With music education currently under the spotlight, NAME (the National Association of Music Educators) is preparing its case for keeping music within the National Curriculum.
Michael Gove has postponed any decision on whether music will remain in the National Curriculum until he has seen the findings of the National Curriculum Review.
It is vital that the music education community puts forward a strong case in favour and NAME wants to hear from you!
In order to share your views, send an email to musiceducation@name.org.uk responding to the following five questions:
- The predominant view of the Working Parties and of NAME’s Directors is that music should remain within the National Curriculum at Key Stages 1-3 and be optional at Key Stage 4. Do you agree?
- The Review suggests that a National Curriculum should not encompass everything a school does, but that schools should be free to construct their own curriculum so long as it includes essential knowledge in key subjects. Are there any areas of the current National Curriculum for music that you see as “essential knowledge” that should not be slimmed down?
- Do you think that the proportion or amount of lesson time should be specified in any way by the National Curriculum for particular subjects or Key Stages?
- If music is to be in the National Curriculum it must be possible to assess pupils’ progress. Do you think that the current 8 levels of attainment are the best way of doing this? If not, what would you suggest instead?
- Some have suggested that learning should be sequenced in such a way that the primary National Curriculum should focus on general musicianship, drawing for example on the work of Kodaly, Orff and Dalcroze. Do you agree?
Please help NAME to develop its submission to the Review by sending your responses to musiceducation@name.org.uk by FRIDAY 18 MARCH .
Click here to view the full consultation document