The UK government has published its refreshed National Plan for Music Education in England. The plan – entitled The Power of Music to Change Lives – sets out the government’s vision to enable all children and young people in England to learn to sing, play an instrument and create music together, and to have the opportunity to progress their musical interests and talents, including professionally. The plan builds on the model music curriculum and the original national plan for music education, published in 2011.

Reflecting on the plan, our Chief Executive, Chris Cobb, said:

“ABRSM welcomes this update to the National Plan for Music Education which offers a compelling reminder of the place of music in education and a timely call to action.

“The plan clearly recognises the challenges and opportunities facing music education and reflects trends and priorities that are important to the sector. It’s encouraging to see a commitment to inclusion and sustainability, from early years to higher education. There is also a helpful emphasis on progression through a rich diversity of music, with the model music curriculum placed centre stage.

“The additional funding for instruments is particularly welcome as is the focus on music progression in underrepresented areas. All of this chimes with our own ambition at ABRSM to enable more people to experience the joy of music by getting involved and finding the learning pathway that’s right for them.

“Increasing the support we offer to the teacher community is also something that’s high on our list of priorities. We recently launched Classroom 200 – featuring music from the model music curriculum – to provide schools with free access to inspirational music and lesson plans, and we are working to strengthen our professional development provision for music teachers. In the light of this, we’re pleased to see the plan’s emphasis on music making in schools, the role of hubs and the importance of teacher development.

“Overall, the refreshed plan presents a powerful vision for music education in England, complete with National Centres of Excellence and a new Music Progression Fund, and has the potential to make a real difference to teachers and learners across the country.”

Find out more about the National Plan for Music Education