Before 1988, all local education authorities provided instrumental tuition, usually through peripatetic teachers employed by the authorities. In 1988, the Education Reform Act allowed schools to opt out of local authority control through the local management of schools (LMS). Schools therefore have greater control over their budgets and what these are spent on.
In the 1990s, many local authority music adviser posts disappeared, and LMS in effect undermined the strategic planning of instrumental services previously organised at a local level.
The present government introduced the Music Standards Fund in 1999 to halt the decline in school music. This year alone £50m has been allocated. This central funding is intended to ensure that every local education authority in the country offers children the chance to learn to play musical instruments.
Replies:
Children should have access to music tuition. Coming from an economically deprived background should not stop them learning to play an instrument.
In practice, many schools do provide lessons but local music services are responsible for this provision. It's up to individual schools whether they choose to provide instrumental tuition and it's also their decision whether they pass on the fees to parents.
But schools are usually asked to have a fees remission policy in place for children who also receive free school meals. So parents can apply for free music tuition from the local music service, subject to their criteria.
The situation is improving because the government is increasing funding through the Standards Fund. What remains a real problem is the level of support local education authorities give to schools, ranging from nothing to £1m. This is why children in some areas are losing out from the arrangement.
The government is doing its best to address the problems created by the decline of music services in recent years, but this will take time and there is a long way to go. In the meantime, contact your local music service directly to clarify what should be available for your children.
Richard Hickman, chief executive, the Federation of Music Services
Birmingham City Council has always been very supportive of the music service, which has expanded every year since the delegation of funds to schools. Obviously, the injection of cash through the Standards Fund has had a positive effect on the range of projects we can offer schools.
Because the decision of whether to "buy in" music tuition ultimately rests with the headteacher and the board of governors, there are schools where no instrument tuition is provided.
In the Birmingham area, a minority of primary schools do not use our service. A few might buy the services of an individual, and either fund the cost or ask parents to pay. However, such individuals rarely provide free instruments, making it an expensive option.
So in any one area there can be one school with no instrument tuition at all, next to one that offers a private scheme, next to one that has chosen to buy into our services, offering tuition alongside the long-term loan of a musical instrument free of charge.
In addition, the music service runs many workshops and projects open to schools whether they buy into tuition provision or not.
My advice would be to approach the headteacher and ask whether your children's school is taking part in such workshops. You could also ring your local music service to arrange for teachers to visit the school and raise the profile of music. Ask around other parents and see whether there is a more general desire for free tuition, which you could then discuss with the head and governors as a priority for future budgetary consideration.
Bob Vivian, ensembles director, Birmingham music service
Next week's problem: G Burgon of Welwyn Garden City writes: My five-year-old grandson has a speech impediment for which he has been statemented. He's had extra help in his mainstream school, but it's difficult to discover what further provision he could get. Are there any organisations that offer guidance on this issue?
