Key Data on Music Education Hubs 2014
Author: Sharp, Caroline
Date: 2015-03-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Music Education,Access to Education,Foreign Countries,Surveys,School Role,Special Needs Students,Musical Instruments,Singing,Music Activities,Income,Institutional Characteristics,School Community Programs,Questionnaires,Student Characteristics,Racial Differences,Ethnic Groups

Music Education Hubs (MEHs) were created to provide access, opportunities and excellence in music education for all children and young people. A total of 123 MEHs were established and started work in 2012. The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) carried out secondary analysis of a survey conducted by Arts Council England in Autumn 2014. The study concludes that hubs appear to be fulfilling their core roles and there are signs of progress since 2012/13, with hubs providing WCET to a larger number of pupils and providing/supporting a larger number and range of ensembles. Hubs have also increased provision for singing. The main issues concern the participation of pupils with SEN in ensembles and the need to help secure progression routes so that children and young people can make good progress with their music-making. This report follows on from an analysis of the 2013 results, reported in 2014 (Sharp and Sims, 2014). This report focuses on five Key Performance Indicators (KPls) and one Performance Indicator (Pl): established for MEHs in 2014 and listed below. They are: (1) Number and percentage of pupils receiving Whole Class Ensemble Teaching (WCET) provided or supported by the hub partnership; (2) Number and percentage of pupils playing regularly in ensembles provided or supported by the hub partnership. supported by the hub partnership; (3) Number and percentage of pupils learning an instrument through the hub partnership (outside WCET); (4) Number and percentage of pupils singing regularly in choirs/vocal groups provided or supported by hub partnership; and (5) Number and percentage of state funded schools and colleges with which hub partnerships are engaging on at least one core role. The power indicator contained is:(1) Percentage of hub income from different sources. The report presents key survey data with brief explanatory text for each KPI and a comparison with findings from 2013. Key findings include the following: (1) Hubs worked with most (83.4 per cent) of the state-funded schools in their areas and provided Whole Class Ensemble Teaching (WCET) to over half a million pupils in 2013/2014. (2) Hubs are addressing the aspiration to provide every child aged 5-18 with the opportunity to learn a musical instrument largely by targeting pupils in primary school. They are reaching 39.7 per cent of pupils in Year 4. (3) Just under a third of pupils continued to learn an instrument in 2013/14 after receiving WCET in the previous year. (4) Hubs' total income in was £187,822,222, most of which came from the MEH grant and school contributions. Appendix A contains a copy of the questionnaire, giving the overall responses to each question and including a breakdown for each geographical area. Appendix B contains a copy of the guidance notes for completing the questionnaire.