Superintendent James Manwaring, president of the Music Teachers Association, passionately supports the creation of a choir in each school. He advocates that music education is a basic necessity for every child to receive. The membership organization for musical educators from public and private schools. Ultimately, they want singing to be a natural part of school life and learning, not just for special occasions and holidays.
Manwaring describes the recent changes to the school curriculum in England as “very exciting.” These proposed changes describe a welcome direction towards improving access to quality music education in schools. He points out that implementing a choir is straightforward: “All you need is a room and you need someone to lead it and you need students.” This very reasonable formula could massively shift the musical landscape in schools all over the country.
Now, the federal government is promising to do more to strengthen arts education. They are making major investments in musical instruments and equipment to make arts subjects more accessible. A spokesperson for the Department for Education noted that the arts “are no longer the preserve of a privileged few,” highlighting a shift towards inclusivity in music education.
Despite these positive developments, challenges remain. According to a recent survey, over half of state secondary school teachers (57%) reported that their pupils never sing together during assemblies. Additionally, more than one-third (36%) said that their schools do not offer a choir. This lack of musical engagement is concerning for educators like Manwaring, who stated, “It’s a shame to think some state schools aren’t capitalising on that.”
At The East Manchester Academy, a brand-new community gospel choir just launched on year-long residency from artist and choir leader, Rob Hatton. In addition to this new theme, this initiative gives students a platform for their own artistic expression. Mercy, a Year 11 student and member of the choir, expressed her enthusiasm: “I feel like we should all release our voices to the world. Whether you’re good or not, just sing.”
Jackie Bowen, head teacher at The East Manchester Academy, acknowledged that many secondary school pupils can feel “embarrassed – or that maybe it’s not cool to sing like it was in primary school.” To address this stigma, she has launched a series of initiatives aimed at removing the barriers to participating in music. Bowen noted, “We know the intrinsic value of music, but what it does for students’ development, mental health, its impact on academic achievements.”
The Music Teachers Association pointed out the need for greater funding and resources to provide access to music education. Manwaring noted that keeping experienced music teachers is key, as districts work to build back strong music programs. He noted that retaining the existing pipeline of music educators is imperative to continuing the value placed on music education excellence.
As an element of their drive for more, better music teaching, Government have introduced and funded Music Hubs in every corner of the country. These hubs will increase access to musical instruction and resources for a wider variety of schools. Ministers have expressed their determination that “our renewed curriculum will give every young person the skills, knowledge and experiences needed to achieve and thrive,” thereby encouraging more students to explore music and other creative subjects.
