More than nine in 10 music teachers who took part in a new survey (93 per cent) believe the introduction of the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) and Progress 8 has “negatively impacted music education” in secondary schools.
The poll findings are revealed in a new Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) report, which calls for the government to reform these accountability measures to reverse what it calls “a narrowing of the curriculum”.
The ISM report, published today, also raises concerns about the government’s plans for a new national plan for music education.
The new report Music: a subject in peril? has been published in anticipation of the refreshed National Plan for Music Education (NPME), which is set to be published this spring.
The new ISM report says: “Although beyond the scope of the refreshed plan, it is vital that the government reverses the devaluation of music as a curriculum subject, by addressing the accountability measures that have impacted both primary and secondary music provision.
“The report looks in detail at Sats, the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) and Progress 8, and our findings show that these have all contributed to a narrowing of the curriculum, created a damaging hierarchy among subjects, and significantly decreased uptake of GCSE and A-level music courses.
“Reforming these accountability measures would go a long way to re-establishing music’s status in schools, even without additional funding.”
Almost all (99 per cent) of those surveyed thought that music teachers should be consulted on the draft refreshed NPME before publication.
In February 2020, the Department for Education said a call for evidence would help “inform changes to the plan which will then be fully consulted on”.
However, the ISM has claimed today that it has now been told that the DfE does not intend to consult with the workforce on a draft NPME before its implementation.
The ISM ran a survey of 508 classroom and peripatetic music teachers between November 2020 and January 2021 to investigate the current situation of music in the country’s schools.
Just over half of respondents (53 per cent) were working primarily as secondary school music teachers, and a quarter as primary school music teachers.
A further 18 per cent were peripatetic instrumental and/or vocal teachers, and 4 per cent were private instrumental/vocal teachers.
Almost half (47 per cent) of respondents were working in academies, 36 per cent in maintained schools, 15 per cent in independent schools and 2 per cent in free schools.
Insufficient budgets
Over nine in 10 (93 per cent) of respondents said the accountability measures of EBacc and Progress 8 had “negatively impacted music education” in secondary schools.
The report revealed three effects of this negative impact.
Teachers reported a decline in the uptake of GCSE or BTEC music, with some reporting courses had been dropped from the curriculum completely.
This in turn affected A-level music, with one teacher surveyed reporting that no secondary schools in their city offered the qualification.
This also affects the workforce, with music teachers’ hours decreasing if key stage 4 and key stage 5 courses do not run, ISM suggested.
Data from the Institute for Fiscal Studies in 2020 found real-term education spending per pupil fell 9 per cent in the decade from 2009 to 2019, the largest cut in more than 40 years.
Over three in five (61 per cent) of respondents said that their music budget was “insufficient”, with “many” teachers raising additional funds through concerts or purchasing items themselves.
The ISM has said it wants the government to provide additional funding “to support delivery of the refreshed NPME for curriculum music as well as Music Education Hubs”.
Professor Steve Goss, departmental director of postgraduate research at the University of Surrey and professor of guitar at the Royal Academy of Music, said music had become “a peripheral subject in English schools” due to “brutal cuts and the dismantling of facilities and services, coupled with the prioritising of a small number of core subjects in the curriculum”.
More training support needed
The survey also found that teachers felt more support was needed for the music education workforce.
Teachers felt that there should be more specialist classroom music teachers, particularly in primary schools, as well as more time dedicated to music in primary ITE courses, and CPD to “develop confidence and skills”.
There were also calls for a diverse curriculum across all settings including access to music education in early years and SEND (special educational needs and disability) settings.
The report also highlights disparities in budgeting between school settings, with respondents from independent schools receiving more than four times the departmental funding of academies and free schools, and more than five times the amount of maintained schools.
Deborah Annetts, chief executive of the ISM, said it was a “critical time for music education” and that the NPME ”will not be able to fix the issues that the report uncovers”.
“In particular, we need to address the huge inequalities in music education, which are rooted in inadequate funding, and there needs to be a fundamental overhaul of the accountability measures, in particular Progress 8.”
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Every single child has access to high-quality music education and we remain committed to ensuring it is not the preserve of the elite.
“We invested over £620 million of funding between 2016 and 2021 on a diverse range of music and arts education programmes, and will invest around £115 million per annum in cultural education over the next three years, though our music, arts and heritage programmes.”
