Government to invest over £100m in music education

DCMS, the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care have jointly announced new music and sport initiatives to support children’s development. 

More than £100m will be used to increase opportunities across the country for children to study music and learn instruments.

Capital funding worth £25m will be given to schools to purchase an estimated 200,000 new musical instruments, including adapted instruments for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

Schools will also be asked to offer at least one hour of music teaching a week in the curriculum for key stages 1-3 as part of the launch of a new National Plan for Music Education, with £79 million made available every year until 2025 for the Music Hubs programme.

The plan also includes providing teachers and young people with guidance on how to progress a career in music.

“Music can transform lives – so it is vital that music education does not become the preserve of a privileged few and is available to everyone, regardless of their background,” said Chief Executive of UK Music Jamie Njoku-Goodwin.

“Continued investment in music education is vital if we want to unlock the huge creative potential of young people and level up opportunities across the country.”

Additional initiatives in the National Plan for Music Education include steps to further develop instrument and music teaching, a pilot to improve music progression in disadvantaged areas and the roll-out of an inclusion strategy in every music hub area.