This is an OPEN LETTER to:
Boris Johnson: Prime Minister
Gavin Williamson: Secretary of State for Education
Oliver Dowden: Secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport
I am increasingly concerned about our education system. There are many, many concerns - concerns echoed by countless head teachers, teachers, musicians and parents across the land. Music is all too often viewed as ‘unimportant’. My Churchill Fellowship, which took me to Finland, America and Canada in 2019, showed beyond doubt the importance of high quality music education – and the impact it has on learning. This letter goes hand in hand with a petition on www.change.org/KeepMusicAliveInUKSchools It calls for the government to take action and ensure EVERY child has access to music education in school.
I am astounded at the route the UK system has taken in recent years: its focus on churning out results and data and a huge over-emphasis on core subjects is unhealthy, narrow and competitive. Why haven’t we learnt from other countries in the way we approach learning? Why are we failing to ensure learning is child-centred and broad?
As a music educator, conductor and teacher I am appalled at the thought that the school choir is being discouraged by our government. I am also increasingly concerned that schools may be 'slimming down' their curriculum, at the expense of subjects like music, so that children might 'catch up' after lockdown. ALL children are entitled to a broad curriculum and that includes music. Our education system has become a conveyor belt of data-producing pupils where more pressure is piled on to increase results. Your recent guidelines suggest that the curriculum should still be broad – but it is so vague that some schools will (and indeed, already are) interpreting it to mean ‘more English and maths’.
Singing is something that brings joy and increases well-being. It's also the best way of teaching musical concepts - and something that enhances EVERYTHING that happens in the school community. Some choirs also embrace the WHOLE community itself. It should be at the heart of all music education. Your guidance on ‘bubbles’ in schools means that children are advised not to mix, so choirs won’t happen – yet teachers and siblings can be in different bubbles and you’ve opened pubs. Is singing together really more dangerous than visiting a rowdy pub?
Music has a key role in the development of young people emotionally, intellectually and educationally. It is arguably THE most important subject a child could ever learn – and yet the pressure of testing, data, league tables, inspections and generally ‘being academic’ is slowly squeezing it out. It should not be an ‘add on’ or something where pupils simply ‘have fun’. It’s the only subject that uses both sides of the brain – connections which hugely improve children’s learning and develops essential skills. These life skills include:
The list could continue. It also improves mental health and well-being – something that is more crucial now than it has even been. Music was patchy enough before lockdown - we will not stand by and watch it being squeezed out any more.
On visiting Finland I could see for myself that their education system is world-class. All teachers are respected highly and are trusted to do their job. There are no inspections and no national tests until age 16. The result? No unnecessary teacher pressures, freeing them to do the job they trained to do. This transfers to the pupils - the lack of testing there means there are no league tables, which in turn means the children learn freely and without unnecessary pressure. Music is seen as a crucial part of this. It certainly isn't marginalised or seen as an ‘added extra’, as it so often is in the UK. Could we not learn from them?
There are some schools delivering excellent music education – but it is patchy and this needs to change if we are to capture the power of music in our schools and in our education system as a whole. I have support in this campaign from singers, teachers, music educators, conductors, musicians, parents and pupils. My Churchill Fellowship report makes several important recommendations that are key to every school and every child’s learning:
Imagine a world without The Arts. If we don’t teach high quality music education our music industry will suffer even more than it already has through this crisis. Music binds us in times of happiness, sadness, celebration, festivals, ceremonies, weddings, funerals – the human race connects and reacts to it from day one. It is part of us – and I, along with a huge number of others, am not prepared to stand by and watch its demise.
The UK government needs to act now to ensure there is no slimming down of the curriculum – and that music is included as part of every pupil’s educational diet. This letter is being sent to you and circulated with a petition of support so that change can take place.
We look forward to your response.
Richard Jeffries
Music Educator and Churchill Fellow
www.richardjeffries.co.uk
Boris Johnson: Prime Minister
Gavin Williamson: Secretary of State for Education
Oliver Dowden: Secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport
I am increasingly concerned about our education system. There are many, many concerns - concerns echoed by countless head teachers, teachers, musicians and parents across the land. Music is all too often viewed as ‘unimportant’. My Churchill Fellowship, which took me to Finland, America and Canada in 2019, showed beyond doubt the importance of high quality music education – and the impact it has on learning. This letter goes hand in hand with a petition on www.change.org/KeepMusicAliveInUKSchools It calls for the government to take action and ensure EVERY child has access to music education in school.
I am astounded at the route the UK system has taken in recent years: its focus on churning out results and data and a huge over-emphasis on core subjects is unhealthy, narrow and competitive. Why haven’t we learnt from other countries in the way we approach learning? Why are we failing to ensure learning is child-centred and broad?
As a music educator, conductor and teacher I am appalled at the thought that the school choir is being discouraged by our government. I am also increasingly concerned that schools may be 'slimming down' their curriculum, at the expense of subjects like music, so that children might 'catch up' after lockdown. ALL children are entitled to a broad curriculum and that includes music. Our education system has become a conveyor belt of data-producing pupils where more pressure is piled on to increase results. Your recent guidelines suggest that the curriculum should still be broad – but it is so vague that some schools will (and indeed, already are) interpreting it to mean ‘more English and maths’.
Singing is something that brings joy and increases well-being. It's also the best way of teaching musical concepts - and something that enhances EVERYTHING that happens in the school community. Some choirs also embrace the WHOLE community itself. It should be at the heart of all music education. Your guidance on ‘bubbles’ in schools means that children are advised not to mix, so choirs won’t happen – yet teachers and siblings can be in different bubbles and you’ve opened pubs. Is singing together really more dangerous than visiting a rowdy pub?
Music has a key role in the development of young people emotionally, intellectually and educationally. It is arguably THE most important subject a child could ever learn – and yet the pressure of testing, data, league tables, inspections and generally ‘being academic’ is slowly squeezing it out. It should not be an ‘add on’ or something where pupils simply ‘have fun’. It’s the only subject that uses both sides of the brain – connections which hugely improve children’s learning and develops essential skills. These life skills include:
- Listening skills
- Debating and appraising
- Language development
- Learning different languages
- Speech
- Gross-motor skills
- Improving memory
- Appraising skills
- Historical knowledge
- Numeracy
- Problem solving
- Physics
- Attention to detail
- Teamwork
- Emotional connection
- Empathy
The list could continue. It also improves mental health and well-being – something that is more crucial now than it has even been. Music was patchy enough before lockdown - we will not stand by and watch it being squeezed out any more.
On visiting Finland I could see for myself that their education system is world-class. All teachers are respected highly and are trusted to do their job. There are no inspections and no national tests until age 16. The result? No unnecessary teacher pressures, freeing them to do the job they trained to do. This transfers to the pupils - the lack of testing there means there are no league tables, which in turn means the children learn freely and without unnecessary pressure. Music is seen as a crucial part of this. It certainly isn't marginalised or seen as an ‘added extra’, as it so often is in the UK. Could we not learn from them?
There are some schools delivering excellent music education – but it is patchy and this needs to change if we are to capture the power of music in our schools and in our education system as a whole. I have support in this campaign from singers, teachers, music educators, conductors, musicians, parents and pupils. My Churchill Fellowship report makes several important recommendations that are key to every school and every child’s learning:
- All children should have equal access to music education that is progressive and of high quality
- The pressure from testing and inspections needs to reduce significantly to allow greater focus on creative subjects like music
- Singing should be at the heart of music education and it should start early at pre-school age, progressing into schools as a whole
- A ‘culture of singing’ needs to be adapted in primary schools, continuing into secondary education, if the full effect is to be realised
- Head teachers and senior managers must endorse this culture so that singing is seen as ‘the norm’ – not something that is ‘uncool’
- Singing should be included in all instrumental teaching
- Schools should place singing at their heart – not just in music lessons, but in other subjects, assemblies, shows and concerts – to develop a close community
Imagine a world without The Arts. If we don’t teach high quality music education our music industry will suffer even more than it already has through this crisis. Music binds us in times of happiness, sadness, celebration, festivals, ceremonies, weddings, funerals – the human race connects and reacts to it from day one. It is part of us – and I, along with a huge number of others, am not prepared to stand by and watch its demise.
The UK government needs to act now to ensure there is no slimming down of the curriculum – and that music is included as part of every pupil’s educational diet. This letter is being sent to you and circulated with a petition of support so that change can take place.
We look forward to your response.
Richard Jeffries
Music Educator and Churchill Fellow
www.richardjeffries.co.uk
