What is a Music Education Hub?

Music education hubs build on existing music services. A music education hub is a collection of organisations working in a local area, to create joined up music education provision for children and young people, both in and out of school.

Music education hubs ensure that every child aged 5-18 has the opportunity to sing and learn a musical instrument, and to perform as part of an ensemble or choir. They also allow young people to take their talent further – this might be through local ensembles, partnerships with nationally funded music organisations, including National portfolio organisations or through involvement in, for example, the Music and Dance Scheme.

The purpose of the SIPS Music & Arts is to deliver The Power of Music to Change Lives: A National Plan for Music Education building on the original 2011 plan ‘responding to the change of the past 11 years and recognising that more needs to be done to support teachers, leaders, schools, trusts and Hubs to deliver the best for children and young people’.

There is an updated vision: ‘To enable all children and young people to learn to sing, play an instrument and create music together, and have the opportunity to progress their musical interests, includi ng professionally’, including a focus on early years settings, and a strong narrative about progression through school into a life-long appreciation and/or professional career in music.

There is clear recognition of the importance of schools in providing music opportunities in and out of the classroom, with emphasis on schools providing children with time and space to learn to play musical instruments during the school day. The Plan highlights the expectation that schools should deliver a high- quality curriculum for at least one hour a week and regularly references the DfE’s Model MusicCurriculum. The Music Teachers Association have prepared a summary of the requirements within The Plan for schools to consider which can be found below and two versions of a self-evaluation tool for schools (primary and secondary).

Music Hubs remain a key part of the National Plan for Music Education with a clear statement that every Hub will build ‘a sustainable local eco-system for music education, through partnerships, with progression, access and inclusion, central to their work’

The refreshed Plan does not have a set of Core and Extension Roles for Music Hubs to deliver, but rather highlights the importance of providing access to ‘a broad musical culture’ through ‘ expertise, instruments, technology and facilities they need to learn, create and share their music. ’ There are however three ‘goals’:

All children and young people receive a high-quality music education in the early years and in schools.
All music educators to work in partnership with children and young people’s needs and interests at their heart (which focuses on the role of Hub Partnerships.
All children and young people with musical interests and talents to have the opportunity to progress their interests and potential, including professionally (which focusses on progression routes including the Music and Dance Scheme, National Youth Music Organisations, further and higher education and the role of the industry)