Received from: MU
The MU believes that music education should be accessible to all regardless of ability to pay. On current funding levels, access to sustained instrumental tuition is limited to those whose families can afford it. Music hubs, which deliver instrumental lessons in state schools in England, have had stagnant funding since 2012.
Teachers working for Music Hubs have had to accept worsening and increasingly precarious terms due to flat funding and rising costs; these roles are increasingly unappealing, and music hubs are struggling to recruit the teachers they need.
We believe government should undertake a strategic review of the music education workforce, covering both music hub teachers and classroom music teachers, working alongside unions and employers. This should include consideration of pay, recruitment, retention and professional development. We also support the reinstatement of training bursaries for classroom music teachers.
The MU calls on the TUC General Council to:
i. write to the secretary of state for education to request a review of the funding and operation of music hubs to ensure that all children can access sustained instrumental tuition, regardless of ability to pay
ii. urge the government to undertake a review of the music education workforce – including both visiting music teachers and classroom teachers – covering pay, employment terms, recruitment, retention and professional development
iii. request a review of the criteria by which teacher training bursaries are awarded to particular subjects, in order to ensure that all shortage subjects are covered by bursaries.
Musicians’ Union