The report makes a number of recommendations to help schools ensure all pupils receive a high-quality music education, including:

• Supporting subject leaders to develop a curriculum that deliberately and incrementally teaches all pupils to become more musical.
• Making sure that all pupils can develop their musical talents and interests, by offering extra-curricular activities as well as instrumental and vocal lessons.
• Ensuring that teachers provide ongoing feedback to pupils that improves pupils’ music-making in both technique and expressive quality.
• Continuously developing teachers’ subject knowledge, including their musicianship skills and their understanding of what high-quality music-making should sound like for pupils in the age group they teach; this approach should align with the choices set out in the school’s curriculum.
• Actively seeking the support of local music hubs or other sources of expertise when developing and improving the curriculum.

Leeds Music Education Partnership (LMEP), led by ArtForms Music, are the Music Hub for Leeds.  If you would like support with any aspect of your Music curriculum please contact LMEP@leeeds.gov.uk or Sam.Mercer@leeds.gov.uk  You can also click here to see our 2023-24 Music Connect programme of support that is available to all schools.

The Music subject report is further summarised by Ofsted below –

Music teaching too variable in quality and often not given enough time

The report found that there is significant variation in the quality of music education in both primary and secondary schools. Since Ofsted’s report into music education in 2012, many schools, particularly at primary level, have taken important steps to make music more prominent in the curriculum. We found that almost all primary school children had frequent opportunities to learn music in reception and music was taught weekly in key stage 1 and 2. The strongest aspect of the curriculum in primary schools was teaching pupils to sing.

 While many primary pupils now have regular opportunities to learn music as part of the curriculum, at secondary level, Ofsted’s research shows that too many schools still do not give music enough time. There was considerable variation in the amount of curriculum time allocated to music in key stage 3. In just under half the schools visited, leaders had not made sure that pupils had enough time to learn the curriculum as planned by the school. This meant that pupils were not adequately prepared for further musical study. Most secondary schools did not build on the strong progress and enjoyment that pupils had experienced in their singing at primary school.

 The sample of schools we visited showed that those with stronger musical curriculums focused on teaching pupils to get better at music rather than just having them ‘do’ music. Most senior leaders understood the critical role that extra-curricular music, both instrumental and vocal, played in complementing the curriculum. However, there are ongoing challenges re-establishing extra-curricular lessons as schools return to normal following COVID-19.

Many teachers, particularly in primary schools, reported lacking confidence in teaching music, including demonstrating high-quality work to their pupils.

 ArtForms now have both a choirs co-ordinator and an ensembles co-ordinator to support schools to set up or reinforce their extra-curricular Music activities.  We also offer bespoke advice and guidance sessions in your school with the Music Leader and/or SLT to help develop the Music offer in school with a specific focus on the curriculum if required.  Contact Lee.Muncaster@leeds.gov.uk or Sam.Mercer@leeds.gov.uk if you wish to find out more.

Wednesday 23rd March 2022

3.45pm – 4.45pm

Our free Primary Arts Network is for any primary teacher interested in finding out more about matters relating to arts and cultural teaching and learning.

As well as sharing local and national updates, our curriculum focus for the session will be Architecture.  The meeting will provide colleagues with the opportunity to develop their subject knowledge alongside networking and will be delivered through Teams.

To book your place please visit Leeds for Learning.

The newsletters are designed to provide senior leaders and subject leaders with updates and information about arts education on a national and local level.  Previous issues have included features on the implications for arts curriculum subjects due to the revised Ofsted Framework; PISA and how they are planning to assess creative thinking and the lowdown on Artsmark. For past newsletter issues, please visit the links above.

The ‘Music and Arts in Action’ section, gives schools the opportunity to showcase their brilliant work in and through the arts, so if you’ve got anything you’d like to share, please contact jane.zanzottera@leeds.gov.uk 

To ensure you don’t miss out, you can subscribe to the newsletter by signing up through Leeds for Learning.  Guidance on how to do this can be found here.

1pm – 4pm, Thursday 14th March 2019

Leeds Industrial Museum at Armley Mills

This training course will explore Mechanical Systems in the Primary Design and Technology national curriculum.  It is designed for teachers with responsibility for D&T.  However, it will also be of use to class teachers.

The session will include:

This drop-in event provides Headteachers, Senior Leaders, Business Managers, Setting Managers and Governors from Leeds and throughout Yorkshire with a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the full range of educational products and services that are available through Leeds for Learning for all key stages – Early Years, Primary, High and FE.

At the event, we will launch the new 2019/2020 SLA menu. Our team of highly experienced practitioners will be on hand to discuss how we can tailor our broad range of quality products, services and training to match the needs of your school or setting. Early bird booking incentives will be on offer.

Come along and learn about the wide range of music provision that ArtForms can offer your school!

For more information, please see the flyer. To book, visit http://www.leedsforlearning.co.uk/Event/74916

Refreshments will be served and parking is free.

For more information, including how to download the songs for free, please see our Leeds Singing Challenge Flyer. Encourage your family and friends to support your school in the event with this poster (pdf) that can be put up in schools or sent home with pupils. You can also use #LeedsSingingChallenge2018 on your school’s social media platforms to promote the event.

We can’t wait to see all of your entries!