Music in schools

[austin]

The academies and free schools are, in a proper sense, "state" schools, in that they are funded and ultimately controlled directly by central government.

Many would argue that academies are the first step towards the privatisation of the state education system.

http://tinyurl.com/6nfty6z

[teamsaint]

Well we have Gove prattling on about how he values music and then he does all he can to dismember it, slashing government grants, and continuing his policy of never visiting a single state school (other than academies and free schools, which the buffoon still thinks are a good idea).

Absolutely !!Mrs Teamsaint says "don't listen to what people say, look at what they DO !!!!!!!"

Essential in the modern world.

[MrGongGong]

I think one of the main problems with views towards education is that politicians (and parents !!! even though I am one ) tend to have one of two attitudes

1: It was awful and I had a terrible time and am going to try and make sure that this isn't repeated
or
2: Mr Loganberry was an inspiring teacher of Latin therefore we need to ensure that everyone learns Latin

both of these miss the essential points ...............

1: Most parents and politicians (and many teachers !) have only been to 3 or 4 schools and then transpose this experience onto the whole country forgetting that this experience is often 20 or 30 years old , most of us grow out of wanting to get "revenge" for injustices committed against us while at school !!!!

and
2: Policies are all well and good what really matters is inspiring people working with young people.........

Having been to a over a hundred music departments in the last 20 years (not counting exactly) of all types ranging from specialist music schools , private schools, academies, special schools and "ordinary" schools I would say that we are in danger of people with NO expertise making fundamental changes based on their own experiences which are at best 25 years old and only taking "advice" from people who well tell them what they want to hear ! Music is NOT just about performance yet the new NMPE seems to focus almost entirely on this aspect to the detriment of music as an intellectual and academic subject, the primary school children I was working with in January in an ordinary inner city school who became excited by the idea (based on looking and listening to some Xenakis ) that once could "design" music in the way that one can design a building or create a computer programme (in this case Upic) to turn images into sounds , don't stand a chance in this governments approach. I'm for one am not happy to write these opportunities off.

[Flosshilde]

Well we have Gove prattling on about how he values music and then he does all he can to dismember it, slashing government grants, and continuing his policy of never visiting a single state school (other than academies and free schools, which the buffoon still thinks are a good idea).

Are there any 'music academy' schools?

[MrGongGong]

Are there any 'music academy' schools?

Yes , there are academy schools with "performing arts" specialisms (I went to one yesterday !)

[LeMartinPecheur]

Does anyone involved with schools feel any confidence that things will improve now OFSTED will be inspecting schools unannounced? At least that eliminates the need for frantic preparation for inspections, and reports should how the scholl really functions, rather then how good it is at clearing up the usual cr*p ready for the inspectors! Of course the danger now is that OFSTED, in 'protecting its own jobs mode', could now report that schools are far worse than they'd previously suspected, but maybe, just maybe, they'll recognize that nothing is ever perfect, but there is still a clear distinction between the good and the bad.

[I agree incidentally about the ludicrous recent announcement of the downgrading of 'satisfactory' schools! Words mean what I want them to mean, so off-white is now called 'black' ]

As an inspector myself (Insp of Weights & Measures aka Trading Standards Officer) I find it deeply ironical that at exactly the same time that OFSTED (or its masters?) were realising that you can't tell anything important from an announced-in-advance inspection, some of our politicians were proposing that TSOs (and many other 'inspectors' such as Env Health Officers) should only be able to enter trade premises without making an appointment if they had got themselves a magistrates' warrant!

Fortunately my professional institute was able to show the House of Lords just how much damage this would do, but our message hasn't protected some other important, nay vital, inspections.

[Chris Newman]

In the average teacher's perceptions there is a vast crebibility gap that exists between the way they view the traditional Her Majesty's Inspectors of School (HMIs) and the current OFSTED Inspectors. Most teachers regarded the HMI as a friend and advisor who worked to build on a teacher's postive attributes whereas the OFSTED Inspector is out looking for negative points. Not only did HMIs come and observe lessons, record keeping, discipline and so on they also ran wonderful residential courses where they passed on the best classroom practice in every subject. Over some twenty five years I voluntarily attended excellent courses on making grammar fun, Shakespeare in the classroom, Drama lessons as part of Science, Careers Teaching and so. When OFSTED came in inspection was privatised and that important element of training and support was thrown out of the window. I know teachers now who have not been on a "realistic" course in twenty years. The modern equivalent is privatised and expensive: one week at a campus for one English teacher would eat up most of your department's budget. The fact that there are five other English teachers means nobody goes.

[VodkaDilc]

In the average teacher's perceptions there is a vast crebibility gap that exists between the way they view the traditional Her Majesty's Inspectors of School (HMIs) and the current OFSTED Inspectors. Most teachers regarded the HMI as a friend and advisor who worked to build on a teacher's postive attributes whereas the OFSTED Inspector is out looking for negative points. Not only did HMIs come and observe lessons, record keeping, discipline and so on they also ran wonderful residential courses where they passed on the best classroom practice in every subject..

Exactly. I found that one of the chief virtues of an HMI visit was that they would discuss the department's deficiencies (budget, timetabling, accommodation, etc) with the Head of Music and then use their influence to argue the case for improvements with the Head. It was like having a visit from a supportive friend - especially valuable when, as was often the case, the HoD was the sole full-time teacher in the Music Dept. Now it appears to be all about grading and criticising the teacher and the school.
(I also recall some riotous residential courses run by the Inspectorate!)

[DracoM]

Spot on.

[french frank]

Are there any 'music academy' schools?

Bristol Cathedral School became an academy under the title Bristol Cathedral Choir School with (so I was told) the main purpose of strengthening the intake of cathedral choristers and other music students. They are allowed to give precedence in terms of places to musically gifted boys and girls. The fact that the music training is now provided free to such students, on merit, is regarded as a good thing.

Nevertheless, it is one of two top independent schools in Bristol which became academies and one does eye with unease the amount of new building, indicating a lot of taxpayers' money having been channelled into these already very good schools. This is money that isn't available to less favoured state schools.

[MrGongGong]

One huge danger of the whole academy thing is that , like independent schools and "free" schools, they are under no obligation to follow the national curriculum, this sometimes means (as with Bristol Cathedral above ....... ) that they can devote more time and resources to music BUT in other institutions (some of which I have visited ) they can "choose" to have no music at all. It only takes a head with a "Kelvin McKenzie" mind to destroy music in a school. Those of us who have children with statements of special needs will know that having a document that says a certain amount of time and focus MUST be spent or else the school is breaking the law is the only way that some of our children get the education that they deserve and are entitled to. To be able to say to a head that they MUST have a music department surely is a basic requirement of an enlightened education ??

[VodkaDilc]

One huge danger of the whole academy thing is that , like independent schools and "free" schools, they are under no obligation to follow the national curriculum,

.............and are they also under no obligation to pay teachers according to the agreed pay scales and to give the standard terms of employment to their staff? (This is an enquiry rather than a statement - fortunately my days of being in direct touch with schools have passed.)

[MrGongGong]

.............and are they also under no obligation to pay teachers according to the agreed pay scales and to give the standard terms of employment to their staff? (This is an enquiry rather than a statement - fortunately my days of being in direct touch with schools have passed.)

i think you are right
Johnathan Savage's blog is worth reading to keep up to speed about these things IMV
this is outrageous for example

(http://jsavage.org.uk/?p=2907#more-2907)

from John's blog

"I made a visit to a local Cheshire primary school recently. I asked the Headteacher about music education within the school. He was honest and replied that it was a weakness. Why? The recorder teacher had moved on elsewhere. He asked me if I knew of another teacher who could come in an teach some recorder lessons. He was willing to pay between £8 – £10/hour for someone’s services. For all pupils? No. Just those who wanted to learn." ........

of course in the bog society everyone who can play G7 on the guitar is capable of teaching music just as I could easily have performed my own nephrectomy as I make a mean steak and kidney pie !

[Serial_Apologist]

I could easily have performed my own nephrectomy as I make a mean steak and kidney pie !

Now that's what I call cuts in the NHS!

[Dphillipson]

And so he rewards them by forcing them to work until they are 68. What a plonker:

Two things seem fishy here:
VodkaDilc said Gove "said that the new intake of teachers at present entering the profession were more committed to these ideals and . . ." If this is true, retirement plans are irrelevant to most newly-
qualified professionals (and surely few 25-year-olds nowadays assume retirement in 2052 will be no
different from today.)
Secondly I have never met a music teacher who wanted to stop all work at age 65. Those I can think of merely transferred to half-time work or amateur groups as soon as they went on pension (or the school board kicked
them out.)