Executive Response - Music Provision in for Children and Young People

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Post Scrutiny - Executive Response

In Respect of : Review of Music Provision in Tameside for Children and Young People

Date : January 2010

Cabinet Deputy : Lifelong Learning

Recommendations	Accepted/ Rejected	Executive Response	Officer Responsible	Action by (Date)
1. That the wider value for children and young people in the formal learning and playing a musical instrument and singing be acknowledged and included in strategies for improvements to educational attainment and pupil behaviour.	Accepted	Schools often target the Wider Opportunities tuition in classes where behaviour and attainment are issues	Maureen Leigh	Current
		Ideas for extending school improvement strategies were discussed at the CDU residential in July 2009	Alan Bailey/ Kathy Allen	Current
		Pilot a programme where music is introduced throughout the school in a school ‘causing concern’, where music has not previously featured very highly to see what the impact has been on raising standards in the school	Maureen Leigh	Dec 2010
		Music Service runs courses for teachers which shows the wider value of music and teaches transferrable skills e.g. playground games, SEALS, cross-curricular, language development etc.	Maureen Leigh	Current
		Music Service has contributed to the “Enjoy and Achieve” section of the 2010/2011 Children’s Plan	Maureen Leigh	Mar 2010
		School Effectiveness Team Meetings provide a forum for discussion about the roles of different Services.	Alan Bailey	Current
		Music Service to be included in the Tameside Cultural Strategy	Alan Bailey	Jan 2011
		Results of the National Wider Opportunities Impact Assessment report (‘Wow, it’s music next’) to be shared with School Improvement Officers and Schools	Alan Bailey	Sep 2010
2. That the Music Service is seen as the hub and first point of contact for all instrumental music teaching in the borough.	Accepted	Schools to be encouraged at the highest level to use Tameside Music Service as the main provider of instrumental/vocal teaching	Graham Ashford	March 2010
		Music Service to be made aware of musical opportunities for children and young people offered by other council services e.g. Arts and Events, Youth Service so young people can be signposted to a variety of activities	Alan Bailey	On-going
		Music Service to co-ordinate and monitor opportunities offered by independent providers/partners e.g. Camerata, Halle, Black Dyke, Music Stuff, North West Music Services, etc	Maureen Leigh	On-going
		Music Service to liaise with Specialist Arts Colleges to establish opportunities for closer partnerships	Maureen Leigh	July 2010
3. That some of the Wider Opportunities provision made in Key Stage 2 be reviewed and consideration given to additional concentration on a comparatively small number of primary schools that could developed as beacons of good practice, buying in additional music teaching and encouraged to form their own ensembles.	Accepted	Schools Forum delegated the additional KS2 funding following their agreement with the plans proposed by Music Service which would impact on the majority of schools	Maureen Leigh	Current
		Following the strategies proposed by Music Service, there are already several schools which are beacons of good practice and 20% of the total number of primary schools have established their own ensembles following Wider Opportunities provision	Maureen Leigh	Current
		There is already a nucleus of schools which in conjunction with the Music Service, are developing and piloting a range of ‘individualised’ Wider Opportunities models which other schools could then adopt following a ‘showcase’, possibly at a Head Teachers’ Conference	Alan Bailey	Current HT Conf - 2011
		‘Beacon’ schools will be invited to perform at Music Service concerts and events	Maureen Leigh	April 2010
		A Schools Music Consultation Group consisting mainly of Head Teachers has been set up to discuss and review strategies and plans. Minutes are sent to all schools. They will review this issue.	Maureen Leigh	July 2010
4. That the Head Teachers of the schools referred to in Recommendation 3 above be encouraged to act as ambassadors for the Music Service.	Accepted	Head Teachers to be encouraged to discuss at Cluster and Primary Consortium Meetings.	Alan Bailey	Dec 2010
		Head Teachers of all schools to be invited to Wider Opportunities concerts and events to see the ‘good practice’ for themselves	Maureen Leigh	May 2010
		Music Service DVD which contains interviews with Head Teachers and Class Teachers involved in Wider Opportunities provision to be distributed to all schools and used at ‘gatherings’ of Head Teachers and Governors	Maureen Leigh	July 2010
5. That a review be undertaken of the respective provision made by the Youth Music Service and the Music Service to see whether there is any duplication of provision or whether there is the opportunity to share assets and expertise.	Accepted	Music Service to meet with Youth Service to discuss ways of working together more closely	Maureen Leigh	April 2010
		Both Services promote each other’s publicity and signpost young people to the appropriate provision	Maureen Leigh	July 2010
		Music Service to work with Youth Service in setting up after school sessions for more informal learning (e.g. piloting Musical Futures models)	Maureen Leigh	Sept 2010
6. That the Head of the Music Service be notified of all additional music learning provision being made by the Arts and Events Team and the Aim Higher Coordinator and that the Music Service coordinate and communicate this to schools and encourage participation.	Accepted	Music Service to use their communication channels with schools and students to inform (and select/identify where necessary) of all available musical opportunities in Tameside	Maureen Leigh	May 2010
	Accepted	Arts and Events and Aim Higher Co-ordinator to keep Music Service informed	Alan Bailey	On-going
7. That the Head of the Music Service liaise with Rachael Howarth, Director of The Abney Orchestra, Mossley, to see whether she is prepared to act at least as a voluntary adviser to the Music Service and if there is an opportunity to further develop the youth section to become a Tameside Youth Orchestra and other ensembles, thus providing a greater infrastructure for instrumental music performance.	Accepted	Head of Music Service discussed the development of ensembles, and sign-posting pupils to the various opportunities available etc with Rachael Howarth in July 2009	Maureen Leigh	Current
		Joint performances with Music Service ensembles and Abney Orchestra to be arranged	Maureen Leigh	April 2010
		Further discussion between Music Service and Abney Orchestra to explore other possibilities	Maureen Leigh	July 2010
		Rachael to be invited to set up and lead a Tameside Youth Orchestra	Maureen Leigh	Sept 2010
8. That a senior post in the Music Service be made responsible for providing leadership for the creation and maintenance of a sustainable Tameside Youth Orchestra and other ensembles.	Accepted	Re-structure needed in Music Service to enable the creation of the necessary posts and infra-structure within the context of the required efficiency savings.	Alan Bailey	Sept 2010
9. That the School Effectiveness Team give enhanced support to the Music Service to further develop and successfully implement the Improvement Plan for the Music Service.	Accepted	Head of School Effectiveness already line-manages and supports Music Service	Alan Bailey	Current
		Heads of Services within School Effectiveness meet half-termly to disseminate information and discuss relevant issues and strategies which provides a good support network for each Service and results in greater cohesiveness	Alan Bailey	Current
		School Effectiveness to assist Music Service in achieving the government targets and aspirations, by reinforcing them to schools	Alan Bailey	Sep 2010
		School Effectiveness to support Music Service in the dissemination to schools and other appropriate audiences of the findings in the National Wider Opportunities Impact Assessment report (“Wow, it’s music next”)	Alan Bailey	Dec 2010
		School Effectiveness to support Head of Music Service by funding a place on a National Leadership and Management course aimed at Music Service Heads.	Alan Bailey	Mar 2010
		School Effectiveness to assist Music Service in completing a LAMP (LA Music Plan) for DCSF	Alan Bailey	Dec 2010
		School Effectiveness to advise and support in a re-structure within the Music Service to assist in the effective realisation of its aims and objectives	Alan Bailey	Sept 2010
10. That as a priority all teachers working for the Music Service be placed on normal teaching contracts and be encouraged to be part of an inclusive and appreciated team all committed to a single ethos and aim.	Accepted	Tutors were issued with contracts in Sep 09 but new ethos takes time to embed	Maureen Leigh	Current
		Music Service aims, objectives and vision, within the context of the LA, were shared with all staff at a whole staff Music Service ‘induction’ day in Sep. They continue to be reinforced at regular staff and team meetings and often referred to in all correspondence	Maureen Leigh	Current
		All tutors required to attend the Achievement and Learning briefings which will help them to feel part of the wider team in Tameside	Maureen Leigh	Feb 2010
		All tutors have personal targets which support general targets which in turn contribute to the Music Service targets and plans and assist the realisation of its aims	Maureen Leigh	Current
		All tutors have a mentor within the Music Service to support them and a CPD programme is being provided to address their joint and individual needs	Maureen Leigh	Current
11. That at the earliest opportunity the School Effectiveness Team seek to appoint or designate a Senior Officer to support and promote the Music Service.	Accepted	Music Service is currently undertaking its own marketing and communications campaign to raise its profile within Tameside	Maureen Leigh	Current
	Accepted	Head of School Effectiveness to support the campaign and assist Music Service in raising its profile at all levels within the Council	Alan Bailey	On-going
12. That the Head of the Music Service or her nominee seeks personally to meet with the Head Teacher of every school in Tameside to promote the services provided by the Music Service and the benefits that can accrue.	Accepted	Head of Service has an excellent working relationship with schools and personally speaks to each Head Teacher on a regular basis to personalise its provision to the individual needs of the school, especially in respect of the continuation strategies following Wider Opportunities provision. Options and suggestions are always discussed individually and personally with each school to ensure that the provision is appropriate, cost-effective and of high quality.	Maureen Leigh	Current
		Head of Service to speak with Head Teachers at School Cluster Meetings in the future	Alan Bailey	Mar 2011
		Schools Music Consultation Group, comprising Head Teachers has been established	Maureen Leigh	Current
		Head of Music Service to arrange to speak at a Governor/Head Teacher briefing	Maureen Leigh	July 2010
13. That the Head of the Tameside Music Service accept the offer of assistance from the Head of the Oldham Music Service and ascertain what practical lessons and good practice can be learned and introduced into Tameside.	Accepted	Head of Service regularly meets with and visits other Heads of Music Services, both formally and informally, at local, regional and national levels	Maureen Leigh	Current
		Another visit to Oldham Music Service will be arranged	Maureen Leigh	March 2010
		Music Service has plans for tutors to also visit and observe practice in other Music Services	Maureen Leigh	Aug 2010
14. That the Head of the Music Service visit music services in other authorities to learn other areas of good practice.	Accepted	See above - Stockport, Salford, Trafford, Bolton, Wigan and Oldham have all been visited during the last 2 years. We have also joined with other Music Services for Professional Development and Performance opportunities	Maureen Leigh	Current
15. That consideration be given to innovative ways of acquiring more instruments that could be provided to schools to enable children to play without having to commit to the purchase of expensive musical instruments.	Accepted	Tameside Music Service currently provides its instruments on free loan to students and schools so they don’t need to purchase expensive instruments straightaway although a small hire charge may need to be introduced within the next couple of years to generate additional income for the Service	Maureen Leigh	Current
	Accepted	Music Service will seek to acquire more instruments through amnesties and through applying for any additional instrument grants that become available.	Maureen Leigh	Aug 2011
16. That consideration be given to forming a “Friends of Tameside Young People’s Music” that could provide support and possibly access different funding streams for the respective music services in Tameside.	Accepted	Practices established in the Schools Music Consultation Group will be extended to include parents, pupils, councillors, and other ‘champions’ of the Music Service to form a ‘Friends of Tameside Music Service’ or similar group	Maureen Leigh	Oct 2010

Page last updated: 13 May 2010