September 2015: Music education hubs update

A refreshed Relationship Framework for Music education hubs
Today we’re launching a refreshed version of our Relationship Framework for Music education hubs. This includes a new set of Music education hub risk assessment prompts, which can be accessedhereandhere. These don’t require any additional actions on your part, your Relationship Managers will be using these prompts from today to help them determine the risk to the delivery of funding agreements. Your risk score will be shared with you every year, but you can ask your Relationship Manager about it at any time.

Celebrating your work
We’ve put together a newvideoto celebrate the fantastic work that Music education hubs have done across the years, showcasing children and young people’s participation in and enjoyment of music. Thanks to all who worked with us on this. Please do share this widely with your stakeholders and supporters. We have already had a lot of interest with over 400 views in the first day!

Peer Development Programme – Open Call
We’re making an open call for hubs to participate in the second pilot phase of the Peer Development Programme.

The programme enables hub leaders to work together to find solutions to specific areas for development. The first phase involved a host hub working with two peers, who were hub leaders in this instance, and together they explored development challenges for the host hub, based on its Business Plan.

The second phase will provide an opportunity to explore the same or different models of peer working suited to different circumstances and we welcome suggestions from hubs.

We’re looking for five host hubs and 10 peers to take part. The approximate cost for each host hub is £3800, and in the pilot phase, the Arts Council will pay half. Peers will have their time and expenses fully paid for.

If you are interested, or need more information, please contact Hannah Fouracre

Artsmark gets a boost
Now in its fifteenth year, Artsmark is one of the Arts Council’s leading programmes for driving the quality and provision of cultural education in and outside of school.

We’re keeping Artsmark up with the changing educational landscape, and over the summer we’ve worked with school leaders, arts teachers and Bridge organisations to update the award. Following a hugely successful pilot with over 100 schools, the refreshed Artsmark Award will open later this month.

If you’d like to know more about the work we’ve been doing with Artsmark, please contact your local Bridge organisation.

Grant for the Arts applications
A reminder that Music education hubs (and organisations who wish to work with them) are eligible for Grants for the arts in relation to the following extension role:

  • Provide access to large scale and/or high quality music experiences for pupils, working with professional musicians and/or venues. This may include undertaking work to publicise the opportunities available to schools, parents/carers and students.

However, applications need to demonstrate that the proposed project is of larger scale or of higher quality than the hub is otherwise able to provide, and there are other qualifying criteria.

If you are interested in making anapplication, we suggest that you first speak to your Relationship manager to make sure that the project is eligible and read the guidancehere.

Online and digital cultural education resources for teachers
Want to know how to encourage arts and cultural organisations to develop good online tools for teachers? We ran a survey to find out more about how teachers use online cultural education resources. Have a look at our survey resultshere. We’re working with TES to explore how best to direct teachers to the high quality resources available from the cultural sector.

More information is also availablehere.

Sonic Pi: Live and Coding
Over the summer, the Arts Council’s Digital R&D Fund supported Sonic Pi: Live and Coding, bringing together partners from across arts, technology higher education and research, to explore how a simple live coding programme for the Raspberry Pi computer could inspire new approaches to digital music education.

Sonic Pi was tested in two schools, and the team delivered a five-day summer school, led by artists Juneau Projects. Cambridgeshire Music Hub has a dedicated teacher who teaches Sonic Pi, and the programme is compatible with the new music GCSE curriculum and Arts Award.

Sonic Pi is currently available on Raspberry Pi, Windows and Mac.

To download and listen to music created using Sonic Pi, or for KS3 lesson plans, see

BBC Ten Pieces Secondary
Last autumn, BBC Music and Learning created the ground breaking Ten Pieces initiative. The programme engaged some 11,000 primary schools and involved several music education hubs.

The BBC is now launchingTen Piecesfor secondary schools, collaborating with more than 250Ten PiecesChampionsacross the UK, including Music education hubs and Music services, Bridges, and arts organisations.

Culminating with a major celebratory event in Summer 2016, Ten Pieces Secondary will encourage children to develop their creative responses to the 10 pieces through music, dance, performance poetry, coding, or digital art.

A Ten Pieces film opens in cinemas October 5thfeaturing the BBC Philharmonic, actor Christopher Eccleston, Radio 1 DJ Clara Amfo, rapper & comedian Doc Brown, singer Pixie Lott and former footballer Dion Dublin.

You can sign uphereto see the film. Book your free seats ASAP to avoid disappointment!

There’s more to explorehere, and theresourcesare now be available on the website.

Please share this information with secondary schools to ensure as many as possible can benefit from the screenings!

If you require any further information, you can contact the Ten Pieces team directly at

Free, helpful and happy music apps!
The music examination board ABRSM has joined forces with Classic FM to create a web-based app with 100 pieces of classical music for primary schools. The app will be launched this term, helping give all primary school pupils the chance to experience a wide range of classical pieces.

The London Sinfonietta has teamed up with Queen Mary University of London and Touchpress to create an app based around Steve Reich’s Clapping Music. The app aims to improve rhythm through games. It includes content about Steve Reich and minimalist music, and has a unique recording of Reich’s music by the London Sinfonietta. It is free to download. Find out more at

Opportunities for young musicians and teachers
Aldeburgh Young Musicians has announced its plans to support 103 young instrumentalists, across all musical genres, through their 2015 Awards programme.

For information about the Awards programme and how the young musicians you work with can apply please clickhere

Auditions for The National Children’s Orchestra will take place from 27 September – 30 October. Find out morehere.

The TES has been working in partnership with the Open University to develop ‘Enriching the Primary Curriculum: Music’a coursefor teachers who need to teach music in primary schools, but may lack formal qualifications or confidence in teaching it. Find out morehere.

The mass children and young people singing event, Friday Afternoons, will take place on 20 November. For more information and to participate clickhere.

Music Education Solutions Ltd announces Singing Strategy Symposium
Music Education Solutions Ltd will be hosting their second Singing Strategy Symposium on November 10thin Birmingham. This event is for vocal leaders and staff from music education hubs, and features a programme of debates, seminars, workshops and peer sharing sessions, with the aim of inspiring hubs in the planning and delivery of their own singing strategy.

Places cost £75 per person, including lunch and refreshments, and booking is now open via theMES website. (Please note that this event isnotfunded or run in partnership with Arts Council England.)