A bright, empty primary school music room with a circle of small chairs, hand drums, a glockenspiel and recorders laid out on the carpet
AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.
soundboardkids

WHAT THE NATIONAL PLAN SAYS

Every child,
an instrument.

1 HOUR of music a week

  • Sing together
  • Play an instrument
  • Hear live music
  • From year 1 to year 9 and beyond

Music is meant for every pupil, not a few.

England's national plan for music education, published in June 2022 with a vision to 2030, says all children should learn to sing, play an instrument and make music together. Here is what that looks like from year 1 to year 11.

Updated

Pick a school stage

THE SHORT ANSWER

Lessons, instruments
and a stage.

The plan sets out what a great music education includes.
Three parts matter most for families.

IN CLASS

An hour a week

The plan says schools should deliver high-quality curriculum music for at least one hour a week in key stages 1 to 3, that is years 1 to 9.

Pick a school stage

INSTRUMENTS

The whole class plays

Mainly in key stage 2, music hubs offer whole-class or group instrument lessons so every child can learn an instrument in class time, ideally for at least a year.

See the numbers

BEYOND LESSONS

Choirs, bands and concerts

A great music education also includes a school choir and ensemble, chances to perform, and going to live performances at least once a year.

What to ask

A QUICK STAGE CHECK

What happens
at each stage?

Pick a stage of school to see what the national curriculum and the national plan describe. The bar shows how far instrument learning is expected to go.

Stage check

Choose a stage
Years 1 and 2Voices and percussion

Pupils sing songs and speak chants and rhymes, and explore how instruments make sound with simple hand or tuned percussion and recorders.

Years 3 to 6A class instrument

Pupils try instruments such as flute, violin or djembe through whole-class or group lessons, and learn staff and other musical notations.

Years 7 to 9Perform with fluency

Pupils play and perform confidently alone and in groups, improvise and compose, and use notation accurately. At least an hour of classroom music a week continues.

Years 10 and 11A choice to study

Music becomes an option. The plan wants schools to offer GCSE, A level or technical awards in music wherever possible.

Outside schoolYour music hub

Local music hubs offer lessons, choirs, orchestras and bands beyond school, and may help with the cost of some activities.

Sources: GOV.UK, national curriculum in England: music programmes of study; The power of music to change lives (2022); information for parents and young people.

Based on the national plan for music education (2022) and the national curriculum in England for music. Schools put it into practice in their own way.

TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING

An hour a week,
a hub nearby.

One figure for the classroom,
one for how far music hubs reach.

1 hour a week

Curriculum music, years 1 to 9

The plan says schools should timetable high-quality curriculum music for at least one hour each week in key stages 1 to 3, and admits this will take time to realise.

CLASSROOM · NATIONAL PLAN

≈ 91%

Primary schools hubs worked with

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, music hubs across England worked with around 91% of primary schools and 88% of secondary schools, the plan says.

MUSIC HUBS · NATIONAL PLAN

Alongside the plan, the government announced £25 million for musical instruments and equipment, including music technology.

FOUR THINGS PARENTS CAN DO

Find out what
your school offers.

A school hall stage set up before a concert, with music stands, a keyboard, chairs and open violin cases
AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

Every school's music offer looks a little different. These steps use what the Department for Education already asks schools to publish.

  1. Read the music plan summary

    Schools were asked to publish a summary of their music development plan on their website before the 2024 to 2025 school year, and update it each year.

  2. Ask about instrument lessons

    Find out which instruments are taught in class, in which year, and what lessons are available after that.

  3. Find your local music hub

    Arts Council England has contact details for local music hubs. If you are not sure, the government suggests asking a teacher.

  4. Look for chances to perform

    Ask about the school choir, bands and concerts, and about trips to hear live music.

HOW IT FITS TOGETHER

School, hub,
and home.

Small hands holding plastic descant recorders during a class music lesson, seen close up with faces out of frame
AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

The plan says no one teacher, school or organisation can deliver every part of a rounded music education alone. Schools teach the curriculum; music hubs work with teachers and run groups and lessons in and out of school.

The first national plan, The importance of music, came out in 2011. The 2022 plan refreshes it with a vision to 2030 and asks every school to have a music development plan.

Questions

Questions people ask

Must schools teach an hour of music a week?

The national plan says schools should deliver high-quality curriculum music for at least one hour a week in key stages 1 to 3. It describes this as an aim that will take time to realise.

What is a music hub?

Music hubs provide music education across England. They work with teachers in classrooms, run choirs, orchestras, bands and other groups, and offer music outside school. Arts Council England has their contact details.

What is whole-class ensemble teaching?

A programme where a whole class learns instruments together, usually in key stage 2. The plan says it should include every child in the class and ideally last at least one year.

How can I see what my child's school offers?

Look for the summary of the school's music development plan on its website. Schools were asked to publish one before the 2024 to 2025 school year and update it each year.

Does my child need to read music?

The national curriculum expects pupils in key stage 2 to use and understand staff and other musical notations, and pupils in key stage 3 to use them accurately.

Sources

Where the facts come from

  1. GOV.UK: What the national plan for music education means for children and young people
  2. GOV.UK: The power of music to change lives, a national plan for music education (2022)
  3. The power of music to change lives, full plan (PDF)
  4. GOV.UK: National curriculum in England, music programmes of study
  5. GOV.UK: School music development plan, summary template

ABOUT THIS NAME

Interested in leasing soundboardkids.com?

soundboardkids.com is part of the DoodleSale portfolio. It isn't in an auction right now, but you can ask about leasing it.

Ask about this name