Ofsted has published its research review on music as part of a series of subject-specific reviews. The review sets out the literature which informs the way Ofsted think about high-quality music education in the context of the education inspection framework (EIF). Subject reports based on evidence from ‘deep dives’ in the EIF will be published later in the year.
The research reviews aim to ‘support and inform those leading the thinking on subject education’ in schools and Ofsted have selected literature that ‘aligns with the established principles for quality of education’ as outlined in the EIF. It is important to note that Ofsted have said that the review identifies ‘features that might sit behind high-quality curriculums’ and that it is ‘not a simple checklist of activities that we expect to see in school music (and should not be made into one).’They have previously stated in their principles behind research reviews and subject reports that they ‘do not specify curriculum content or a preferred curriculum model’.
We are currently reviewing the document in order to provide our members with analysis of its contents and we will be sharing more detailed information shortly. However, to summarise, the music subject review examines a range of issues within curriculum music including progression, pedagogy, assessment and subject and school leadership. It starts from that assumption that ‘a central purpose of good music education is for pupils to make more music, think more musically and consequently become more musical’.
It acknowledges the decline in the number of pupils taking music at key stages 4 and 5 over the past 10 years as well as the reduction in key stage 3 provision and the amount of musical training offered to trainee primary teachers. It also recognises that reduced curriculum provision has led to lower staffing levels which can affect the support for a school’s ‘rich musical life’. As a result of this, Ofsted state that ‘it is more important that ever for schools to find ways that put high-quality music at the core of the curriculum’.
Commenting on the review, Amanda Spielman, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, said, ‘Music is part of the curriculum but simply ‘doing’ music is not enough. We shouldn’t be satisfied with just having music on the timetable. We need to be ambitious about what we expect for music in the classroom and make sure that time is well used. So I hope the review provides helpful guidance for schools on designing and developing a high-quality music curriculum.’
More information
The music review outlines some common features that Ofsted say schools may wish to consider when developing their music education provision. These include:
- Curriculum content that might reasonably be mastered in the time available, remembering that sometimes less is more.
- Plentiful opportunities for pupils to return to and consolidate their short-term learning, with repetition of key curricular content and gradual introduction of new ideas, methods and concepts.
- Curricular scope that includes enabling pupils to develop technical control over the sound they are producing through the voice or instrument.
- Extensive listening opportunities to help develop pupils’ musical understanding.
- Space and time for pupils to explore the constructive components that build musical compositions and use these effectively to compose their own music.
- Opportunities to gain knowledge of how music over time and across cultures has been a conduit for human expression.
- High levels of guidance for beginners, remembering that pupils in every key stage are sometimes novices, with increasing freedom as pupils gain greater competence.
- Judicious use of summative assessment to identify pupil misconceptions or inaccuracies.
- Adequate curriculum time and regularity to allow musical learning to take place.