You probably saw it, but just in case not, here’s a transcription;

http://www.musiced.directory/article/music-education-short-debate-house-of-lords-28-oct-2014.html

KEY POINTS:

Lots of support for Hubs, lots of questions asked that we too want answered including:
– Funding from 2016 and up to 2020 – sport has a commitment up to 2020, why can’t music (reason given was next year’s election)
– Changes to Core/Ext Roles?
– How can hubs share practice (Arts Council now working on that as Peter reported)
– How can hubs develop skilled leaders
– How can hubs develop skills for attracting funding, developing mixed economy

Lots of concerns that we share including:

– We’re not reaching all C&YP aged 5-18
– Reaching disadvantaged YP
– Numbers of YP taking GCSE continues to drop
– Access to instruments
– Shortage of music teachers, music teachers conditions becoming worse (zero hours contracts, lack of investment in them)
– Governance of Hubs / hubs board is now a Cultural Education Board – will hubs convert to cultural education hubs?
– the importance of advocacy to schools and urging DfE to be a bit more consistent ref messages they’re sending out to schools about value of cultural education, music etc (ref focus on numeracy and literacy; English Bacc not containing cultural subjects; advising local authorities to remove funding for music, then backing down; announcing more money but this doesn’t make up the long term overall decrease in funding for music ed)
– Suggestion once again that no school is rated outstanding unless it has good cultural education including music
– Suggestion of a review of the effectiveness of hubs to understand the practical application of the NPME

Responses from Baronness Joly (is she on the Hubs Board?) include:
– Update on help for hubs with leadership, practice sharing, skills for business development/funding
– Music GCSE continues to be the headline measure of schools performance – as part of the ‘five As to Cs including Eng & Maths) reformed accountability measures from 2016 will include 8 subjects, including music (???)
– Reassurance that Hubs will continue to be central to music education into the future (yet no mention of the election’s influence over that!)