Music / News
Free lessons aim to bring music back to classrooms
Bristol Beacon has launched of a new set of free teaching resources in a bid to improve declining music education provision in schools.
In collaboration with Amplify Education and Oak National Academy, the resources are designed for key stages one and two and aim to help schools deliver high-quality music education, particularly where specialist music teachers are no longer available.
The music charity has developed a suite of 216 free digital lessons covering performance, listening, composition and practical music-making over 18 months with input from teachers, schools, artists and cultural organisations.
The initiative aims to reverse a decade-long decline in music education which has seen GCSE uptake plummet by 43 per cent and a loss of 1000 specialist teachers nationwide.
The new, free resources are already in use across schools in the UK
Since launching, the resources have been downloaded more than 15,000 times by nearly 5,000 teachers.
Contributers include the Royal Ballet & Opera, Paraorchestra, National Children’s Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, beatboxer Jason Singh, composer Jasdeep Singh Degun, Debbie Wiseman and professor Nate Holder.
Adam Kent, Bristol Beacon’s director of creative learning and engagement, said: “High-quality music education at primary level plays a vital role in children’s development.
“There is so much evidence about the wide-ranging benefits music education brings – it supports creativity, confidence, communication, listening skills and emotional understanding, while also laying the foundations for lifelong engagement with music and the arts.
“We’re delighted to have worked in partnership to create these new music education resources for primary schools to use all across the country.
“Many primary schools no longer have access to specialist music teachers, and non-specialist teachers can lack confidence or experience to teach music, so these new resources address this by providing structured, adaptable, high-quality lessons that any teacher can use.”
“With many schools lacking specialist music teachers, these resources provide structured, high-quality lessons that any teacher can use.”
The curriculum is designed to re-ignite children’s passion for music
Lucie Bebbington-Lewis, primary music lead at Amplify Education, added: “We know that teachers are receiving less time for training in music than ever before, and that confidence among non-specialist teachers is at a low point – these resources seek to address this.
“We’re already hearing from teachers about increased confidence, enjoyment and engagement, as well as the impact of the high-quality media and partnerships that support the lessons.
“Perhaps most importantly, teachers are telling us they’re seeing children playing the new singing games in the playground – just as it should be.
“We hope these resources will help begin to reverse the current downward trends in music education, supporting classrooms where teachers feel confident and pupils are thriving.”
Bristol Beacon is a concert hall, music charity and education hub that reaches more than 30,000 young people each year across the city following the completion of its major renovation in 2023.
All photos: Bristol Beacon, Amplify Education & Oak National Academy
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