Music lessons have been “stripped out” of the programme of English state schools by the impressive 21% down, suggest recent researches. According to the figures from the BPI, access to music has grown by 7% but in independent schools in the country. The gaps between independent and state schools widen even more when it comes to the poorer pupils. In deprived areas, only one in four schools are offering music lessons at all. The founder of Chineke, the UK’s first majority-BAME orchestra, expresses her disappointment: “You can’t imagine how distressing that is to hear.”
Chi-Chi Nwanoku continues: “But it’s not news to me – because I know that music and art subjects are being systematically stripped out of all of our schools – and that always hits the kids who go to the free schools.”
The BPI report collects data and opinions from more than 2,000 teachers in England. According to data commented in the report, one in five primary school teacher reported there was no regular music lesson for their class. Only 12% of the schools in deprived areas have an orchestra. The number of independent schools with an orchestra is, however, at 85%. Similar studies with similar results show the current situation with music lessons in schools in Wales and Scotland. Geoff Taylor, a chief executive at BPI, said he is “profoundly concerned” by the difference between state and independent schools in the country. “This inequality is not just deeply unfair to children in the state sector, it risks depriving our culture of future talents as diverse as Adele, Stormzy, and Sheku Kanneh-Mason.”
A spokesperson from the Department of Education commented: “Arts educations programmes receive more money than any subject other than PE – nearly half a billion pounds to fund a range of music and cultural programmes between 2016 and 2020. This money is in addition to the funding that schools receive to deliver the curriculum.” The Department of Education is considering steps of improvement, working with music groups to “refresh the national plan for music education” and to “develop a high-quality model music curriculum, which the British Phonographic industry welcomes.”
According to the saxophonist Jess Gillam: “It’s about so much more than learning an instrument. It's scientifically proven it helps academic results and it helps children socially. We need to do everything we can to make sure children have that.”
Violinist Nicola Benedetti argues the response needed more co-ordination: “Inevitably if government funds go down, then private institutions need to step up. Where the money comes from is not as important to me as the money going towards quality work. Those of us who go into schools and work with children need to co-operate with those of us who are CEOs and in positions of power.”