith Primary School

•

I feel hopeful about the future of the West Everton community

•

Through the IH project I feel more involved in the West Everton community

•

The IH project has given me a more positive relationship with Faith Primary

•

The IH project has given me a more positive relationship with my children

•

The IH project has made me feel more positive about myself and the future 62

Overall, since the initial survey in 2009, respondents are generally reporting feeling more involved in the community as a direct consequence of In Harmony. They are reporting more positive relations with their children and the school, as well as feelings of improved wellbeing and, more recently, feelings of positive selfdetermination and confidence in the future. The following quotes from a recent community focus group support this observation: • • • • • • •

‘In Harmony is the best thing that has ever happened here, it makes everyone feel great’ ‘We are so proud of the children, the school and the orchestra. We can all hold our heads up round here’ ‘I know loads of people who want to live here now so that they can get involved’ ‘It has challenged how people see our community - it makes people think twice about the area instead of just writing us off’ ‘It feels like we could do anything now’ ‘Everyone just seems to feel full of hope for the future’ ‘People are always talking about it in the shops and it just brings everyone together’

There is a perception that involvement of the community in In Harmony has affected a sense of choice and self-determination and this is directly related to the affect that observing the impact on the children on the wider community – a virtuous cycle of change is evident: • •

‘I think it makes you realise that there are always choices in life that can affect what you experience and achieve – the kids certainly get that’ ‘I think we all have more belief in ourselves now’

The pride in the children is overwhelming: • • • •

‘I am so proud when they perform on stage, everyone gets so involved’ ‘It is something that will stay with them all their life - I would just love them to get a career out of it’ ‘The change in the kids’ behaviour has been amazing – they are just so good at concentrating now, and they seem so confident’ ‘To think they will be playing in the Albert Hall in the Proms is just brilliant – we are all going – it will be something we will never forget’

However, there is also a wish to become more directly involved: • • • •

‘It would be great if there was some way that we could get more involved’ ‘We would love to learn to play an instrument too – playing with the kids would be fantastic’ ‘It would be good to have more local community performances as part of the events round here during the year. Performing in the Philharmonic is good but we should have more for local people’ ‘They are not performing at our Out of the Blue festival this year – that’s a real shame’

It should be noted that this is against a background of some of the most challenging changes to benefits in recent years and the introduction of the ‘bedroom’ tax, which

are major issues for many residents in the West Everton area. This will continue to be monitored throughout the continuing In Harmony programme 6.4.

Parental Engagement During the 2012-13 academic year, the team have continued to build upon relationships with parents, and provide opportunities for the project staff to interact and communicate effectively with parents. “We have developed relationships with parents of our older members, and the project team are often regarded as part of the community – receiving invitations to First Holy Communions, Christenings and other family events.” (IH team member) Two team members had booked a taxi to collect them from Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. Upon entering the vehicle, the driver said “You going to Faith Primary then?” The driver turned out to be one of the participants parents, who had received a Home Visit earlier that term. The parent stated that he always talked about In Harmony to the passengers in his cab, and was thrilled to be able to transport the team members on that day. He refused to accept payment for the journey and expressed his gratitude for the work of In Harmony. Levels of parental engagement have continued to improve with 12 separate performances for parents since September 2012, all of which were well attended. A West Everton Super Strings inaugural Parents’ Open Evening was held in December 2012 with suggestions from parents including: more music to practice at home; practice diaries; music pack, including steps and strategies, to support individual practice. These are now being put in place by the team. Home visits have continued with musicians playing alongside pupils in their own homes, involving 74 separate visits to date. This has developed a closer relationship with families encouraging more involvement with, and ownership of, the programme. Parental attendance at all events continues to be high, but particular highlights were: • • •

Two families flying over to Derry-Londonderry to attend the performance in May for UK City of Culture One family travelling on the train to London to attend the performance at the Southbank Centre in June 35/39 children performing in the BBC Prom in September had family members in attendance at the concert.

In Harmony Liverpool continues to benefit from certain parents/carers who are extremely supportive and committed to the programme. One parent tweeted recently “Thanks for everything you do for them ur amazing”. Jacqui Dunderdale, parent and TA at Beacon Primary School continues to provide priceless support to the programme, liaising with all Beacon children and parents on behalf of the programme, and walking groups of children to and from various sessions each week. Jacqui is seen as a valued member of the team, and this commitment was acknowledged by providing her with a special thank you present.

During this year it is interesting to note that a shift in the attitudes of several parents has been evident to the team, with some parents becoming increasingly demanding of the In Harmony project team. This has been manifested in requests for more information, asking to be informed earlier of events/commitments, and in some cases, questioning the decision-making process behind certain changes to the programme. This demonstrates a change in the way those parents perceive the programme, and what they expect from it. The deepening of parental engagement with In Harmony and their children’s learning is welcomed and a very positive development. An interesting challenge for the Project Team was the trip to Derry in May 2013. “We held a parents meeting prior to the event, and the parents were unconcerned about the trip. However, a week before the event, an article was published on the Daily Star website, stating that there was an immediate threat of terrorist attack to any events within the Derry UK City of Culture year. Several parents were extremely concerned about this, with 2 families stating they would no longer allow their children to attend. The Project Manager set up a further parents meetings, to allow the parents to discuss their concerns, which would be attended by project staff, the Faith Primary Headteacher, the representative from Unison NW (Frank Hont) who had organised the event, and the West Everton Community representatives (Anne Roach and Jane Corbett) who had developed the idea of the event with Frank Hont. The meeting was attended by 4 parents, two of whom were happy and confident with the steps we had taken to minimise the risk. Two parents were unhappy with their children taking part following the publication of the article, however during the meeting felt reassured about their children’s security. All children attended and the parents were appreciative for this additional support in deciding on their child’s involvement.” (Music team member) 6.5.

Parent Focus Groups Meetings with parent focus groups have been held over the life of the In Harmony Liverpool programme, and most recently in July 2013. The focus groups reveal widespread support and immense pride amongst parents who remain a major resource for the programme. It is clear that parental pride extends beyond the individual child to the collective and community experience: •

‘Seeing the kids on stage just chokes you up. We all get so proud’

•

‘I love carrying the instruments because people might think I play!’

•

‘There has been a huge impact on the community – everyone is proud – the kids are recognised as a group. When I was in Home Bargains recently, the check out woman said to me aren’t your kids in the orchestra and they are going to London to play soon ...... ‘

Significantly, there is a sense of ownership in the orchestra and ensembles that reflects a major shift since In Harmony began. It is now ‘our’ orchestra and is seen 65

(albeit lightheartedly) as being as good as the RLP, whereas at the beginning of the programme there was a sense of privilege and awe at having such an iconic organisation working in the community. The shift in language is significant, seeming to reflect a confidence that the community has more ‘right’ to it: •

‘Our orchestra is as good as the Philharmonic!’

Parents report ongoing good relationships with the school, which has always been found to be welcoming and are clear that it is important that In Harmony takes place within school hours: •

‘If it was only on after school then fewer would do it. More go after school because it’s offered in school time’

The parents are grateful for the opportunity In Harmony has presented to their children and to the community: •

‘We would never have been able to give them this opportunity. We don’t even get charged and that means they can all take part ....’

•

What better start to life than In Harmony?’

•

‘The stigma of the community has not stopped these kids achieving’

There is a perception that more opportunities could be offered to parents to get involved: •

‘I would love to see music opportunities for the families to get involved – it was mentioned once then never again’

During 2013/14, a further supplementary piece of research is planned to be led by Dr Jude Robinson of the University of Liverpool working with the evaluation team and this will mine this rich seam of data more closely through ethnographic research. 6.6.

Communication Communication still proves challenging with the parent/carers of the children, and this year the team introduced two new methods of communication to ensure all parents are receiving the relevant information. These methods were the In Harmony Liverpool Twitter account and the Faith Primary School website. The team continued to use text messaging, telephone and letter as the main forms of communication with parents and this is appreciated by the parents: ‘It’s great that they text us about stuff ...’ Following requests from parents/carers, a Contact Policy was issued, detailing all the numbers that could be used to reach In Harmony. This is also detailed on the Faith Primary School website.

6.7.

Home Visits

Home visits have continued to prove to be an important tool in developing relationships with parents/carers. 11 visits to a total of 18 children have taken place this year, including 8 children who had never had a home visit before. The team feel that home visits have a direct impact on other activity. An example is given of Child C who had a home visit, and whose parent subsequently brought her younger brother to Tots In Harmony. The team also observed that following home visits, â&#x20AC;&#x153;the next time we have seen all the children they have been particularly keen to come and say hello, even more so than usualâ&#x20AC;?. Table Seventeen: Home Visits Home Visits No. of separate visits in given year No. of children visited in given year (double counting repeat visits) % of children with instruments receiving home visit in given year Number of unique children to receive a home visit in given year (NOT double counting repeat visits) % of children with an instrument to receive a home visit since Feb 09 % of children to receive more than one visit since Feb 09

6.8.

09-10

10-11

11-12

Cumulative

12-13

Cumulative

106

40%

30%

N/A

14%

N/A

33%

42%

38%

N/A

37%

N/A

17%

14%

N/A

17%

N/A

Community Partners Project staff members regularly attend the Everton Every Child Matters Partnership meeting, where the wellbeing of local children is discussed with local providers and partners. Project staff members also regularly attend the West Everton Lunch Club, where key issues are discussed at The Shewsy Youth Club. At these meetings In Harmony Liverpool is seen as an equal community partner. Partnerships with local community organisations continue to grow, particularly with The Reader Organisation who moved into the community in 2011. Joint activities were delivered with them at the Out of the Blue Festival in 2012, and this will be repeated in September 2013. The team have also delivered joint sessions with them at the In Harmony Summer School 2013. This partnership will continue to be developed over the next academic year, as there are clear links between the two programmes, and a collective opportunity working with the school and local providers to improve child development in younger children. In Harmony Liverpool and the West Everton Community Council remain closely linked, with WECC providing spaces for regular activity, being a key adviser to the project leadership on community matters and members of the community council 67

regularly attending In Harmony events. It was due to the close links between In Harmony Liverpool and the WECC that the trip to Derry was made possible. The Shewsy continues to play an important part in the lives of young people in the West Everton community, and the In Harmony project team continue to work closely with the Shewsy team. The team are exploring closer links for the 13-14 academic year and collectively are providing positive activities for children and young people throughout the community. Community performances have continued to be successful this year, with performances in St Francis Xavierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church, Hopscotch Nursery and The Friary. 6.9.

Tots in Harmony In September, the project management revised the way that Tots In Harmony was running, changing it from being an on-going weekly session, to it being a 6 week course, alternating each half term for babies under 18 months old, and tots between 18-36 months. Links with the Health Visitors proved vital in advertising the refreshed Tots In Harmony sessions, and the local Health Visitors distributed flyers and information to local parents/carers under their care. The In Harmony team intend to continue to nurture and develop this partnership in the community. This proved very successful at first, with several parents appreciating the shorterterm commitment. It quickly became apparent in the older age group that parents found it easier to attend more regularly (with the babies it was often found that parents were unable to attend due to other appointments, or the baby being poorly/not sleeping well). Over the course of the year a firm group of friends developed within the Tots group, and so, in response to community feedback, a decision was taken to continue the older group session each week, but include new babies should they be interested in attending. This has worked well, with an average of 5 babies/tots attending each week. Due to its popularity two Tots sessions ran as part of the Summer School 2013, in partnership with The Reader Organisation based in West Everton Community Council. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I wanted to let you know that my toddler and I think that the 'Tots In Harmony' programme at Faith School is absolutely wonderful. Since beginning the programme I am sure that you have seen my usually shy boy's progression week by week, from showing signs of 'stilling' to now becoming totally involved in the group activites (sic). The result is amazing and has resulted in my boy becoming more confident in public and his communication skills have also improved tremendously. I can't thank you enough and hope that this great programme continues for other tots to thoroughly enjoy.â&#x20AC;? Tots In Harmony parent

6.10. Attendance at Performances Regular concerts are always regularly well attended by community members and representatives. In Harmony Liverpool continues to play a big part in the local community, with the project taking an important role in local events (such as the annual Out of the Blue festival) but, perhaps most importantly, we are seeing an ongoing increase in attendance at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall events. A very successful ‘Side by side’ rehearsal with the pupils’ orchestra playing alongside the RLPO was held in January 2013 and this was attended by 20 parents of the WESS performers who had been invited to observe their child’s experience. RLP Box Office data shows an ongoing increase in attendance from West Everton households as shown in the following tables. Table Eighteen: Attendance at concerts facilitated by In Harmony Liverpool Attendance at concerts – event facilitated by In Harmony Liverpool (tickets and transport provided) Date Numbers Event Attendees 16.09.2012

Liverpool Philharmonic Hall Open Day and Hope St Feast

21.12.2012

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Frosty The Snowman

17.01.2013

14.02.2013

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Valentines Classic concert

WESS members and their family Families from prize draw at In Harmony Christmas Concert Members of WESS following side by side rehearsal Parents - prize draw

05.03.2013

23.05.2013

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Key Stage 2 Schools Concert Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Rite of Spring

16.06.2013

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra The Firebird Family Concert

All children in KS2 at Faith Primary Children learning Brass and Percussion Families of Early Years participants (Tots/Nursery/Recep)

18.06.2013

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Key Stage 1 Schools Concert

All children in KS1 at Faith Primary

TOTAL

257

Table Nineteen: Box Office Data12 Number of West Everton households purchasing tickets at Liverpool Philharmonic13 Sept 06 - Aug 07

Sept 07 - Aug 08

116

Sept 08 - Aug 09

149

Sept 09 - Aug 10

171

Sept 10 - Aug 11 Sept 11 - Aug 12

129 270

Sept 12 - Jul 13

147

12 13

The figures show West Everton households rather than ticket sales. Full breakdown of sales figures shown in appendix seven 69

6.11. Socio Economic Data The most recent publication of the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 201014 showed that Liverpool was still the most deprived local authority in England and Everton remains the most disadvantaged part of the city. Everton15 has the lowest average income, the highest unemployment and the highest incapacity benefit levels (demonstrating poor health) and the lowest educational attainment levels at GCSE when including English and Maths. The IMD 2010 assesses Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs) – small areas of relatively even size (around 1500 people) of which there are 32,482 in England. Everton ward contains the most deprived LSOA in the city, ranked 4th in England. The average ward rank is 1929. A significant amount of work has been undertaken with Liverpool City Council through the Citysafe Team and the office of the Chief Executive, as well as the Community Safety and Cohesion Service, to establish social and economic data sets to track the wider socio-economic changes in the West Everton area over an extended time frame. A study area has been identified around Faith primary school based on pupils’ residency and LSOAs and a comparator area has also been identified to the north around the Kirkdale area (map attached at Appendix Five). Data has previously been collected around a number of socio-economic indicators including: •

Anti-social behaviour

•

Residential burglary;

•

Drug offences;

•

Theft of, and from, motor vehicles;

•

Employment (Job Seekers Allowance);

•

Incapacity benefit.

However following recent changes in geographical boundary areas of LSOAs, and current changes in the calculation of population figures at a local level, revised and updated comparative figures from 2008 – 2013 across the two geographical areas, are currently being collected by Liverpool City Council. It is expected that this data should be available towards the end of 2013. 6.12. Volunteering In Harmony Liverpool has continued to run an extensive volunteer/student programme this year, with 17 students attending from Liverpool Hope University and the University of Liverpool. Five of these students were placed with In Harmony as part of their 3rd year studies (the option instead of dissertation), and their reports from their placements were assessed and contributed to their final grades. This proved extremely successful, with the team noting a high level of commitment from the students placed with In Harmony as part of their course.

14 15

http://liverpool.gov.uk/council/key-statistics-and-data/indices-of-deprivation/ http://liverpool.gov.uk/Images/everton.pdf 70

The team continued to receive high numbers of requests from Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Ensembles to work with In Harmony at the annual summer school. Over the two summer schools held in 2012 and 2013, over 15 different young musicians worked with the children. 7 students from the Royal Northern College of Music were also hosted by In Harmony Liverpool in 2012/13 as part of the Professional Experience Scheme run by Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. The students spent up to 6 days with the In Harmony team, assisting in lessons, supporting the musicians, and working with the children.

Interim Findings: The Partners

7.1.

Partnerships operate at two different levels within the In Harmony programme and it is important to differentiate between strategic partnerships and community partnerships that are underpinning the developments outlined in the section 6 of this report. Community partnerships and the RLP’s role as a community partner are supporting growing community empowerment at a grass roots level. Through partnership working that is child and family focussed it is clear that the outcomes for children, families and the community are stronger in their impact. The role of the RLP as a powerful systems leader has been well rehearsed in previous reports and the evidence of the potency of this intervention is becoming more apparent as the programme progresses into its fifth year.

7.2.

The role of the RLP has continued to grow and develop within the partnership. The RLP has provided a lead role in developing and managing the In Harmony programme and the wider partnership that surrounds it. The RLP is an iconic organisation and its lead role in the programme has attracted interest and engagement from a wide range of agencies and organisations. Its independence has cut across traditional organisational and professional boundaries, forging new relationships and creating fresh approaches, responding directly and quickly and gaining community confidence. This has resulted in the RLP assuming a systems leadership role in developing new approaches to music education and learning in schools as well as new approaches to community engagement and social change - a role beyond that traditionally expected of a symphony orchestra. This has placed additional demands on the Philharmonic in terms of its capacity and perceived role. The lead role of the RLP within the partnership has not only had a significant impact on the profile of the programme but also on the quality of the experience for all participants.

7.3.

Developing partnership has been a key element of the In Harmony programme and is potentially its greatest strength in terms of future development and sustainability. The partnership has grown during the life of the In Harmony programme to embrace key partners including Liverpool City Council and the Primary Care Trust (and now with the Clinical Commissioning Groups) and these relationships continue to evolve and will strengthen the position of the RLP within the wider social, health and regeneration agendas of the city. Initial partnerships with Liverpool Music Support Service (LMSS) and Liverpool Hope University have also been strengthened and developed over the four years of the programme.

7.4.

Strategic partnerships within the programme remain strong, and work with partners continues to develop, with the additional enhancement on 2012/13 of the national and international partnerships that are emerging through the In Harmony network and other music programmes. •

HE partnerships have continued to evolve and a wider research framework around the programme was tested during 2012/13 with the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded Research and Learning Network. A partnership with the Institute of Cultural Capital resulted in a series of workshops exploring: Cultural Capital in the Community; Healthy Communities; and Music Education and Impact, culminating in a network conference in July 2013.

•

The new In Harmony programmes, London Music Masters’ Bridge project and Sistema Scotland are all evolving partnerships that will enrich and inform the programme as it evolves. 2012/13 has brought opportunities for cross fertilisation and shared learning that have enriched the programme.

7.5.

•

A productive partnership with Liverpool Football Club has developed with a two way sharing of ideas, learning and approaches to engaging young people and developing progression routes.

•

The approach to health data collection, to evaluate any potential impact on health issues, is currently being revisited in light of the transition of responsibilities from the Primary Care Trust (PCT) to local clinical commissioning groups.

•

Data gathered in conjunction with Liverpool City Council is providing a baseline across a number of social and economic data sets that will continue to be tracked over coming years to assess the wider socio-economic impact of the programme. This is currently being revisited in light of continuing budgetary constraints and restructuring within the City Council.

Liverpool Children’s Trust and Liverpool Primary Care Trust The partnership with Liverpool PCT has primarily been driven by the Stakeholder Engagement Department and the public health agenda. In 2011/12 the PCT funded In Harmony with £80k and in 2012/13 this reduced to £45k. Given the changes within the National Health Service, including the closure of the PCTs in April 2013 and the transfer of commissioning responsibilities to local Clinical Commissioning Groups, this relationship is a critical one for the future of the In Harmony programme. Conversations with senior staff in the Health Service continue to reveal a healthy degree of support for the In Harmony programme and an informed recognition of its potential wider impact on the health and wellbeing of children attending Faith Primary, and on the wider West Everton community. There is recognition that the In Harmony programme could well provide a live environment for the active development of approaches to assessing and measuring wellbeing in pupils and the wider community over time and therefore begin to better assess the impacts of similar intervention programmes. The bespoke pupil and community wellbeing questionnaires, developed by the evaluation team, were shared with the PCT to inform this process. There is a significant opportunity here for In Harmony to be positioned in a key role as part of these developments. Health data for all pupils attending Faith Primary School was originally collected through a partnership with the PCT Information Management Technology Team. This was collected from 26 GP practices over the first two years of the programme with baseline data going back to April 2008. However the recent disestablishment of the PCT and the consequent structural and personnel changes has meant that data has not been forthcoming for the past eighteen months. However it is intended that the continuing collection of data to track any changes in the health profile of pupils attending Faith school will be raised by the In Harmony Team with the recently created Clinical Commissioning Groups in the near future.

7.6.

Liverpool City Council (LCC) In the recent financial climate, it has proven difficult for LCC to invest specifically in In Harmony. A small grant assisted with the development of the AHRC Research Network bid, resulting in a series of workshops and Network conference in July of this year, as it was recognised that the generation of evidence of impact and robust research would be critical to long term engagement and sustainability. It is also seen as important that In Harmony is linked to major city strategies including the Liverpool Plan, North Liverpool Strategic Regeneration Framework, Children and 73

Young People’s Plan and Mayor of Liverpool Education Commission in order to ensure this long term engagement. The relationship is a supportive one with a genuine investment of time and support from the Cabinet Member for Culture and Tourism, Cllr Wendy Simon and Cllr Jane Corbett, Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services. The Chief Executive, Ged Fitzgerald has visited the project and there is good support from both the Children’s Services, Public Health and Culture departments. In Harmony is regularly part of the ongoing dialogue between LCC and the RLP as part of their organisational support and it is clearly important that the organisation provides this service to the City in return for significant core funding support. 7.7.

HE partnerships and research progress “The AHRC-funded In Harmony Liverpool Research Network brings together an international community of researchers to consider the cultural value of the orchestra as a community intervention, with a particular focus on the In Harmony Liverpool programme. Led by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (RLPO) and inspired by the Venezuelan El Sistema initiative, In Harmony Liverpool uses the symphony orchestra as a means of engaging young children (aged 4 years upwards) in music education and performance, adopting the Sistema philosophy of working with children from the most deprived parts of the country. The research network is led by the Institute of Cultural Capital, a strategic collaboration between Liverpool John Moores University and the University of Liverpool. An interim report – The Orchestra, the Community and Cultural Value – summarises workshop discussions during three themed research workshops held between March and May 2013.”16 It is too early to tell where this initiative might lead in terms of an enhanced research framework surrounding and supporting In Harmony Liverpool, but there was distinct value in the workshops for the programme in reflecting and learning from academics and other practice based researchers. Cross cutting themes were identified and there was significant interest in the programme from some leading academics who were able to bring new perspectives and considerations to bear on the programme. The evaluation process is limited in scope and there are many potential areas within the findings that would lend themselves to more in depth research programmes. The Interim Report on the three workshops, The Orchestra, the Community and Cultural Value17, points to several key factors that must be borne in mind in taking forward any further research proposals. Firstly, there is an issue around trust: “ ..... it is .... vitally important to respect the level of trust established within the community by the RLP and partners, and to ensure that research is co-produced by

16 17

http://inharmonyresearch.net/ http://inharmonyresearch.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/IHLRN-interim-report-KW-July-2013.pdf 74

new members to the research network, existing partners and community members alike.” Any further research to evolve must be closely embedded with the current evaluation process and closely planned with the IH team and partners. There is a danger that if this is not the case, trust could be lost and the impact of the programme affected adversely. A further overarching observation is that the programme would need particular approaches to research if further work were to evolve: “All workshop discussions have pointed to a need for deeply embedded ethnographic approaches to future research on IHL and associated programmes, in order to fully consider and understand the situated contexts of participating communities, their cultural identities and heritage; infrastructural conditions and ‘other’ services and interventions to which outcomes may be jointly [or singularly] attributed; and to ensure the support and participation of all relevant community members and stakeholders.” An early result of this work is the commission of Dr Jude Robinson to undertake a short ethnographic research programme with families in West Everton. This work will be carried out during 2013/14 in partnership with the evaluation team. 7.8.

Liverpool Music Support Service (LMSS)/Resonate Music Education Hub LMSS were closely involved in developing the original bid to establish In Harmony as one of three national pilots in 2009, and continue to be involved in the development of the programme. The head of service is a powerful advocate for the programme and believes that the work of In Harmony has helped significantly to reposition the role of music in schools and the work of LMSS within Liverpool schools and the City Council. Initially, as previously reported, many LMSS staff members were cautious, even wary, of working with the RLP as there was a perception that ‘the RLP will just take it over’. However there is now a general recognition within LMSS that In Harmony is a powerful model of music, impacting on teaching and learning – ‘The musical experience for the pupils at Faith has been breathtaking…… It is providing a very rich educational experience’. The partnership between LMSS and the RLP is seen as very valuable and the development of the Liverpool Music Hub has provided a powerful focal point for LMSS and the RLP, and served to clarify the distinct roles of the two organisations, overcoming initial anxieties. Liverpool Music Support Service led a partnership bid in the city to establish a Music Education Hub for Liverpool. Now rebranded as Resonate Music Education Hub and funded by Arts Council England, it is hoped that the hub will act as a gateway for Liverpool's young musicians, providing wider access to music opportunities. Foundation partners for the Liverpool Music Hub include: • • • • • •

Notre Dame Catholic College Liverpool Music Support Service Liverpool Schools Creative Universe Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Liverpool City Council (Culture Liverpool) 75

•

Liverpool City Council (school improvement)

This is seen as a significant opportunity for the creation of a new partnership approach to support the development of music services across the city, albeit in the context of increasingly constrained budgets. The Resonate Hub has developed a new leadership and music training course, in partnership with the National College for School Leadership, targeting primary schools across the city, which is proving very successful. The approach currently covers; the musical journey of individual pupils; Music supporting school improvement; and developing the music curriculum; with the intention of developing a broader approach to cultural training. It is suggested that this could usefully be explored in the context of learning from the In Harmony programme. Whilst the work of the Resonate Hub with Liverpool’s Primary Schools is growing this is not the case with music provision in the Secondary sector, particularly at KS3. There is significant interest in exploring a partnership approach between the Resonate Hub and the RLP in the development of a new model of delivery in secondary schools bringing together the learning, approaches and resources from In Harmony and the Resonate Hub. It is recommended that this be an area for development in the near future. A number of very positive comments have been made by the Head of LMSS: •

In Harmony gave LMSS the confidence to explore other models of music education in schools and the principles of In Harmony were used to shape the progression of the Service and its offer to schools.

•

The collaborative working between LMSS and RLP is seen as very powerful, in particular the project at Barlows Primary School.

•

IH gave LMSS the confidence to develop community music projects.

•

There was initially a powerful exchange of ideas and approaches between LMSS and RLP although this has been happening to a lesser degree recently. However there is a keen interest in sharing learning and best practice between the two organisations, including joint working and workforce development. LMSS staff who have been directly involved with In Harmony have found it a very powerful experience. There is more interest in long term involvement than in visits and seminars.

•

It would be productive to review the relationship between Liverpool Youth Orchestra and Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and the routes in and out of youth music ensembles across the city including In Harmony.

•

There is still a general feeling that there remain a number of misconceptions within schools about what In Harmony is, and that it is not yet meeting its potential in terms of being a model for social change and this is an area for positive action in the future.

There remain a number of areas that would benefit from further development as highlighted by the Head of LMSS: • • • • • • • • • •

• • • •

There is an opportunity to explore how the principles of, and learning from, IH can be more widely disseminated; There is a need to understand and transfer the learning arising from IH in Faith school; The potential for music to support learning in the classroom (factual learning, language, rote etc); The potential to build music into thematic approaches to curriculum delivery; There is a need for more ‘headlines’ for how IH works and what it achieves; There is a real opportunity to add weight and substance to the value and relevance of music and how it can be used in schools beyond simply learning an instrument; The potential to use teaching staff from Faith school to visit other schools to talk about the impact of IH and the improved confidence of the staff to deliver music; The whole area of pedagogy around ensemble working could be shared more widely by IH (not withstanding copyright issues); There is a general need for new repertoire/material in schools. IH could potentially supply some of this; There remains a significant problem in cross-phase transition. This is a national problem now exacerbated by the fact that more pupils are presenting at secondary school having had Wider Opportunities experience. This would benefit from better tracking system and improved data management; The trans-generational potential of music is not yet being fully capitalised upon; There is a need and real opportunity to create more routes for informal music making in the community; There is potential through the Music Hub to develop more community music, work with disadvantaged groups, NEETs etc; and There is still untapped potential for more community involvement.

There is clearly a potential role here for the wider Hub partnership in developing and implementing much of the above, and in particular a more active role for LMSS would be highly appropriate. In Harmony Liverpool provides a live working environment within which the wider Hub partnership could usefully take more responsibility for sharing and disseminating practice and learning as well as being more directly involved in the development and extension of the model. The Liverpool Music Hub is faced with an ideal opportunity to develop the place of music in children’s learning, its potential impact on the wider community, and its potential direct contribution to overcoming some of the more challenging issues facing many communities today, through actively engaging with the powerful test bed environment and working model of engagement through music that In Harmony Liverpool currently presents. Since the beginning of the In Harmony Liverpool programme there has been a significant development in the partnership between LMSS and the RLP through practical working and ongoing dialogue. This is clear in the development of pedagogical approaches to delivering music in schools and the link to teaching and 77

learning in the classroom. There has been a consequent development of mutual respect, trust and recognised benefit. This was particularly true at the outset of the programme and there would now appear to be a great deal to continue to build on in terms of: • • • • • •

Extending shared knowledge and understanding; Developing practice and pedagogy; Workforce development; Disseminating impact on teaching and learning in the classroom; Extending the reach and impact of the In Harmony approach and developing the In Harmony model; and Reshaping provision of music delivery in secondary schools.

This is an area where In Harmony can act as a powerful catalyst to the development of the place and role of music in schools. However this is not something that In Harmony can realistically achieve in its own right or sustain a lead role in, but rather an area that would benefit from an active and direct engagement of the wider Resonate Hub partnership and in particular LMSS. Liverpool Philharmonic is currently in a strong position to broker this approach through the Resonate Hub board. It is recommended that this should be a significant work stream for In Harmony Liverpool as it enters year five of the programme.

Management

8.1.

This fourth year of In Harmony Liverpool has been a more stable year than those preceding it. The first two years were pilot years with the interruption and uncertainty that emerged about the future of the pilots in the aftermath of a general election, coalition government and the implementation of extensive spending cuts. Year three was a transitionary year when funding was insecure and the future uncertain, however the security brought to 2012/13 by funding packages being in place through to 2015 has brought a stability that the programme and the team needed badly.

8.2.

•

The announcement of the new In Harmony programmes and the national context this brought to the work of the team, in providing valuable support to the new programmes, has increased confidence, extended reflection and learning and afforded significant opportunity for professional development.

•

The team have matured as a team, grown individually and collectively and professional development has been a key area in this year of the programme.

•

The team have taken ownership of the evaluation process in ways that have maximised learning and afforded greater opportunity to use data for management purposes.

•

The relationships and cross team working between the IH team and the school team are stronger and more collaboration has emerged throughout the year – trust has been built over the four years and the relative stability within each team has facilitated this.

•

Longevity has also brought benefits in relation to clarity of thinking and continual learning is evidenced throughout the year as the team build on four years of practice, reflect on this in a range of ways and generate new solutions.

National Context During this year, the spotlight has been on Liverpool as the new In Harmony projects have looked to Liverpool for advice and support in establishing their programmes. The programme was framed as a ‘pioneer’ and this has brought additional pressure as well as opportunity to reflect and learn from others to the team. “ It has created more pressure for us to deliver and follow through ..... continuing to prove our worth and value.” (IH Team Member) Throughout the year In Harmony Liverpool received a number of visits from organisations around the UK and world. These have included (amongst others): •

Other In Harmony projects - Sage Gateshead, Opera North, Lambeth, Nottingham, Telford & Stoke,

•

Sistema Scotland,

•

Arts Council England,

•

Liverpool Football Club and partner schools,

•

In Harmony Sistema England,

•

City of Berlin,

•

Sistema Aotearoa (New Zealand),

•

Resonate Music Hub and Bangor Music Service, Cheshire West and Chester Music Service, Cofis Bach (Wales),

•

City of Freiburg (Germany),

•

BBC Learning,

•

Lewisham Jazz Project and Tomorrow’s Warriors.

This responsibility at a national level to take a lead has been taken seriously and it is clear that the team believe that they have a key role to play in ensuring the long term success of the national programme as well as the local programme. However, what it has also done is to create rich opportunities for cross fertilisation and learning and the In Harmony team are taking full advantage of this. The establishment of an In Harmony North of England group is creating a greater shared sense of purpose, collective strength and understanding of the work. A formal national network is currently in development. The comparative study commissioned by PHF, mentioned earlier in the report, has also had a significant impact on the team and created stronger and mutually beneficial partnerships and national networks between the RLP, London Music Masters and Sistema Scotland. “While the changes were ongoing we had to get our heads down, now we can look out and this can only improve what we do and how we do it.” (IH Team Member) 8.3.

Press coverage Press coverage has continued to grow over this year along with the growing national profile of the programme and In Harmony Liverpool is held up as the model for the movement nationally as evidenced in this quote from an interview by Tom Service with Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education: “One other thing I should add, which is not directly linked to the Hubs, is that there were criticisms of In Harmony and one of the things that we've done is that we've not walked away from the project as we recognise that it is a long-term investment. There's sustained investment - you know, one of the most successful has been in Liverpool, West Everton where you've had, not just children from a disadvantaged background, thanks to a brilliant orchestra, being introduced to great music, but it's also had an effect in social terms as well.......you need to have commitment from professional musicians in the orchestra that is working with the school and community and in Liverpool it's been a rampant success” (15/06/2013 – BBC Radio 3 – Music Matters, Extract from interview by Tom Service with Rt Hon Michael Gove, Secretary of Stage for Education)

In addition to extensive local and national press coverage, there has been active use of social media. In Harmony Liverpool concerts and events are listed and feature regularly in Liverpool Philharmonic online with 420,274 unique visitors; and social media platforms; 13,550 likes on Facebook, 14,626 followers on Twitter; enewsletters to more than 60,000 individuals monthly. In Harmony Liverpool also has its own Twitter account, which has been managed by the Project Team since September 2012. IH Liverpool has tweeted over 300 times to 238 followers, including several children and parents from within the community. https://twitter.com/IHLiverpool. In Harmony Liverpool features regularly in partners’ online platforms including Sistema England, Arts Council England, It’s Liverpool, Liverpool City Council. 8.4.

In Harmony Team Development and Management The music team have reported significant positive changes in their own approaches to teaching, and to them as musicians, as a result of their involvement in the In Harmony programme. This seems to be informing a subtle cultural change within the wider RLP organisation. A number of team members made various visits this year, to observe other programmes around the world. Visits were also made to Sistema Scotland and London Music Masters. This included a trip to Venezuela in January by Rod Skipp (Artistic Director) and Emma Carney (Faith Primary School teacher): “This both affirmed and challenged us. We know more about what is possible and it raised my expectations of the children. I am determined not to settle, but to keep asking, ‘Can we push it? Can we extend it?’ It also enabled us to get a better understanding of the potential for the social side of the programme and that is really useful” The programme places significant challenges on the In Harmony team. It places musicians in unusual situations where they are both music tutors and inspirational role models. This has become increasingly evident throughout 2012/13 as more musicians from the RLP have engaged with the ensembles and performances. The musicians have to maintain high energy and motivation on a daily basis and are making decisions driven by the needs of the children in both musical and social ways. The team is stable and although new members have joined, communication, openness and trust are evident from observations of team planning sessions and the levels of critique, peer support and reflection are exceptionally high. Team leadership is strong in both a musical and management sense. The team have matured as a team, grown individually and collectively and professional development has been a key area in this year of the programme.

8.5.

Evaluation Process A revised evaluation framework and data collection methodology was developed between the evaluation team and the In Harmony project team in August 2012. This is now directly informing the management of the programme and has created a live feedback loop where issues are identified as part of the data collection and evaluation process and then addressed through the management, planning and delivery of the programme. This has significantly improved understanding and ownership of the expected outcomes amongst programme staff. 81

8.6.

Cross Team working Joint staff meetings and training sessions between In Harmony team members and Faith School staff are now being held and have resulted in closer working relations between classroom staff and the music staff, which has in turn accelerated programme learning and development complimenting the above. This cross team working is premised on a fundamental belief in the children, a shared responsibility towards the development of each individual child and a growing awareness of the complementarity of skills each professional brings to the process. There is evidence of enhanced professional respect and a growing articulation of the range of skills brought together that can be harnessed to get the best results for the children and families. The In Harmony musicians fed into annual individual school reports for the first time during the 2012/13 school year. The discussions between staff appear to be more open and trusting as witnessed on several observations. There are several examples of one to one collaboration and skills sharing that have moved relationships forward. The teaching staff members are engaging in different ways with In Harmony and this diversity of engagement is supportive of individual needs and preferences rather that being a one size fits all proposition. Structurally the two teams are managed differently and, it is perceived by some that this impacts on cross team working and on the development of the curriculum and the programme. The In Harmony team are managed by the RLP and although working within the school and responsible for curriculum delivery as well as out of school activity, the school leadership has no managerial control over the team. Whilst relationships are good, and this is to the credit of the two teams and both managements, it does raise issues around accountability, leadership and practical operational issues around planning and programme development. Teaching staff articulated a general feeling that the In Harmony Liverpool programme would benefit considerably if the management of music staff and the management of the classroom teachers and curriculum delivery were far more integrated. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;It sometimes feels that we are two parallel ships that cross over occasionally. We are two separate organisationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (Teacher) It is clear that much work is being done to mitigate this and it is difficult at this stage to determine an alternative approach that would work as the management of the In Harmony musicians by the school may not be a realistic or viable solution, however it remains a challenge that must continue to be addressed on an ongoing basis through open and honest communication at all levels.

8.7.

Funding and long term sustainability There have been significant funding challenges over the past twelve months that the In Harmony management team have responded to and the programme is now secured through to 2015. A series of key performance indicators have been agreed with ACE and other funding bodies that have had a direct impact on the complexity of data collection, the resources required to carry this out and the management of the programme. 82

8.8.

Impact on RLP The impact of the In Harmony programme on the organisation and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra is becoming more evident as the programme progresses and more players get involved in delivery and support. “In Harmony is the best thing we have ever done” (RLPO musician) The recent Prom at the Royal Albert Hall demonstrated this in sharp focus as it created a platform for the organisation to connect its two key messages, that the RLP is an orchestra of international standing and that it embeds into its local community with meaningful and high quality engagement programmes. The RLP musicians play important roles in the delivery of In Harmony Liverpool as coaches, role models and teachers and this cross working between the players and the In Harmony team also brings opportunities for development and learning: “The introduction and inclusion of the brass ensemble coaches has been vital for inspiration, energy and aspiration. Some of the boys especially relish spending time with Rhys Owens (Principal Trumpet) and Simon Cowen (Principal Trombone) and enjoy talking about them and what they do when they are not in class. Rhys in particular took it upon himself to help the brass section through a fastpaced proms rehearsal, offering to point and play the In Harmony brass parts to really support their experience. We look forward to continuing to build these relationships next year, and also allowing more opportunities for Eve, Rhys and Simon to jointly discuss teaching methods and approaches” (Rod Skipp) The following quote from Susanna Jordan, first violin with the RLP is worth noting: "I've done four or five Proms, but none quite like this. There were quite a lot of lump-in-the-throat moments. They chartered a train, and all the parents were waiting for the children last night and started clapping as they came off the train. That was so moving. It's not the most affluent area and I think probably it was an amazing experience for those children who wouldn't normally have the opportunity to play instruments at all, let alone in the Albert Hall. The children were very well prepared. They get so much music I think it just becomes second nature. They were so together, they were so well behaved. They managed to fit them into the middle of the orchestra - they weren't in any way sidelined, they were the main event. My godson after the concert said he wants to play the French horn. Probably a lot of children in the audience will have gone away thinking they want to play an instrument. Seeing children do it of their own age just makes them think 'well why shouldn't I?' Which is what we need. These children don't necessarily have any more musical aptitude than any others, but music goes through the entire day. The fact that it is available in schools means that so many more children have access to it than if you were relying on being fairly middle class and being able to afford your own instrument. They're at the beginning but because of the teaching they're receiving, it gives them the best possible chance. And maybe some of them will end up playing with the Liverpool Phil in the future." It is recommended that the impact of In Harmony Liverpool on the RLP as an organisation should be a major focus of our work in 2013/14.

Summary of Key Findings "I enjoyed myself. When I walked out I felt happy. Then I got nervous a little bit, but my mate gave me a little smile so I was all right.” (Faith Primary School pupil on playing in the Prom) "When the man shouted 'The West Everton Children's Orchestra', everyone started cheering. I felt amazed and happy. We had to rehearse for ages and ages. We had to rehearse for a full week.“(Faith Primary School pupil on playing in the Prom) "I love my violin. I've been playing for four years. I started in Year One. It was quite hard and then when I was in Year Two or Three I started picking it up easier. We play in school on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The teachers play. We all love it.” Faith Primary School pupil My little brother is going in to Year One and he'll be starting to play an instrument soon. He said he's going to play the double bass or the cello." Faith Primary School pupil

9.1.

The quotes with which we start this section say a great deal about the position that In Harmony Liverpool has reached in this its fourth year. The impact on the children is evidenced in many different ways and the sense of happiness, confidence, commitment, team work and pride that this child communicates is a strong and potent reminder of what the programme is about and how far it has come. In Harmony Liverpool continues to progress well against the outcomes established at the onset of the project. The programme is still on a highly positive trajectory with the children, the school, the families, the community and the partners, and there is much to celebrate as the programme reaches the end of its fourth full academic year in September 2013. There is strong evidence that the outcomes and outputs continue to be met and exceeded. o

o o

Data on attainment continues to evidence significant quantitative improvements in the children’s academic performance with increases in the proportion of children exceeding national expectations and improvements in progress measured through national curriculum levels. The impact on attendance remains pleasing. Data on musical attainment demonstrates quantitative improvements in the musical skills being developed and the programme has been extended and enriched to meet the growing needs of the children as they progress musically. Data gathered from teachers evidences an ongoing overall improvement within the whole school community and in its culture. Data on wellbeing demonstrates a continuing positive trend both in the children and in the community and this can now be compared to data gathered from other In Harmony programmes through the NFER research. The programme has continued to develop and expand and this has ensured provision for progression for pupils as they leave Faith primary school and move to secondary schools, as well as provision for children attending other

o o

schools in the area and community provision including an early years programme and the organic growth of a community engagement programme. The programme has also developed to afford opportunities for the development of leadership skills in the children through peer to peer mentoring, learning and teaching. The community impact is evidenced in a range of different ways and the programme is growing organically. The partnerships remain strong and new ones are emerging that support the development of the project, and the impact within the community is becoming more evident as the project progresses.

The ongoing â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;virtuous cycleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of change noted in September 2010 continues to be apparent within the school and the community. The profile of the project has continued to be high and the Year Three evaluation report was used extensively to advocate and lobby for continued funding, communicating key messages about the value and impact of the work. The wider research framework around the programme is evolving with the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded research network. This work is critical to the transition to new sustainable and embedded practice that reaches beyond the arts and cultural sector into community regeneration and development. (http://inharmonyresearch.net/) We have seen the In Harmony team becoming a community in itself with profound impact on individuals and team. This in turn is having an impact on the orchestra as more musicians engage in the programme. 9.2.

The development of cognitive skills through music, the motivation to learn, enhanced concentration and focus and enhanced wellbeing and social development in the children is contributing to enhanced attainment. It could be argued that the impact of In Harmony is to create conditions within which this can take place. Thus, the attribution of the developments that have been noted specifically to In Harmony is perhaps not the relevant issue, as what In Harmony has brought to the school and community are positive assets, skills development and a collective and shared experience that has allowed the other positive factors to have an impact.

9.3.

The new evaluation framework has created greater ownership within the team of data being collected and there is strong evidence that the data is informing practice, planning and reflection, ensuring that learning and improvement remains at the heart of the ethos underpinning In Harmony Liverpool.

9.4.

The achievements of 2012/13 have taken place within a context of significant change: the evolution of the national In Harmony programme, the current multiple funding model of In Harmony Liverpool, the demise of the PCT and an emerging new health infrastructure, changing policy context and curriculum changes. And yet, In Harmony Liverpool appears to have been more stable than in the previous three years. There is a greater confidence, a capacity for learning and collaboration that seems to stem from this confidence and the ability to plan forward for progression and development that has not been evident to the same extent in previous years.

9.5.

Programme developments have reflected the need for differential learning pathways: the separation of orchestras, development of ensembles, introduction of brass and percussion, the introduction of composition and creative opportunities for children and ongoing one to one support for individual children have all ensured the programme does not remain static but instead is responsive and dynamic placing the needs of the individual child at the heart of it. 85

9.6.

Despite this, the inevitable tension between artistic and educational imperatives remains ever present and the work that closed the school year preparing the children for the Prom in September highlighted this tension. At one level the opportunity is an excellent example of what In Harmony brings to the children and the community in terms of social development, aspiration, confidence and pride. At another, it could be seen to detract from the careful and considered pedagogical approach adopted by the team. The team managed this tension well and with astute awareness of the dangers. It will be interesting to observe the impact of this major milestone in year 5 of the programme. In pedagogical terms there are still many unanswered questions surrounding best practice models to underpin the social mission and although greater understanding is emerging, this will remain an area worthy of further consideration as the programme moves forward.

9.7.

In relation to cross team working between musicians and the school staff this fourth year has seen major progress and the team are also benefitting greatly from the learning that has accrued through collaboration with the national programme, with the Paul Hamlyn Foundation comparative study group and through the collaborative work undertaken with Liverpool Football Club. This development work has assisted the teams in attaining the dual aim of social and musical development

9.8.

The AHRC funded research network had limitations but brought a new perspective to the programme in this academic year and it will be interesting to see how this evolves into the future as there are significant opportunities for further ethnographic and comparative research that will enhance understanding of what is working and why. For example: The model – how can it be embedded in curriculum delivery and learning?

9.9.

“The most powerful things are the little things.” However, in evaluating In Harmony Liverpool, it is the strength of the narratives and stories, the qualitative and textural that will always outweigh the quantitative data. When a child says, “We’re not just a children’s orchestra, we’re a world famous orchestra” (on trip to Derry) and a parent says, “Our orchestra is better than the Philharmonic!”, it is clear that the programme is working at a number of different levels. Children are being given opportunities and options and this is crucial to their life chances: “I am on a ladder now ....”. The children are reflective and aware and there is strong evidence that greater maturity and focus is emerging. Meanwhile, there is evidence that parental engagement with the system is building: there is evidence of stronger links with education, evidence that life choices are being made, music is linking to key events in families’ lives and becoming a normal part of life within the community. One parent attending a parenting course stated, “If he can learn to play the double bass, I can sort my life out ....” Michael Eakin, CEO of the RLP, stated: “The evidence of the success of a programme like this can only be seen over a generational period – you can’t just go in, do a couple of years and get out again.”

9.10

The success of In Harmony Liverpool to date and its ongoing success will depend on longevity and the maintenance of a dynamic process – In Harmony Liverpool is not a model or system but a dynamic process and it is the shared responsibility of all partners and not just the RLP.

9.11.

•

The team have matured as a team, grown individually and collectively and professional development has been a key area in this year of the programme.

•

The team have taken ownership of the evaluation process in ways that have maximised learning and afforded greater opportunity to use data for management purposes.

•

10.

Key Conclusions

10.1.

In Harmony is an effective musical, educational and social intervention. It demonstrates the organic and long term impact that an intervention can have when a virtuous cycle of change affects a community. It continues to progress well against the outcomes established at the onset of the project. There is strong evidence that the outcomes and outputs continue to be met and exceeded.

10.2.

The In Harmony model cannot be static and this is a key element of the learning to have emerged over the four years of the programme. The major success factor in ensuring that it connects to and supports children and families in a particular community is that it is a dynamic model and will constantly evolve. In Harmony is best viewed as a framework and a process. The team continue to learn from other music and social development programmes, draw learning from their own and the teachers’ observations and remain open and flexible to change.

10.3.

Developing partnership has been a key element of the In Harmony programme and is potentially its greatest strength in terms of future development and sustainability. The partnership has grown during the life of the In Harmony programme to embrace key partners including Liverpool City Council and the Primary Care Trust (and now the Clinical Commissioning Groups) and these relationships continue to evolve and will strengthen the position of the RLP within the wider social, health and regeneration agendas of the city. Initial partnerships with LMSS and Liverpool Hope University have also been strengthened and developed over the four years of the programme. In addition, in 2012/13: •

•

A productive partnership with Liverpool Football Club has developed with a two way sharing of ideas, learning and approaches to engaging young people and developing progression routes.

•

Partnerships with other music programmes and the new In Harmony programmes have also developed.

•

There remains an opportunity to further develop the active participation of the wider Liverpool Music Hub Partnership

10.4.

The new evaluation framework is proving very effective and there is clear evidence of evaluation information and management data informing planning and reflection. Feedback loops have been enhanced by a practical engagement in data collection and analysis that is underpinning a more joined up approach to programme change and development.

10.5.

Professional Learning has greatly enriched the programme during the year and has shown the benefits of greater stability affording the opportunity to collaborate more

with peers. This has opened out the programme and exposed the team to new ideas and resources: • • • •

peer to peer between music team and teachers; peer to peer across music projects; visits to Venezuela and greater engagement with other projects at a national level through the national In Harmony programme and the PHF study cross sector learning through collaboration with LFC

Team development within the music team, and between the classroom and music teams, has been rapid during this period. 10.6.

The community engagement aspects of the programme remain challenging and the team are focussing on the development of partnerships and programmes that will address this. We had noted previously that the new funding regimes brought risks of a refocusing of priorities, particularly in relation to ACE, but the team are aware of this and are working hard to maintain the intent of the original programme in the context of multiple funding priorities. There is a strong argument to suggest that new partnerships with community partners and local residents still need to be developed. Such a partnership would most usefully involve close working and collaboration with Liverpool City Council (Children’s Services, Regeneration and Community Development), LCC Public Health teams, Child Adolescent and Mental Health Services, WECC, Housing Associations and General Practitioners.

10.7.

If the full potential of the In Harmony Liverpool programme is to be realised, the team are aware that robust and focussed management, that remains true to the strategic intent originally articulated for the programme, will be critical. There is a continuing opportunity for In Harmony Liverpool to lead thinking at a local, regional and national level in terms of the programme’s context and potential contribution to some major socio-economic agendas. This would transcend the potentially narrowing influence of current funders’ targets and create an opportunity for In Harmony Liverpool to become a national ‘brand leader’.

11. 11.1.

Recommendations Our recommendations fall into six principal groups: •

Partnership development

•

Community engagement

•

Professional Development and Peer to Peer Learning

•

Ongoing programme development and refinement

•

Organisational Impact

•

Evaluation

11.2. Partnership development One of the strengths of In Harmony Liverpool is its partnerships and this is a key success factor underpinning the programme. However, we recommend that the team: •

Actively develop the working partnership that will continue to support a broader and more effective programme of community engagement that will begin to support some of the wider socio-economic agendas in the local area. This could usefully include an active collaborative partnership with Sistema Scotland to capture learning from their approach to community engagement.

•

Actively develop the partnership with Resonate Music Education Hub and in particular LMSS as there would now appear to be a great deal to continue to build on in terms of: • • • • • •

There is clearly a potential role here for the wider Hub partnership in developing and implementing much of the above, and in particular a more active role for LMSS would be highly appropriate. It is recommended that developing a closer working relationship with the wider Hub partnership involving all partners, and in particular LMSS, taking more responsibility for sharing and disseminating practice and learning, as well as being more directly involved in the development and extension of the model, should be a significant work stream for In Harmony Liverpool as it enters year five of the programme. •

Actively develop the partnerships with the health sector that will enable the team to sustain data gathering and build relationships with the health 90

professionals that can support the social and wellbeing aspects of the programme •

Explore the possibilities of carrying out some health and wellbeing research in collaboration with other In Harmony projects such as Newcastle and Leeds.

11.3. Community engagement The organic growth in engagement appears to be taking place slowly and from the bottom up rather than being in response to programmed activity that is targeted at key groups. We recommend that: •

The team continues with informal community consultations and retains flexibility in budget and programme to accommodate ideas that might emerge from this process

•

Ways of engaging more community volunteers within the programme could be explored. Volunteering programmes have attracted some support and learning is being drawn from other music programmes such as Sistema Scotland and LFC programmes of work to support the team in finding new approaches

•

Consider the establishment of an identified community champion post, either within the programme team, the school, the community/voluntary sector, or City Council, to drive the community engagement agenda and maximise the programme’s impact.

11.4. Professional Development and Peer to Peer Learning We recommend that In Harmony Liverpool:

11.5

•

Continue to embed peer to peer learning within the programme and develop cross-profession working practices and approaches.

•

Continue with a programme of joint staff training with more frequent sessions.

•

Include the school’s management in the weekly In Harmony management meetings and vice versa.

•

Continue to develop cross team working between Faith staff and the In Harmony team that moves beyond the music programme and into wider school working and curriculum design.

•

Develops opportunities for further peer to peer learning and joint professional development with LMSS, drawing on the experience and learning of both organisations.

Programme Development and Expansion The diversification of the programme during this year demonstrates the expansion in opportunity for the children, the sensitivity of the team to the children’s diverse needs and highlights the fact that the In Harmony programme 91

is not a static model but is one that stays flexible. The musical attainment of the children is impressive and is testimony to the fact that the team place the needs of the children at the heart of all decision making and the increasingly close working relationships between the In Harmony team, the teachers and the RLP musicians who are now engaging with the programme continues to provide enriching opportunities for development and growth.

In Harmony Liverpool is not a static model and the team recognise this and there is evidence of ongoing reflection, improvement and development that has benefitted greatly from the team taking greater ownership of the data gathering and evaluation framework. However, from the analysis of the work during 2012/13 we recommend that the team: •

Consider the development of a leadership skills programme for young people that maximises the opportunities to develop life skills alongside other opportunities being provided.

•

Broker a series of meetings with, and between, the Head Teachers at Beacon and Faith schools and the Head of LMSS/Resonate Hub, to explore curriculum modelling and consider how music might be more embedded within, and central to, curriculum delivery. It is recommended that this could usefully form a significant part of the development of the In Harmony Liverpool approach.

•

It is also recommended that close links be established with the music subject leader at Beacon and that the model of the teaching assistant be examined as a potential means of encouraging more parental involvement and support at Faith Primary.

There is a significant opportunity to work with Beacon CE Primary to develop a model based on the In Harmony pedagogy and approach that would build on, yet differ from, the delivery model in Faith Primary but that might be more sustainable in other schools. The headteacher at Beacon School has expressed a keen interest in looking at curriculum modelling and how music might be more embedded within the curriculum, and is very open to integrating music as part of curriculum delivery. 11.6. Organisational Impact There is clear evidence that In Harmony Liverpool is having a major impact on the RLP as an organisation. It is therefore recommended that in 2013/14 a new strand of work seeks to assess this impact through canvassing the musicians now engaging with the In Harmony programme to determine and better understand the culture shift within the RLP and what transferable learning can be drawn from this. 11.7.

Evaluation In seeking constantly to improve the quality of the evaluation process, we believe it is timely to consider both the regularity of these interim reports and the areas that the independent evaluation team support now that the team have taken such strong ownership of the data gathering. The In Harmony team may wish to consider the following: •

The format of reporting currently being used and a consideration of what is most appropriate at this stage in the programme.

•

The development of the ‘narratives’ through cases studies that may build on the work to be carried out by Jude Robinson with families.

•

The development of a simple economic impact measurement tool that could use contingent valuation or choice modelling methods to assess the impact of investment in human capital that will bring lifetime benefits in relation to employment, health, economic activity etc.

•

The best way to focus on evaluating secondary progression perhaps by focussing on ‘life progression’ and aspiration rather than musical progression.

APPENDICES

Appendix One Revised Evaluation Framework

In Harmony Liverpool Evaluation Framework, June 2012

Aims (as in 2008 bid Outcomes (as in 2008 bid to National IH ACE outcomes to DfE) DfE)

(ET = Evaluation Team, PT = Project Team)

Original In Harmony Liverpool Evaluation Indicators

For children: Improved attitude to learning, self confidence and Improved health self esteem

Improve wellbeing of children

All Faith Primary children have opportunity for daily music making

Measures

Methods

Who?

When?

Absences from school

Attendance data from schools – Analysis of how attendance patterns correlate with IH activity (concerts, after-school, lessons, orch, home visits).

PT to gather data from schools and analyse before presenting to ET

End of each term (Dec, Mar, Jul) and yearly (July). Termly for Faith and Beacon, other schools annually (July)

GP data

PCT sends info to ET for analysis 1: Number of GP appointments, and 2: number of prescriptions issued

ET to liaise with Primary Care Trust Annually - July (PCT) and gather/analyse data

Support from school

Understanding of work by school pastoral staff

PT to meet regularly with pastoral staff and report back to ET where appropriate

Standardised emotional wellbeing survey (once a term) across PT to liaise with school staff for Faith Termly, before each half-term break. kids, other kids to be surveyed by PT Reported back annually in July all participants

For children: Improved social skills

Ongoing observation and feedback from team Child’s reported wellbeing For children: Good school attendance and low exclusions

Case study pupil focus groups with follow up discussion with school pastoral staff and IH Team Secondary school tracking of case study children's wellbeing (of current and past participants) through wellbeing survey interviews with child

Improved emotional wellbeing - and improved self esteem and confidence

For children: Improved wellbeing, relationships with parents and health SEN provision and data

For children: Improved Musical Skills

Increase their aspirations and achievement

For children: Improved Attainment (especially in literacy and numeracy)

PT to minute meetings and record any relevant information where appropriate

Weekly team meetings

ET feeding back to IH team

Termly

Before each half-term break

Commitment

Attendance monitoring (inc. after-school)

PT to minute meetings and record attendance issues and actions taken

Weekly team meetings, with annual analysis in July

Impact of home visits

Analysis of home visit reports and team feedback, alongside attendance data

After each home visit, with analysis annually in July

SEN numbers and provision across whole project

Liaising with school staff (all schools) and artistic director

PT with schools

Termly (end of term) with annual reporting in July

Attainment results

PT to gather data from schools in Faith Primary SATS results and analysis of improvement rates Sept and analyse in preparation for against previous years, and against control schools July report PT to gather data from schools in Secondary school tracking of case study (of current and past Sept and analyse in preparation for participants) through academic results from school July report Reports from school teachers (learning behaviours) – Faith Primary by meetings with PB/SB, secondary/non-Faith by meeting with Alex/Team member

Increased levels of achievement and educational attainment

Improvement in levels of achievement and attendance

Annually - July

Musical attainment

Aspiration

Continuing termly reflection on each child and review of individual education plan Follow-up action and creation of individual education plan, plus setting of targets/expectations

ET to meet with Faith Primary teachers, PT PT and musicians PT and musicians

Yearly – reported in February, gathered in September Yearly – reported in February, gathered in September

Termly End of each term, reported back annually in July Start of each term and reported back in July

Tracking results in other testing methods – eg Music Medals, Arts Award and via Liverpool Music Support Service (LMSS)

PT and musicians

Yearly (Jul/Aug) and reported back in July

Interviews with case study children examining current and future goals

Termly

For children: Avoidance of antisocial behaviour, drug abuse and crime Significant increase in reported Inspire and support levels of self-esteem, selfsocial development confidence and increased of children wellbeing among children

For children: Participation in education, employment or training at the end of compulsory education

Attendance at In Harmony, Liverpool Music Support Service, and other local Termly meeting with organizers of after-school provision after-school provision (Faith and the Shewsy)

Increased levels of engagement, enjoyment and progression in music and Reports from the case other cultural and extrastudy children on curricular activities enjoyment and any other outside activities. Tracking of Year 7 case studies

Improved relationships with For parents: improved parents, carers and families, Reported relationship relationships with their children and within and between improvements families

Positive views on personal, For parents: higher expectations social, health, cultural and of and aspirations for their emotional development of children children

Empower whole community, increase in confidence and ability to change their own lives

Any changes in staff/parents’ views

Improved personal and collective community For parents: Greater Reported changes in feelings and improved involvement in schools and their responses and behaviour confidence and commitment Significant proportion of family childs education (community) within and about the and community reporting community improved wellbeing. Community feels music is a normal part of life Improved commitment to IH and community the In Harmony programme interactions Improved community health GP data/ward statistics & wellbeing For parents: Improved sense of community

Partnership Development and In Harmony as catalyst for partnership and community development

Termly and reported back in July

ET feeding back to IH team

Termly

Secondary school tracking of case study (of current and past participants) through wellbeing survey interviews with child PT and LMSS Parent/carer focus groups (all schools) - impact of home visits ET feeding back to IH team on parents and family members Teacher interviews (all schools) ET and PT

Annually - July Annually - July Termly After each home visit, with analysis annually in July

Analysis of home visit reports

Parent/carer attendance at school events (as reported by team/school staff) Interviews with IH Team

PT onto evaluation doc key attendance at events ET

Parent/carer focus group

Annually - July

Teacher interviews

Termly

Community focus group, and parent and teacher and team discussions

Termly/annually

Ongoing and reported in July

ET to liaise with PCT and gather/analyse data

Annually - July

Track IH community-facing events (attendance/ number of events/who attends) Track non-IH community events (attendance/ number of events/who attends) – eg Shewsy Summer Fair – discussion with organizers PCT sends info to ET for analysis - also info on crime and other Ward statistics

Ongoing Termly

Increased levels of Attendance at Liverpool engagement with music, Philharmonic Royal Liverpool events/venues Philharmonic Orchestra, and other cultural activities

IH records and Liverpool Philharmonic Box Office

PT/Liverpool Philharmonic staff

Annually - July

Improved perceptions of music, classical music and RLPO

Community focus group

Annually - July

Monitoring and analysis of press coverage

PT/Liverpool Philharmonic staff

Annually - July

Contribution of In Harmony Community and parent focus groups Measuring levels of to community development collaborative working and and collaborative working in approaches in community West Everton Report from IH team and PT

Annually - July

Collaborative CPD and training opportunities across Contribution of In Harmony Measuring LMSS/Liverpool Philharmonic training/observations/link to wider music education ed project etc… development in the city Interview with Music Education Hub

ET and interviews with Project Director

Annually - July

Interviews with Project Director

Annually - July

Interviews with PCT and City Council

Annually - July

Perception of music

Impact on external Measure any changes in perceptions of West Everton external perception For IH projects: In Harmony projects attract a wide range of investment and support and have a sustainable model

Case study interviews, fed back into meetings with IH Team and Janine

For IH projects: the core principles of In Harmony are Contribution of In Harmony replicable in different contexts to wider strategic development in childrens and young peoples services in the city

Appendix Two Musical Indicators

Musicality/ LEVEL 1 Communicati Plays. on/ Confidence/ Commitment

LEVEL 2 Plays with commitment and adjusts their playing to different musical styles (angry, smooth).

LEVEL 3 Plays stylistically with commitment, and pays some attention to how they fit in with those around them (ensemble skills)

LEVEL 4 LEVEL 5 Plays stylistically Plays with commitment stylistically and also with sensitivity to how commitment, their playing fits sensitivity and in with those is also able to around them communicate (increasing musical alertness) ideas/details (dynamics, character, phrasing)

LEVEL 6 LEVEL 7 Plays stylistically Plays with stylistically with commitment, commitment sensitivity and and sensitivity, awareness of confidently those around communicating them and musical ideas showing more and listening mature carefully to orchestral skills adjust their (following sound once bowing etc.) prompted

LEVEL 8 Plays stylistically with commitment, sensitivity, confidently communicating musical ideas and listening carefully to adjust their sound without prompting. Happy to take the role of leader.

LEVEL 9 LEVEL 10 As before, now Able to adjust musical leading with ideas in response to confidence. others whilst playing. Suggest musical Able to practise ideas. Supports effectively and others. Can play in efficiently without an ensemble direction. without conductor or pointer.

Singing and Solfa

LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3 LEVEL 4 Understandi Able to sing a s Sings a Singing melodies ng of high m response four/eight bar s within the and low in accurately at m melody pentatonic scale relation to the given correctly from with the correct pitch. pitch. memory. shape but not Able to sing a Aware of the Confidently necessarily simple s m related solfa sings do and so strong response, not handsigns. with handsigns. intonation. necessarily at doh and so Competently Developing the given frequently sings solos. ability to sing pitch. sung within Introduced to open strings repertoire. la. (accurate with D&A and good attempt with extremities)

LEVEL 5 LEVEL 6 Singing within Singing the the pentatonic diatonic scale. accurately. More jumps as Clear well as stepwise handsigns. motion being Singing open used. string charts Singing in two across the full parts with range with an support. excellent sense of pitch. Fa in repertoire

Pulse, Rhythm and Meter

LEVEL 1 Able to keep a simple pulse in common time (2/4 or 4/4)

LEVEL 5 LEVEL 6 LEVEL 7 LEVEL 8 LEVEL 9 Playing: Playing: Playing: Playing: Playing: Offbeats Increasing Syn-co-pa Timcas, triolas More complex independently. confidence and Reading: Reading: combinations and Sustain a solo part accuracy in Musical notation Musical notation sustain a part in a in a polyrhythmic more complex two, ta, titi, rest tica tis, ti ticas, polyrhythmic texture. rhythms Meter: ticaticas texture. Reading: A bar Reading Switch Meter: Reading: ahead when using caterpillars comfortably Able identify Syn-co-pa, timcas, flashcards. lady birds, between time time sig ¾, 4/4 triolas Compound time grasshoppers signatures in Transcribing: Meter: rhythm patterns Meter: repertoire (all Tica tis, Ti ticas Identify time sig Meter: Conduct in 2/4, you need is love, and tica ticas 6/8 Understanding ¾, 4/4 whilst dipidu) Transcribing: how singing. Transcribing: Gaining confidence rhythm→beats→ Transcribing: Twos, rests in this skill. bars. Identify 9/8 Ta, Titi & 12/8 G1 Transcribing: G2 2 bars.

LEVEL 2 Playing: Tas titis, twos and rests in common time.

LEVEL 3 Playing: Increasing confidence and accuracy in basic common time rhythms Meter: 3/4

LEVEL 4 Playing: Tica tis, Ti ticas and tica ticas Reading mouse spider snail Meter 6/8 5/4 Echo: Ta, titi rhythms

LEVEL 11 Able to communicate as a soloist with the support of a small chamber group.

LEVEL 7 LEVEL 8 LEVEL9 LEVEL 10 LEVEL 11 Singing in two Singing back Singing in the Able to identify tones Able to identify or more parts accurately and minor l,-l and semitones aurally. perfect 5th, perfect 4th confidently with confidently over a confidently. Sings own instrument and octave. some support. wide range. Able to Singing longer part confidently in a Accurate singing sing confidently in pieces and more group whilst other parts of semitones. two or more parts. complex parts. are going on. Sight Fluent use of Accurately singing Singing some singing – as before now handsigns. all familiar solfa chromatic music including l,-m. from charts. (accidentals not in the key) Singing in 3 parts with some support. Sight singing - Able to sing a 2 bar phrase that moves by step or arpeggio d-s. LEVEL 10 LEVEL 11 Playing: Tripola and Playing: titi in the same bar. Reading: Cross rhythms. Crotchet Meter: 5/8, 7/8, 8/8 triplets. Transcribing: Reading: Longer pieces more accurately. Formal rhythm names for ta, ti, tica, two. Meter: Understand and demonstrate the difference between simple and compound time, Transcribing: 4 bars

RH technique LEVEL 1 Understandi ng basic bow strokes Aeroplanes and rockets

LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3 Umpahs and Using normal up fundamental down bowing strokes (on one string) confidently across more than one string in repertoire

LEVEL 4 Showing control and tone quality using aeroplanes rockets & umpahs.

LEVEL 5 Using more advanced bowing strokes e.g Tremolo, bouncy bows

LEVEL 6 Bites Caterpillar caterpillar

LEVEL 7 Long caterpillar Slurs (rock the baby) Showing greater control.

LEVEL 8 All of the above strokes demonstrating good bow distribution, and producing a confident sound.

LEVEL 9 LEVEL 10 LEVEL 11 Playing more Consistently and Ability to suggest complex rhythms accurately play more appropriate bow and bow stroke complicated bowing strokes to combinations with patterns. Excellent complement the good sound production of dynamics musical style and of a production. at all times. Starting to piece. Effective using Hooked bowing independently use bow speed and within a piece. different parts of the contact point. Using Flexibility in wrist bow for appropriate the bow to create and fingers. Faster strokes. fluent musical bow strokes played phrases. fast and freely.

G2 Reading skills

Posture and instrument hold

Left Hand Technique

LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 Recognises Navigate string letter simple chart. names in Recognises all written form string names and knows in any which to play sequence. when Understands pointed to. ta rest sign

LEVEL 3 LEVEL 4 LEVEL 5 LEVEL 6 LEVEL 7 LEVEL 8 LEVEL 9 LEVEL 10 LEVEL 11 Points Understands Reliably links Use doh key to Read Doh to Soh Read doh to soh by d-d’ by step or d-d’ in familiar keys. Reading from the accurately and details on charts. their part to left sing back basic 4 using Doh key step singing and arpeggio singing Name absolute notes of stave fluently and reliably with a Repeats, 1st 2nd hand fingers, note patterns starting on Doh, playing on 5 line and playing from 5 major scale with up to 4 linking this to singing pulse, inc time bars, follows own from the stave. with basic stave, with more line stave. sharps in key signature. and playing. changing lines. dynamics. individual part Starting to rhythms. Points complicated Understand basic Know these absolute Introduced to flats. Recognise their Starts to competently identify letter accurately and rhythms. Identify musical alphabet names on the stave. clef. recognise charts. (don’t need TV names & link reliably on the individual letter and link this to Confident in basic Understanding in orchestra). these to handy stave. names and relate your instrument. italian terms (gd 1) Brass: play high and low on Navigate stave stave them to your Italian tempo and Brass: Brass: from stave. Identify up/down & instrument. Uses # dynamic terms. Assimilate identify notation and and play open L/R. Brass: Identify code to find doh. Bb letter solfa and solfa chart strings on written accents, name, notation for stave in own clef staccato, finger/slid 3 notes tenuto on e position Brass: Identify notation and stave slur and position tongued notation LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3 LEVEL 4 LEVEL 5 LEVEL 6 LEVEL 7 LEVEL 8 LEVEL 9 LEVEL 10 LEVEL 11 Instrument Instrument Instrument & Instrument & Instrument & All elements All elements All elements Able to maintain Able to maintain good Able to maintain Only: Only: bow: bow: bow: (instrument, (instrument, (instrument, good posture and posture and instrument good posture and Knows what Very good Knows what to good but needs Outstanding bow, fingers): bow, fingers): bow, fingers): instrument hold whilst doing basic instrument hold to do but still do but still some prompting without Knows what to good but needs Outstanding when playing in shifting. when shifting. Bow needs needs prompting do but still needs some prompting without prompting other positions (in hold is now fully prompting prompting prompting addition to 1st) formed at the heel LEVEL 1 Left hand in a good position. Able to flutter and sway in this position. Instrument drumming, Left Hand pizz

LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3 ½ string Easily identify magic note on which finger is 1 string at a which and use time, ½ string them in all the magic note in ways found in repertoire with the Klezmer ex more than 1 or cello/bass note ex. Able to play a ¼ string magic note.

LEVEL 4 Able to play each finger individually whilst holding a good hand position.

LEVEL 5 Play ½ a scale and pieces using d-f (Cowboy Chorus, Hot Cross Buns, Circles).

LEVEL 6 LEVEL 7 LEVEL 8 LEVEL 9 Play an octave Very Developing a Confident playing scale and playing comfortable strong awareness d-d’ starting on pieces using d-d’ using all fingers of when fingers are any open string. or d-l (basses) with original not quite in the Comfortable finger pattern right place and playing finger with notes on all therefore adjusting pattern (low 2 strings. the tuning when vln/vla, 2 vcl) necessary. Could Vln/vla starting to they play in tune use 4th finger. Bass without stickers??? starting to use 3rd Starting to use and 4th position. different finger patterns.

LEVEL 10 LEVEL 11 Comfortably moving Chromatic scale. 3rd between finger patterns pos (vlns/vlas) with good intonations. ½ position (vcl/bass) Extension Cello. Play 1 8ve A maj (all inst) Play 2 8ve C maj, (vla/vcl) 1 8ve C maj, 2 8ve G maj, 1 8ve G maj (bass). Moving other fingers out of ‘normal’ position.

Lower Strings G2

Brass Technique

LEVEL 1 Produce an immediate pitch when directed

LEVEL 2 Play 2 notes accurately using breath support and embouchure to move.

LEVEL 2 Percussion LEVEL 1 SD: Know SD: Technique how to hold Comfortable

LEVEL 3 LEVEL 4 Move between Move between 5 3 notes (of notes with different increasingly slide/finger rapid alternation. positions) with Articulation: adequate Change between breath support slur and tonguing and intonation

LEVEL 5 LEVEL 6 Play repertoire Adjusts with a range of intonation via an octave, breath support moving and embouchure fingers/slide to clarify and with focus sound speed/intentio quality and n pitch. Articulation: clear tonguing up to tika tikas 80bpm and accents, staccato, tenuto

LEVEL 3 LEVEL 4 LEVEL 5 LEVEL 6 SD:Tambre SD: Good SD: Accents on SD: Met:. Single awareness. tambre. Drag. changing hands to open @ 100 sticks w/ stick hold Accents (on Met: Basic @ (compound Timps: identify if prompt. w/out prompt. single hand) 100, buzz @ 90. time). Met: note is Metronome: Flams. Met: Met: Basic @ Timps: Refined Open roll @ 90 sharp/flat. Basic drills @ Basic drills 80, 90, buzz @ 80. damping tech. Timps: identify Tuned: Play 70BPM. buzz 70. Timps: S-R 2 Tuned: d-dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on if note is out of tunes from Timps: Know Timps: Always drums, moveable doh. Stune. memory using where on the strike at the ta/two/shh R on 3 notes, 2 Tuned: l,-l solfa drum to correct place. (damp). bars, moving scale. S-R in Aux: basic latin strike. Comfortably Tuned: Wholedoh. steps using 5 Dyn: fp Comfortably play 3 drums. tone scale. d-dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Aux: Susp cym, notes, 4 bars. Ens: play play using 2 Tuned: Semiscale. triangle Aux: tamb independent part drums tone scale Aux: Basic BD, Dyn: cres, decres (basic) w/out pointer (colour using single Clash Ens: Follow Dyn: mf/mp coded). strokes. S-R Dyn: f, p conductor. Ens: simple Tuned: Know on 3 notes (2 sections independent where on the bars). Ens: Play rhythmic part bar to strike Dyn: f, silent independent for good counting part as a group. sound. Sight- Ens: Plays reading on same part as a one note group from treble clef (4 bars). Dyn: Plays Ens: Silence challenge

LEVEL 7

LEVEL 8

LEVEL 9

LEVEL 10

LEVEL 11

LEVEL 7 LEVEL 8 LEVEL 9 LEVEL 10 LEVEL 11 SD: Flam para SD: Single to open SD: Met: Tripola SD: Basic, flam para, SD: Met: as lv10 @ 100 @ 110 tripola titi titi @ paradiddlediddle, single @120 Timps: Start Timps: Slow roll 60 to open @ 110 Timps: Tune quietly making pedal Tuned: Timps: Tune Timps: Tune quietly in quickly (whilst adjustments. Aux: Basic kit drums loudly in freetime counting) Tuned: Dyn: free time Tuned: Tuned: Aux: Adv BD Ens: Tuned: Dyn: Dyn: Dyn: ff/pp Dyn: Adv tamb Ens: Ens: Ens:

Appendix Three: Percentage of pupils achieving their teacher-set targets

Writing 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 Whole School average Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

N/A N/A

N/A N/A 100 18 64 50 100

93 100 82 68 100

67 89 71 80 57 86 32

66 31 71 58 64 80 93

57 27 57 45 83 77 60

Reading 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 Whole School average Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

N/A N/A

N/A N/A 38 73 50 13 100

87 100 100 89 88

70 65 93 80 29 79 63

70 69 65 42 72 80 100

61 60 57 45 83 62 80

Maths 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 Whole School average Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

N/A N/A

N/A N/A 75 55 21 25 91

93 100 91 79 75

63 88 100 46 28 79 26

65 46 88 33 61 80 86

65 47 86 34 92 77 80

Appendix Four Analysis of responses to Wellbeing Surveys (children) over life of programme

Analysis of responses to wellbeing surveys over life of programme

Average response to question, across all participants. 1 = Strongly disagree and 5 = Strongly Agree

I help other people

Date of survey

Group surveyed?

I carry on trying even if I find something hard

I try hard with my school work

I want to do well

I feel happy in school

I find it easy to pay I like attention in coming to class school

I work quietly in class

I feel safe in school

I feel happy at home

I like doing In I like Harmony in singing at school school

I like doing music at home

Average response