Comment / Future Development

Recent changes to education in England include the introduction of National Diplomas from September 2008. By 2013 there will be fifteen “Lines of learning” available to all students from the age of 14. The timeline for introduction can be seen here.These qualifications are interesting in that they are the first to be developed by the various industries in partnership with awarding bodies. One of the first to be available is the “Creative and Media diploma”.

A number of recent initiatives in England aim to improve access to music for young people in and out of school; they focus on instrumental learning and the quality of singing in primary schools. Whole class instrumental teaching is being funded to stimulate the take up of instruments amongst primary school children; and there are many projects and programmes which are designed to enrich the curriculum through the involvement of professional musicians of all styles and traditions. These are funded through both government departments for Education and Culture. These policy initiatives are not promoted or funded equally in all four nations. 

There is also much interest in alternative pedagogies for secondary music education where informal learning practices are being explored, like musical futures.