A music curriculum for every teacher and every child: Music Masters and Voices Foundation will deliver a ground-breaking programme to ensure inclusivity and excellence in primary classrooms.

Over 40% of primary schools are now academies or free schools according to government data, with no statutory obligation to follow the national curriculum for music. For those schools who do follow the national curriculum for music, its brevity allows for significant interpretation and there is a distinct lack of support for teachers. Inequitable access to music education provision for children in the UK is a fact – every single child should have the opportunity to experience the extraordinary power of music in their lives, no matter their background.

The answer could come through an important new creative partnership between two of the country’s most innovative and inclusive music education charities, who are combining forces for the first time to pool their on-the-ground knowledge of successfully building and supporting high quality, long-standing vocal, instrumental and creative programmes within state primary schools. In the pilot programme, which spans 29 primary schools in one of the largest Multi-Academy Trusts in England – The Kemnal Academies Trust (TKAT) – Voices Foundation and Music Masters will collaborate with TKAT to design a curriculum framework that both supports the ability and confidence of teaching staff to deliver music and creates a blueprint for an excellent primary music education, informed by the needs and voices of the school communities themselves, and responding to their contexts and available resource.

It has been a long-standing objective of each of these innovative and agile music education charities to change the story of music education, when there is considerable and compelling evidence that music-making especially has a profound and proven ability to develop a child’s academic and language skills, as well as improve social confidence and emotional wellbeing.

To date, through the Flagship Schools Programme Music Masters have embedded music into the lives and hearts of over 3,000 children, with Musicians of Change graduates now teaching over 13,000 children between them.

Roz De Vile, CEO Music Masters said: There are so many pressures on schools, teachers and children today. We know first-hand how easily music can slip off the agenda – especially when class teachers do not feel confident to deliver, assess or support progression in the subject. Sadly, if children can’t access an excellent music education at school, very few will experience the joy and wide socio-emotional and educational benefits music can provide – this simply isn’t fair. We are delighted to partner with Voices Foundation whose vision and values completely align with ours, and whose significant expertise compliments our own, together enabling us to provide sector-leading support.

Manvinder Rattan, CEO Voices Foundation said: I am so pleased that, for the first time, we are collaborating with such a highly-respected organisation as Music Masters to work on this programme that will fundamentally improve the music education experience for so many children. The music education sector is remarkable in its diversity but it IS quite fragmented. I have long believed that, in order to make the greatest positive impact on children, we need to hold hands with our partners much more firmly. And that is exactly what we’re doing here.

Neil Small, TKAT Senior Director Primaries said: This project will help build on our successful primary model of #oneTKATfamily. We have engaged with both Voices Foundation and Music Masters to help co-create a curriculum which will develop our teaching staff and ensure our children expand their experiences. Our 29 primary schools share a belief in entitlement of a broad curriculum; an adventurous offer and an expert led system. This project enhances that offer.

A music curriculum for every teacher and every child: Music Masters and Voices Foundation will deliver a ground-breaking programme to ensure inclusivity and excellence in primary classrooms.

Over 40% of primary schools are now academies or free schools according to government data, with no statutory obligation to follow the national curriculum for music. For those schools who do follow the national curriculum for music, its brevity allows for significant interpretation and there is a distinct lack of support for teachers. Inequitable access to music education provision for children in the UK is a fact – every single child should have the opportunity to experience the extraordinary power of music in their lives, no matter their background.

The answer could come through an important new creative partnership between two of the country’s most innovative and inclusive music education charities, who are combining forces for the first time to pool their on-the-ground knowledge of successfully building and supporting high quality, long-standing vocal, instrumental and creative programmes within state primary schools. In the pilot programme, which spans 29 primary schools in one of the largest Multi-Academy Trusts in England – The Kemnal Academies Trust (TKAT) – Voices Foundation and Music Masters will collaborate with TKAT to design a curriculum framework that both supports the ability and confidence of teaching staff to deliver music and creates a blueprint for an excellent primary music education, informed by the needs and voices of the school communities themselves, and responding to their contexts and available resource.

It has been a long-standing objective of each of these innovative and agile music education charities to change the story of music education, when there is considerable and compelling evidence that music-making especially has a profound and proven ability to develop a child’s academic and language skills, as well as improve social confidence and emotional wellbeing.

To date, through the Flagship Schools Programme Music Masters have embedded music into the lives and hearts of over 3,000 children, with Musicians of Change graduates now teaching over 13,000 children between them.

Roz De Vile, CEO Music Masters said: There are so many pressures on schools, teachers and children today. We know first-hand how easily music can slip off the agenda – especially when class teachers do not feel confident to deliver, assess or support progression in the subject. Sadly, if children can’t access an excellent music education at school, very few will experience the joy and wide socio-emotional and educational benefits music can provide – this simply isn’t fair. We are delighted to partner with Voices Foundation whose vision and values completely align with ours, and whose significant expertise compliments our own, together enabling us to provide sector-leading support.

Manvinder Rattan, CEO Voices Foundation said: I am so pleased that, for the first time, we are collaborating with such a highly-respected organisation as Music Masters to work on this programme that will fundamentally improve the music education experience for so many children. The music education sector is remarkable in its diversity but it IS quite fragmented. I have long believed that, in order to make the greatest positive impact on children, we need to hold hands with our partners much more firmly. And that is exactly what we’re doing here.

Neil Small, TKAT Senior Director Primaries said: This project will help build on our successful primary model of #oneTKATfamily. We have engaged with both Voices Foundation and Music Masters to help co-create a curriculum which will develop our teaching staff and ensure our children expand their experiences. Our 29 primary schools share a belief in entitlement of a broad curriculum; an adventurous offer and an expert led system. This project enhances that offer.