THAMES - Tower Hamlets and City of London Music Education Hub

1. The Tower Hamlets and City of London Music Education Hub THAMES leads the Hub (5 FTE staff – 2 admin) Context – Socio Economic (57% FSM – 89% EFL) High performing schools 100 schools (3 Academies) plus one in the CoL 86% of all schools have an Annual SLA with THAMES 14,500 pupils learn an instrument each week (whole class/ half-class or small group instrumental/vocal teaching plus Curriculum Support/EYFS) THAMES sells to schools All instrumental lessons are free Instruments are provided free of charge Each year in the spring a THAMES Link Manager visits the school to discuss SLA provision for the coming year

2. Implementing the School Music Education Plan In order to develop such plans with schools we asked ourselves questions such as what did: very good provision look like in Tower Hamlets schools basic/first provision standard provision This provided us with 3 achievable stages for development of provision. We chose to call these Bronze, Silver and Gold stages. These were similar to Artsmark/Artsward references and were, in our view, aspirational.

3. Challenging Questions Two categories - pedagogy (about music) and structural (around organising the teaching of music) What constituted good practice in the delivery of the NC? Was good whole-class instrumental/vocal teaching similar or different to good National Curriculum music delivery? Were our instrumental tutors well equipped to teach NC or to incorporate NC related activities into their whole-class instrumental teaching? Could the NC be delivered through instrumental tuition (whole class work)? What was the mechanism for having the “challenging” conversation with schools about overall provision, range of activities and quality How many of our schools were relying on cultural partners to deliver class music work through one off projects and were these CPs equipped to deliver NC work? Did Cultural Partners have a clear understanding of NC requirements, the NPME, the OfSTED report or indeed Hubs? Could we persuade schools to organise music lessons in the morning?

4. We used our knowledge of our own schools to set the bench marks. This is an example of what was expected in the primary phase (KS1/2) • Bronze (Basic Provision but an expectation for ALL schools) • National Curriculum music is taught regularly every week across KS1 (minimum 30 mins) and KS2 (minimum 45mins) • Lessons would be delivered either by class-teachers and/or Specialist Music Teachers (THAMES or in-house) • At least one whole school, key stage or phase weekly singing assembly, (or elements of singing within an assembly) • An assigned member of staff with responsibility for music in the school • Some additional external projects which supported the NC • A school music policy • A Scheme of Work What do these stages look like?

5. Silver Provision (Enhanced Provision) IN ADDITION • A regular weekly choir and/or ensemble(s) • Regular weekly instrumental/vocal lessons open to all pupils either as whole class or in small groups and which offer progression • An assigned music co-ordinator linking with the local Music Education Hub activities • School engagement with internal and external CPD opportunities • Performance opportunities for all pupils in/out of school • External projects which will further support NC music and the arts

6. Gold Provision (Very good provision) IN ADDITION Music has status and is embedded in the whole school curriculum The school is actively involved with the local Music Education Hub and regularly welcomes enhanced opportunities to engage with music making at all levels The school engages with and/or leads CPD opportunities in/out of school and supports other schools peer to peer There are regular and frequent high quality performance opportunities in/out of school All additional external projects are linked to Schemes of Work and the NC All musical activities are progressive and have clear outcomes with tangible evidence of their impact The quality of music-making is very high

7. School Music Education Plans in Practice To roll out our School Music Education Plans we are speaking to: All Headteachers at their next Phase Consultative meetings All Heads of Music and Music Coordinators at Network meetings All Cultural Partners at our next Cultural Partners meeting We are also arranging: Individual meetings with schools as part of our Annual SLA visits INSET for THAMES tutors on aspects of the NC and other related Plans INSET for Cultural Partners on quality, progression and NC expectations Appropriate support to schools who have bespoke needs

8. Discussion Your perspective