Music to stay in the National Curriculum.

[Barrie Heaton]

Just been sent this
Barrie

Music to stay in the National Curriculum.

We have just received some excellent news regarding music in the school
curriculum. The expert panel has published its? recommendations for the New
Curriculum as follows:

1)       Music will remain a Statutory Requirement (aka Foundation Subject) for
Key Stage 1 ? 3 (ie years 1 ?

2)       Arts and Music should now be a Statutory Requirement at KS4 (this is
new)

 

This is excellent news and a much better outcome than many feared it would
be. This has been achieved, in no small part, due to the concerted lobbying by
MIA, FMS, NAME, ISM and many other bodies and organisations.

The devil (as always) will be in the detail and there remain real concerns about
assessment formats, as well as the actual number of music teachers to provide
the teaching.

We shall naturally stay close to the issue as things develop.

In the meantime, can I wish all members and colleagues a wonderful
Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

[markymark]

That's interesting!

In the Northern Ireland Curriculum, music, drama and art & design have been bundled together under the banner of "The Arts". While you can teach them more specific and technical aspects of, for example, blending colours, brush technique, etc., the Arts subjects are approached as a way of developing a cross-curricular curriculum, e.g. learning table facts to song, exploring sound in science, etc.

As with vegetables, mixing music with something else, helps sneak it in there. However, in the primary curriculum, Numeracy and Literacy are considered 'core' subjects. I'm not sure what the KS3/4 curriculum's ethos is for that in Northern Ireland.