The Music Manifesto - What Can You Do?
Over the last six years, we've taken great strides in improving music education, and if you haven't got involved yet, now is the perfect time. Anyone can play a part, so check out our tips below to see how you can help ensure that all young people have access to high quality music education.
If you’re a community musician, music leader or music organisation:
- Develop open-access workshops in your provision, and ensure all the young people in your area know about them
- Make links with your local schools, and ensure they know what you have to offer
- Keep in touch with your local music service, and ensure your work forms part of the local area music plan (LAMP)
If you're a young person:
- Don’t give up on making the sort of music you want to make! There are plenty of places that can help you, ask around, check out websites
- Make sure your teachers at school know what music you're into, and understand how good you are at it. They can help you with your next step
If you’re a parent:
- Take pre-schoolers to early years music workshops
- Find the places in your area where people can make music (websites such as Youth Music or Sound Sense can help) and support them
- Get your school governors on side, join the Parent Teacher Assocataion and lobby for the importance of music. Tune In's Power Of Music page is particularly useful
- If you have a musical skill and a little spare time, offer to run a workshop or regular ensemble at your child’s school or for another music organisation
- Think about whether you have contacts in local businesses who might sponsor instruments or equipment
If you’re a teacher:
- Make sure your headteacher and senior management team understand the importance of music in school and the benefits for pupils
- Ensure you’re taking advantage of programmes on offer such as Sing Up and Wider Opportunities in primaries and Musical Futures in secondaries
- In primary schools, look at how you can incorporate music into the subjects you’re already teaching
- In secondary schools, investigate ideas like peer mentoring to stretch your students and share knowledge
- Bring in outside music leaders to run special projects at your school
- Forge links with other organisations in your area where your pupils can make music
- Contact other teachers in your area for support a and ideas
- Address transition issues by linking secondary schools with primary feeders
If you’re a headteacher:
- Talk to your local music service to make sure you’re making the most of everything they can offer you
- Speak to other schools and music providers in the area to find out what they’re doing. You may be able to share ideas and resources, or even work together towards a concert
- Use music to aid transition between primary and secondary
- If you need equipment that the school or local authority can’t fund, seek out other sources of income
- local businesses might sponsor an ensemble or a concert in return for publicity in your concert programme or in the local press
If you’re anybody: