Wider Opportunities -
Whole Class Instrumental and Vocal Teaching

The government’s aspirations for the use of music standards funding over recent years has been focused on the delivery of instrumental and vocal teaching to whole classes. In order to meet our obligations to the DCSF, contribute to the aims of the ECM agenda and offer inclusive opportunities for all we are developing an holistic and sustainable wider opportunities programmes to ensure Slough is a beacon of good practice in music education.

To support these ambitions, government has provided additional funding for the next three years for Sing Up! (instigated through the music manifesto to support the wider opportunities programme), the instrument purchases fund which is ring-fenced for resourcing whole class provision, and the KS2 Music CPD programme run by the Open University and Trinity/Guildhall, directed at KS2 music practitioners delivering wider opportunities.

The wider opportunities ethos is to form a partnership between school staff and visiting teachers. Each programme is therefore delivered by a team comprising the class teacher/assistants and music service staff, drawing on the specialist knowledge of each. School based staff learn the instrument alongside their pupils, and are encouraged to lead on other aspects of the lesson such as singing, musicianship, pupil management and assessment.

Lessons are part of the weekly timetable for the class ensuring they are 100% inclusive, and can either be a stand-alone lesson or integrated into the class curriculum music lesson. Lessons will be available on a range of instruments and are recommended to be delivered once a week for 33 weeks over a year for 45 minutes per week. Regular performances are organised either at school or borough wide level.

We currently offer strings (violin, cello, guitar), wind (flute/clarinet) or brass (trumpet, trombone, baritone). The exact make up of the lessons is tailored to suit the school setting, including the accommodation available and timetabling in the school.