Hearts, bodies and minds
EBacc off music
Angela Chillingworth blows the trumpet for music in schools – and in their Heads The UK music industry is one of the greatest contributors to the economic well-being of this country. UK Music’s Measuring Music (report September 2018) estimated that the UK music industry, which employs over 145,000 people, contributed £4.5 billion to the economy in 2017: with £2 billion coming from musicians, composers, songwriters and lyricists; £700 million from recorded music; and £505 million from music publishing. In terms of exports, the sector earned £2.6 billion overall. UK Music chief executive Michael Dugher commented: ‘British music brings enjoyment to millions and makes a massive contribution to the UK plc. I’m really proud of the fact that these figures show once again that when it comes to music, we in the UK are very, very good at what we do. We are a global leader in music and we continue to grow faster than other parts of the British economy and to punch well above our weight. Every child from every background should have the opportunity to access music, to experience its transformative power and to try out a career in the industry if they want to – regardless of whether or not they have access to the Bank of Mum and Dad. That’s why we need further government support to help us ensure we produce the next generation of world-leading British talent by backing music in education, protecting grassroots music venues and making sure that creators are properly rewarded for their work.’ The Musicians’ Union is concerned that low-income British families are at risk of under-representation in the music industry as children are priced out of learning instruments. Their research (Musicians Union data released on 6th November 2018) shows that families from lower socio-economic backgrounds are half as likely to have a child learning an instrument as more affluent peers, despite similar levels of interest from both groups of children. Their research also details the extent to which learning a musical instrument can positively influence young people’s formative wellbeing. Almost half of parents report more confidence and better concentration in their child, and over one-third say they are happier overall, if they attend music lessons. Almost one-third note higher levels of self-discipline and patience, suggesting access to music lessons could foster higher achievement levels across all education subjects. In October 2018, Sound and Music launched CanCompose, a national survey to gain a better understanding of how children and young people across the UK are being supported to learn how to compose and create their own music, a core element of a creative music education. For children and young people,
learning to compose is not only a highly engaging activity that enables them to develop their own musical voice, it also creates opportunities for them to express their identities through play. Composing your own music at a young age can support the development of creative thinking, confidence and teamwork abilities, and the associated higher order thinking skills which are highly valued in today’s society and workplaces and will be increasingly so the future. The creativity and potential of children and young people is currently hampered by the growing pressures on arts and music education and a lack of progression routes for young creators of music. (Sound and Music Survey launched 31st October 2018: findings to be published in March 2019) New research into Secondary Music Curriculum Provision between 2016-18/19 by the School of Education and Social Work at the University Bernard Trafford of Sussex has revealed that an increasing – Super Head number of schools are reducing music in the curriculum for year 7, 8 and 9 students, and, in some schools, music is taught only on an ‘enrichment day’ once a year. GCSE music numbers are declining; 15.4% fewer centres are offering A Level music in 2018 compared to 2016; and there has been a reduction of 31.7% in A Level music technology. The EBacc particularly has a negative impact on the provision and uptake of music in schools within and beyond the curriculum. Some schools discouraged top set students from taking music at KS4 because of the EBacc, whilst in others, lower ability students were prevented from taking music so that they could concentrate on core subjects. Deborah Annetts, Chief Executive of the Incorporated Society of Musicians, said: ‘This vital research by the University of Sussex makes for troubling reading and only adds to the growing body of evidence that EBacc proposals are having a negative impact on music in our schools. Schools are under pressure to focus their curriculum through the narrow lens of the EBacc and as a result, provision and uptake of music is suffering and at risk of disappearing completely from our schools. Music is central to our cultural life, a key driver of economic growth, and gives our children the tools to navigate a fast-changing digital world.’ Studies show again and again that the one aspect of the curriculum which makes the most difference to all-round student progress is music, yet this is the subject that is cut from the curriculum most often and is suffering such dwindling numbers that it may not survive in state schools. Many believe that the EBacc is directly responsible for the decline of music
Spring 2019
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