Music education in state schools

Approximate read time: 15 minutes

On 24 June 2025 the House of Lords is due to consider the following question for short debate:

Baroness Keeley (Labour) to ask His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to improve the quality and quantity of music education in state schools.

1.  Music education

1.1 National curriculum

Music forms part of the national curriculum from key stage 1 to key stage 3.^[1] This means all maintained schools must teach music from the ages of five to 14. Currently, academy schools are not required to follow the national curriculum. The previous government argued that academies are expected to teach a curriculum that is “similar in breadth and ambition”, including in music.^[2]

Statutory guidance specifies that the national curriculum for music should ensure that all pupils:

• perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians
• learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence
• understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the interrelated dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations^[3]

In addition, supporting guidance for music in the national curriculum includes details of the expected minimum provision of music education:

• At key stages 1 and 2, pupils should receive a minimum of one hour of teaching a week; this may take the form of short sessions spread across the week.
• In years 3 or 4, it is recommended that each class should start a whole-class instrumental programme lasting a minimum of one term. The mandatory term will be supported by teachers from the local music education hub. Opportunities for development should continue beyond the mandatory term.
• There should be access to both rhythmic and melodic instruments in key stages 1 and 2; this may be as part of the whole-class instrumental programme and/or in other classroom teaching.
• Music should have a minimum of one weekly period the whole way through key stage 3. Carousels are not a substitute that fits with the values of comprehensive education.^[4]

1.2 Music education hubs

Music education hubs are groups of organisations working in partnership to deliver music provision for all children and young people.^[5] They may consist of schools and academy trusts, local authorities, music education organisations or community, youth and voluntary organisations. Hubs both provide teaching themselves and support music teaching in schools. They also offer continuing professional development for music teachers. The core role of the hubs is to:^[6]

• ensure that every child aged five to 18 has the opportunity to learn a musical instrument (other than voice) through whole-class ensemble teaching programmes for ideally a year (but for a minimum of a term) of weekly tuition on the same instrument
• provide opportunities to play in ensembles and to perform from an early stage
• ensure that clear progression routes are available and affordable to all young people
• develop a singing strategy to ensure that every pupil is singing regularly and that choirs and other vocal ensembles are available in the area

Hubs were introduced in 2011. They are funded by a ringfenced grant from the Department for Education. There are currently 43 music education hubs in England, led by 43 hub lead organisations.^[7]

The previous government committed £79mn per year funding for the music hubs programme for the previous three academic years from 2022/23 to 2024/25. In addition, a total of £25mn capital funding for musical instruments from the academic year 2024/25 was allocated.^[8]

Arts Council England requires hubs to complete an annual survey for each year of funding, the most recent survey data available is for 2022–23. The survey details participant numbers and characteristics, staffing and board statistics, activities, income and expenditure and the data is collated into Arts Council England’s music hubs data dashboard. The data shows that in 2022–23 music hubs supported 19,205 schools in delivering on core music hub aims, this included primary and secondary schools and schools for those aged over 18 years. The hubs engaged with 15,919 schools to develop singing strategies, and helped 9,302 schools with whole schools ensemble teaching.^[9]

2.  Provision of music education

Several organisations have raised concerns regarding the provision of, and access to, music education. For example, in 2024 the Cultural Learning Alliance (CLA) published an ‘Annual report card’ on the state of arts education in England.^[10] It found that 42% of schools did not enter any pupils for music GCSE in 2024. In addition, the CLA found that the vacancy rate for music teachers increased sixfold between 2010/11 and 2022/23, while teacher recruitment in music in the same period had fallen by 56%. The CLA also drew attention to what it called an ‘enrichment gap’ with young people from wealthier backgrounds having much greater participation in the arts compared to their peers from lower-income backgrounds.^[11]

Ofqual has published provisional figures for both GCSE and A-level entries in England in 2025.^[12] These show that the number of GCSE entries overall decreased by 0.6% between summer 2024 and summer 2025. However, during this period there was a 5.9% increase in the number of entries for GCSE music, this equated to 34,555 entries, compared to 32,615 in 2024. However, longer term, since 2017 there has been a 10.8% decrease in the number of entries into GCSE music, from 38,745 entries to 34,555.^[13]

While Ofqual figures for summer 2024 showed a 1.3% increase in entries for A-levels, figures for 2025 have been less promising.^[14] In summer 2025 entries for music A-levels had decreased by 2.6% from 5,005 students to 4,875.^[15] Longer-term, the decrease in A-level music entries between 2017 and 2025 has been 13.6%.^[16]

In its 2025 annual report card, the CLA examined the provision of music education in England. While describing increases in GCSE and A-level music entries in 2024 as “very small glimmers of good news for music”,^[17] it also highlighted several issues with music provision, notably:^[18]

• Vocational qualifications decreases: a fall of 34% in entries for vocational qualifications in music at level 2 (the same assessment phase as GCSEs) between 2022/23 and 2023/24.
• Teacher workforce increases: a 3.6% increase in the number of music teachers between 2022/23 and 2023/24 and a small increase in the number of taught hours of music at key stage 4 (GCSEs). The CLA contends that whilst this is “promising” the arts teacher workforce is still much smaller than it was in 2010.
• Initial teacher training decreases: falls of 76% in the number of entrants into initial teacher training (ITT) for music in 2023/24 when compared to the 2020/21 academic year.
• Opportunity gap: a socioeconomic disparity in young people’s study of the arts at both GCSE and A Level. A total of 6.6% of all GCSE entries were in arts subjects in the most deprived fifth of local authorities. By contrast, 8.3% of all GCSE entries were in arts subjects in the least deprived fifth of local authorities. Looking at A-levels, across the most deprived fifth of local authorities, arts subjects made up 4.2% of entries into all A Levels in 2023/24. By contrast, they made up 5.4% of all entries in the most affluent fifth of local authorities.

Concerns have also been expressed about the impact of the English baccalaureate (Ebacc) system on music provision. The Ebacc is an accountability measure used in England. It measures the proportion of children who secure a grade 5 or above in English, Maths, Science, a humanity and language GCSE. Arts subjects are not included.^[19] A 2019 report by the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee found evidence that the introduction of the Ebacc had resulted in fewer students studying music at secondary school level, stating:

[…] a recent survey by the University of Sussex found that 59% of nearly 500 schools in England which responded thought the Ebacc has had a negative impact on the provision of music, compared to 2.5% who considered it as having a positive impact. The review also showed that an increasing number of schools have reduced or removed music in the curriculum in year 7 and, worryingly, by 2018/19 it was compulsory in fewer than 50% of schools at year 9, against 84% responding to a previous study covering 2012/13. Furthermore, the numbers of music teachers had also fallen year on year, with the average numbers of music staff in independent schools much higher than in state schools […] We remain deeply concerned about the gap between the government’s reassuring rhetoric and the evidence presented to us of the decline in music provision in state schools, for which the Ebacc is blamed and which affects students from less advantaged socio-economic backgrounds disproportionately.^[20]

More recently, in December 2023 the House of Lords Education for 11–16 Year Olds Committee, published its report ‘Requires improvement: Urgent change for 11–16 education’. Amongst its recommendations, the committee said that as a priority the government should abandon the Ebacc school performance measures and review the other measures in the 11–16 phase. The committee said schools must be given greater flexibility to offer the subjects and qualifications that would best serve their pupils, based on a balanced curriculum including the study of creative, technical and vocational subjects.^[21]

The then Conservative government published its response in February 2024.^[22] It rejected the committee’s recommendation to do away with the Ebacc performance measure, arguing it “encouraged pupils to take an academic core of subjects that they may otherwise not be given the opportunity to take”.^[23] In addition, it argued that the Ebacc was designed to include a limited number of subjects to allow pupils to study other subjects, including creative subjects, and these remained “important pillars” of the national curriculum.^[24]

The Independent Society for Musicians (ISM) has also previously highlighted its concerns about the Ebacc. In March 2025 it organised an open letter calling for reform of the Ebacc system, saying it did “untold harm” to music and arts subjects.^[25] The letter, signed by a variety of arts sectors leaders and representatives for the National Education Union and the National Association of Head Teachers, argued that:

Since 2010 creative subjects have been disappearing from state schools, making access to art, dance, design, drama and music education the preserve of the wealthy.
The previous government’s Ebacc and Progress 8 policies have done untold damage to our children and their life chances. Creative subjects develop life skills, boost confidence and support mental wellbeing. They also underpin the talent pipeline for our creative industries, which contribute £126 billion to the economy. Although the government emphasises the importance of the arts, we have yet to see action.^[26]

3.  Government policy

3.1 National curriculum review

The Labour Party manifesto 2024 included several pledges relating to education, including an “expert-led review” of the national curriculum.^[27] Following the general election, the government launched a review of the existing national curriculum and assessment system in England in July 2024. The review aimed to “refresh the curriculum to ensure it is cutting edge, fit for purpose and meeting the needs of children and young people”.^[28] In relation to music education, the terms of reference stated that the review would seek to deliver “a broader curriculum, so that children and young people do not miss out on subjects such as music, art, sport and drama, as well as vocational subjects”.^[29]

In addition, proposals in the current government’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, currently in committee in the Lords, would require all state-funded schools, including academies and free schools, to follow the national curriculum.^[30] This would mark an expansion from the current situation where requirements in the national curriculum on music education only apply to maintained schools.

The interim report of the national curriculum review was published in March 2025.^[31]  It did not include recommendations or subject specific detail, but did find that the Ebacc performance measures “may unnecessarily constrain the choice of students, impacting their engagement and achievement, and limiting their access to, and the time available for, vocational and arts subjects”.^[32] The government stated that it is “now working on the next phase of the review which will consider subject issues, working closely with the sector”.^[33]

3.2 National centre for arts and music education

The 2024 Labour Party manifesto also included a pledge to launch a new ‘National music education network’, which it described as “a one-stop shop with information on courses and classes for parents, teachers and children”.^[34] On 18 March 2025, the government announced plans to launch a new national centre for arts and music education, which it argued would deliver on the manifesto commitment to deliver a music education network.^[35]

Ministers said that the national centre for arts and music education would promote opportunities for children to pursue artistic and creative interests in school, including through the government’s network of music hubs. The centre is expected to be established in September 2026 with a delivery lead appointed through an open procurement. The government has stated the centre would:

• promote arts education—including signposting to industry-backed careers guidance, and to opportunities to support children and young people to pursue their artistic and creative interests in school, including through our national network of music hubs
• support excellent arts teaching—through a new online continuing professional development (CPD) offer for primary and secondary school teachers, and support to access the brilliant teacher development provision available from cultural providers
• support partnerships—bolstering collaboration between schools and the many arts and cultural organisations with fantastic offers for children and young people, to maximise those opportunities for the most children, no matter where they live^[36]

In addition, the new national centre will take over the management of existing music hubs.^[37] The government has said it will engage with sector stakeholders, including the music hubs network, to refine the details of the centre ahead of the commercial process later this year.^[38]

In the 2025 spending review, the government said that between 2024 and 2028 it would unlock £132.5mn of dormant assets “to support disadvantaged young people to access music, sport, and drama” through investment in facilities and libraries.^[39]

 3.3 Music opportunities pilot

In 2022, the previous government announced plans for a ‘Music progression fund’.^[40] Bids to deliver the fund were subsequently asked for by the Department for Education and a partner organisation, Young Sounds UK, selected in early 2024.

In September 2024, the Labour government announced a four year trial (now called the ‘Music opportunities fund’) to help disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) learn to sing or play an instrument.^[41] The government is investing £2mn into the fund from the 2024/25 academic year to the 2027/28 academic year. In addition, a further £3.85mn will be funded by Arts Council England and Youth Music. The pilot will be delivered by Young Sounds UK in 12 areas of the country.^[42] It is expected to support almost 1,000 children and young people.^[43] The project builds on the work already carried out by Young Sounds UK, who have been offering free music lessons and exams to primary and secondary pupils for the last 15 years.^[44]

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Image by Vlad Vasnetsov from Pixabay