Category Archives: Wales music education review
Creative practitioners and communities: raising standards in Wales
With thanks for the photo to Dance Blast the community dance development organisation for Monmouthshire
What do the words ‘community artist’, ‘artist working in the community’ or ‘artist working in a participatory setting’ mean to you? It’s easier to focus on what they have in common: using their skills/artform to help other people to get actively in involved in the arts. But beyond that, there’s a myriad of different ways of working, ethics and values, and purposes to what they do – as well as end results.
The latest development in a longer-term project attempting to explore these issues, and to support and raise the standards of these different types of work, is called ArtWorks: developing practice in participatory settings. It’s a Paul Hamlyn Foundation Special Initiative with support and funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, Creativity Culture & Education (supported by Arts Council England) and the Cultural Leadership Programme.
With thanks for the photo to Savoy Youth Theatre, Monmouth
Artworks Cymru
Last week, I met with Rhian Hutchings who’s leading the project in Wales (Artworks Cymru – see more links and contacts below), as part of a partnership of seven organisations, plus a professor of arts and society. It’s early days yet so there isn’t a great deal to report, but I hope to blog more about the project as it progresses.
It’s important that this is happening in Wales: both because community artists here (certainly community musicians) have been asking for support for years; and because Wales has a strong tradition of community arts – from older organisations such as Valley and Vale Community Arts to newer ones such as Head4Arts, to independent practitioners and smaller organisations working in youth theatre, community dance and other artforms.
Rhian is determined that one of the outcomes of the project is to effect real change – even though there’s a lot of understanding to go through first. They’re already tackling the ‘big questions’ head on. In some cases, the action research projects have matched artists who often come from different ends of a particular spectrum (for example, the degree to which participants are involved and have ownership; the nature of delivery – teaching vs facilitation; the balance of outcomes – artistic vs social). They’re gradually finding ways to work together and learn from each other, and the learning is being shared through social media and in videos, so anyone can get access to the insights and research, and join the debate. Here’s the project in a nutshell:
What it is
A workforce development scheme that will result in a structured way of supporting people in their professional development and training. It consists of five pathfinder projects – in Wales, Scotland, north east England, London and a UK-wide alliance (‘Navigator’) of the main sector organisations.
Who’s involved in Wales:
Welsh National Opera Community Dance Wales Community Music Wales Head for Arts National Dance Company Wales Sherman Cymru Streetwise Opera Professor Hamish Fyfe
What’s happening:
Phase 1 – 2011/12
Audit of existing training, online survey of artists’ own development experiences and case studies (completed); consultation events (to end of January); development of projects, partnerships and links with stakeholders eg Arts Council Wales, HE and FE.
Phase 2 – 2012/13
Five action-research projects addressing different questions/themes, and the skills artists need:
- Welsh National Opera and Wrexham General Hospital – choirs with pregnant women
- National Dance Company Wales (partnership with WNO, Literature Wales, St David’s Hall, Cardiff Arts in Schools) – project with schools using Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scherazade as a creative starting point.
- Community Music Wales – collaboration with Techniquest using weather data to create music with schools
- Head for Arts – quilting and dance project as part of artist Marc Rees’ Olympic Adain Avion project
- Sherman Cymru – youth theatre and amateur drama partnership project based around the themes of Shakespeare, with writer/director David Britton
Each project has one of the following research themes – quality, ownership, collaboration, transformation, process – and will run four ‘learning group’ meetings during the course of the project. They’ll also publish artist blogs, and information and insights on Facebook and Twitter.
Phase 3 – 2013/14
Symposium to distribute and discuss findings, recommendations for training network, roll-out of resources.
The programme doesn’t go so far as the broader development of the sector – encouraging more work to happen strategically and tactically – so it would be good to see a next stage that includes advocacy and marketing:
- raising awareness of the value and impact of the work (eg amongst potential ‘purchasers’ ranging from local authority commissioners of services to community groups);
- helping those ‘purchasers’ to understand how to find a practitioner that’s right for them;
- helping practitioners to connect with people/organisations who could benefit from/fund their work.
For more information:
Wales websites: http://www.artworksphf.org.uk/group/artworkscymru OR www.artworkswales.org
Facebook
Twitter @ArtworksCymru
Artworks
Lead contact: Rhian Hutchings, MAX Director, Welsh National Opera, rhian.hutchings@wno.org.uk
Promoting 21st century skills: education in Wales
Great blog by David Price about the different path that’s been taken in policy making and school regulation in Wales. And a striking example of students leading music learning from Willows High School.
http://davidpriceblog.posterous.com/hold-the-front-page-if-you-build-a-system-aro
Like this:
Apocalypse now for music education in Wales and England?
Music education in many places in Wales is in a dreadful state, and the situation doesn’t seem likely to improve any time soon. The Welsh Assembly Government’s long-awaited music education review was published six months ago now, and yet very little’s happened since.
You can read more about this in my article (see below to download) which has now been published in Music Education UK (it’s a version of an article first published in Sounding Board last month, see other blog post).
In the same magazine, there’s with an article from Mark Jaffrey (previously Music Manifesto Champion for England) in which he describes the situation for music education in England as ‘a burning platform’.
It’s all doom and gloom when you look at the strategic picture, yet in classrooms, community centres, music centres, youth centres and studios, the amazing work that’s happening is changing children and young people’s lives. How long will that continue though?
It would be a start if the larger organisations involved in children and young people’s music-making pulled together and showed some strong leadership and truly open-minded collaboration: across sectors (youth work, arts, education, community development) and perhaps even across borders.
Easier said than done, of course, but as Mark Jaffrey says, “A strong national body that had parents, school music teachers, head teachers and wider child development and educational experts alongside community and instrumental musicians and tutors would go a long way to seeing off the threats … If we can’t work together to make this happen, what hope is there of working together in hubs locally?”
Here are the articles: the first pdf is a shortened version of the magazine containing both articles, the second a fuller one with an editorial intro, news pages, etc (but you’ll still need to subscribe at www.musiceducationuk.com to get the full-length version).
Music Education UK June 2011 excerpt – short version
Music Education UK June 2011 excerpt – longer version
Photo: Arts Active’s Music Mix project at St David’s Hall. Photographer: Chris Dawson.
Wales: a land with less music?
Amid all the discussion and debate about the review of music education in England, there was also a review here in Wales. It was published, somewhat quietly, by Welsh Assembly Government some months ago – see my previous post, Wales’ music education review. I spoke to two of the people who were behind the original campaign for a review in Wales, and wrote an article for Sounding Board magazine, which you can read below. A version of the article will also appear in Music Education UK magazine (previously known as ‘The Zone’), which is out in early June.
A land with less music? Sounding Board, May 2011
My personal wish list for music education in Wales
It’s been three months since the Welsh Assembly Government published their review of music education, and I’m just about to start talking to a few people involved in the sector to get their views.
It’ll take me a while to write the article – which will be published in Sounding Board, the community music journal and possibly elsewhere – so in the meantime, I wanted to post something that might prompt some comments or even discussions.
Here are some of my sketchy thoughts – few if any are original, most of them are what people in the field have been saying for years. Some of my views may reveal my lack of specialist knowledge or understanding of some aspects of music education and the practicalities involved. But I’m happy to be corrected, proved wrong, or helped to become better informed! Please comment or email me direct if you have any thoughts or feedback.
My wishlist:
For each primary and secondary school to provide, for pupils aged up to 14, through a local music education hub:
• in the classroom – the chance to take part in a different types of music making – involving different genres, instruments, musicians, and ways of learning, as part of the curriculum
• outside the classroom – after school music clubs – inclusive, participatory music making – playing, creating and performing for children of all abilities, led by their needs/interests/hopes and dreams, and providing (volunteering) opportunities for young music leaders
• outside the classroom – the chance to ‘try out’ small group tuition in different instruments/genres
• outside the classroom – small group tuition in the pupil’s choice of instrument/genre for those who want more sustained involvement
• outside the classroom – music groups – ensembles, groups and bands in a variety of different instruments/genres/traditions
For each local authority to:
• support the development of local music education hubs bringing together everyone (or representatives of everyone) working in music with young people in a local area. These might include classroom teachers, music teachers, youth services, independent practitioners including community musicians, social enterprises and charities, voluntary organisations. They would find out what’s happening, what young people want, and what the gaps are – and develop and deliver a co-ordinated plan for their area, securing funding from a range of different sources, and linking to professional development and networking opportunities. Work for the hub would be included in people’s job descriptions to avoid hubs becoming just a talking shop
• encourage music services to ask more questions, to listen to children and young people (and parents), be more learner-led, take into account needs of learners and what’s relevant to them not just what they can currently deliver. Ultimately requiring them to look into new partnerships and ways of working
For the Welsh Assembly government to:
• acknowledge music education as essential for all children’s wider development, not just a cultural bonus
• acknowledge the value of a diversity of providers (genres– including folk, rock, pop, urban and world music – and ways of working – participation vs being taught, learner led and teacher led; peer learning) in delivering music education
• invest time and involve more people in developing a strategy/plan for music education in Wales
• commit ring-fenced funding for music education, managed centrally and devolved to hubs not just music services
• encourage stronger partnerships between formal and non-formal music education
• acknowledge that the purpose of music education is not just to produce talented instrumentalists, nor musicians skilled and trained through classical music and traditional delivery
• acknowledge the potential for music in creative learning and cross-disciplinary approaches, not just as simply part of the music curriculum or instrumental lessons
• ensure that music is given equality with other subjects in primary teacher training
• support and promote a variety of progression routes for future music leaders (including developing young music leaders in and out of school)
• include music funding in some of the funding initiatives for specific groups (eg areas of economic disadvantage, Looked After Children, SEN), but make it longer term – at least 3 years
• commit to extending C^nSing to all schools in Wales in some form (through music services/hubs, cascading learning through clusters/professional learning communities)
• provide funding for an independent organisation (new or existing) to:
- support and advise hubs
- help to secure additional/wider funding for music education
- co-ordinate professional development and networking opportunities online (a website) and offline – including events and information to encourage sharing of good practice, innovative ways of working, and mutual, collaborative learning amongst all practitioners working with young people in music
- help with advocacy/lobbying activities to promote the value of music education and encourage/enable music leaders to align their services to wider LA/WAG strategic goals, as well as, importantly, to school heads and education leaders
Wales’ music education review – it’s all gone quiet over here
I’m really baffled that no-one’s reporting or blogging about the Welsh Assembly Government’s review of music education. As far as I can see there was no official press release, there have been no reports in the main newspapers in Wales, and I’ve not found anything online except for a few short articles in the TES (3-19 review – musical vision; Cuts could strike sour note in land of song and Music review sounds sharp note on provision).
Here’s a really short summary of the review’s recommendations and WAG’s response.
There was so much written about the need for the review, and five years ago, more than 30 of Wales’ music personalities – including Bryn Terfel, Super Furry Animals, Kathryn Jenkins, composer Karl Jenkins, harpist Catrin Finch – were involved in a high profile campaign to get a review. Where are they now?
The key is probably that, as the TES said, WAG ‘accepted most of the recommendations but offered no further funding’ and – unlike Westminster government and the Henley Review – there’s plan for further strategic recommendations and a road map either.
As Emryr Wynne Jenkins, who led the review, says in one of the TES articles: “The key issue for us now is ensuring something happens as a result of this report …It’s encouraging that the minister has accepted most of the recommendations, but it won’t mean anything unless action is taken.”
Wales’ music education review – in short
Here’s a very short summary of the recommendations of the Review of Music Education for 3-19 year olds, and the Welsh Assembly Government’s response. For the full documents see the Written statement – review of music education for 3-19 year olds.
Although the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) has accepted the vision contained in the report, there’s currently no statement about funding (although decision-making for the long-term will be affected by the result of a Front Line Resources Review and a Structure of Education Task and Finish Group) – and certainly no mention of ring-fencing of music education funding. The big national music education initiative in Wales – CânSing – which the review mentions specifically, has been guaranteed funding only until the end of the school year 2011.
There’s also no plan to show how to put in practice the vision – particularly that ‘every child and young person who wishes to do so should have an entitlement to receive group vocal or instrumental tuition from a specialist teacher and access a range of performing and composing opportunities’. As Emryr Wynne Jenkins, who led the review, says in a TES article: “The key issue for us now is ensuring something happens as a result of this report …It’s encouraging that the minister has accepted most of the recommendations, but it won’t mean anything unless action is taken.”
1. Everyone involved in music education should adopt and implement the vision for music education in the report.
WAG has accepted the vision.
2. WAG should establish a national music education forum.
Being considered.
3. WAG should ask the National Grid for Learning Cymru to create and manage a website for everyone involved in music education.
Accepted in principle but probably as part of WAG website and/or the arts education part of Arts Council Wales youth arts strategy
4. WAG should increase music education in primary Initial Teacher Training, induction and early professional development.
Being considered as part of wider teacher training developments
5. WAG should support the development of Professional Learning Communities and CPD for music education.
Accepted – as PLCs are already developing and will provide a tool for responding to the review’s recommendations
6. WAG should support local authorities in working together to rationalise the number of music services.
Accepted – there are already some local authorities developing a consortium approach to providing advice/services to schools.
7. WAG should work with National Youth Arts Wwales to maximise the ensembles’ international activity/profile.
Accepted – will be done through Wales Arts International promotional website, and Arts Council Wales youth arts strategy
8. WAG and key partners should work together to support the pyramid principle and National Youth Arts Wales ensembles.
Accepted – likely that every company that Arts Council Wales funds will provide arts for young people as a standard activity. (Pyramid principle – school and county groups feeding into National Youth Arts groups).
9. WAG should establish a national bursary for more able and talented young musicians in Wales.
Will be discussed with Minister for Heritage but no plans.
10. WAG should regularly evaluate whether the vision is being implemented by assessing music education standars in schools, colleges, music services and others.
Accepted in principle – will be considered as part of the Estyn’s (Wales’ education inspectorate) reviews.
