Module 4

At the time of starting this module, music education in the secondary school stood to be

impinged upon by two separate legislative changes in the UK. The first, more general,

is that of the Curriculum priority changes implied by the introduction of the English

Baccalaureate; the second, the introduction of music hubs, and the reallocation of

funding which that entails. This Essay attempts to provide an overview and criticism of

the current situation, some speculation on how that situation might develop, and how

these changes will affect secondary music departments and teachers in the classroom.

The scrapping of the English Baccalaureate has shifted the focus of this essay onto the

music hubs, the quality control within the music hubs, and the relationships between the

hubs and music departments. I will attempt in this essay to first present a 'snapshot' of

the current legislative environment, paying particular attention to the organisation and

structure of the music hubs, using my own local hub of Sheffield as an exemplar. With an

overview in place I have attempted to predict the impact this will have upon the actual

practise of teaching music in the secondary school, with particular reference to concrete

pedagogical concerns.

On study placements, and whilst working in secondary schools, I have appreciated

that the teachers most likely to be impacted upon by these changes are least likely, and