Learning music in Gloucestershire

– young people’s views

July 2015

Make Music Gloucestershire, the county’s music education hub, Colwell Arts Centre, Derby Road, Gloucester GL1 4AD

T 01452 330 300 E W

INDEX

  1. Six key points we have learned: executive summaryp1
  1. About the report and the researchp4

2.1.About the research

2.2.Why was it commissioned?

2.3.About the sessions in schools

2.4.About the e-survey

  1. Resultsp6

3.1How easy is it to make/learn music in Gloucestershire?

3.2How important is music to young people?

3.3How are young people making/learning music – do they enjoy learning music in school?

3.4Would they like to have a say about music education in Gloucestershire?

3.5Drivers

3.5.1Getting involved

3.5.2Staying involved, progressing

3.6Barriers

3.7What young people would like to see happen?

  1. Appendicesp10

Consultation overview from Participation Team

E-survey: report on results

1.Six key points we have learned: executive summary

NB: The sample size for this research was 180 young people: 94 in workshops and 86 via online survey

1.1Music is important to young people in Gloucestershire – but there’s a discrepancy between their passion for music, and their ability to make music, aswell as for some students, their enjoyment of learning in school.

84% of young people consider music to be important to them and a significant 56% of those surveyed wanted to give their views on music education in the future. Yet only 52% say they make music, and nearly one in three say they feel they missed out on the opportunity to make music. 54% says there’s something they’d like to do in music but don’t currently.

1.2As music educators, we could be doing better to harness this passion

The average score from students of how easy it is to make/learn music in Gloucestershire was 6.

And although the majority said they enjoyed music lessons in school, 31% said they were OK and 10 % didn’t enjoy it much or at all. Interestingly, half say they didn’t learn music in school (16% are self-taught, 11% are taught outside of school).

1.3It’s no surprise that cost and time are the two main barriers – but so is a lack of suitable opportunities.

One in five cited cost as a barrier and a similar amount cited not having enough time. The next most common response was ‘I don’t feel able to make music’. More than one in five weren’t playing because either ‘there aren’t opportunities in the type of music Iwant to make’, or ‘I’ve never found anything I’d like to do in music’, or ‘lack of places to make music’.

1.4Young people are overcoming this with singing, and self-directed learning using music technology, rap and beatboxing, and YouTube videos.

More than a third said they were singers; the next most popular were strings and piano/keyboard (each played by 19% of young people) and music technology (16%). 16% are self-taught.

1.5However, they want more diverse opportunities, at all stages of their youth, in and out of school

Only 15% start music at secondary age: yet they say it’s important they have a chance to try different ways of making music, try different instruments, at all ages.

In terms of developing in music, they want to teach themselves (one in five) or learn in a group (one in five) – slightly fewer (14%) want one-to-one lessons. For non-musicians, group lessons were equally or slightly more important, but one-to-one lessons were slightly less important.

Given that a number of studies have shown(eg The Importance of Music to Adolescents, North, Hargreaves, O’Neill, 2010) that adolescence is a time when music becomes increasingly important to young people, it’s important that opportunities to make a start in music (as well as to progress in different ways) are available at secondary age, not just primary.

1.6Young people acknowledge that schools are critically important in enabling access to music and want them to do more

This is not just through classroom music, but importantly, in giving platforms for young people to perform, build confidence and self-esteem. They want to see schools encouraging young people to take up music/try a range of instruments/ways of making music – and a common request was for after school music clubs that involved both instruments and music technology.

2.About this reportand the research

2.1About the research

This report is the culmination of a series of participatory consultation workshops in secondary schools and an online survey of young people aged 11-18.

The aim was to find out young people’s views and experiences of music education in Gloucestershire - both those who are actively learning and making music, and those who aren’t; and those who have followed all sorts of different progression routes, through formal education, non-formal and informal.

The results will be used to inform Make Music Gloucestershire[1]’s future strategy, and to highlight issues of importance to music teachers, school leadership teams, and music educators working outside of schools.

The research took place between January and May 2015 and involved 180young people: 94in workshops and 86 who responded to the online survey. It included young people in mainstream, special and alternative provision schools; those who made music and those who didn’t; and pupils from a wide range of backgrounds.

The work was planned and led by Gloucestershire County Council’s Ambassadors for Vulnerable Children and Young People (part of the Participation Team) and commissioned by the Commissioning Team of Make Music Gloucestershire, the county’s music education hub.

The Ambassadors area group of young people aged 16-22 years who are specially trained in participatory consultation techniques and in working with other young people, and who themselves have experienced being supported by children and young people’s services from the County Council. We’d like to extend particular thanks to Alice Ciereszko, Ambassador, for her work in producing the e-survey, collating the consultation information, and analysing some of the statistics.

2.2Why was it commissioned?

Up until now, the only direct involvement of young people in the Hub has been that there is a place for one young person on its advisory group. However, the Commissioning Team wants to ensure that young people have a stronger voice in the development of the Hub now, and in the future.We wanted to find out about:

Drivers and barriers

What encourages young people into learning music - ie beyond classroom music?What stops them?

What could we do to break down some of those barriers, to enable more young people to make music?

Experiences of music education

What’s good and what can be improved?

What would help them to progress further/better – in terms of improving their abilities, or exploring new progression routes?
What would young people like to be able to do in terms of music making/learning that they can’t do now, or couldn’t in the past?

2.3 About the sessions in schools (see Appendix for a session outline)

These involved 45-60 minuteparticipatory consultation sessionsfor between 8-25 young people in each offourmainstream secondary schools, oneSpecial school and one Alternative Provision school which were as follows:

School / Number of pupils / % Pupil Premium
Severn Vale / 16 / 26%
All Saints Academy, Cheltenham / 17 / 33%
Sir William Romney / 19 / 20%
Deer Park, Cirencester / 23 / 20%
Belmont School / 16 / 62%
APS, Forest / 3 / 29%
Total number / 94

The session wasdevised by the Ambassadors for Vulnerable Children and Young People and facilitated by two Participation Officers and two Ambassadors.

2.4About the e-survey

An e-survey was made available via a page in the ‘Young People’ section of the Make Music Gloucestershire website, and promoted:

  • to the Heads of Music in the schools involved in participatory sessions
  • to the Heads of Music and school heads via MMG’s schools e-newsletters
  • on social media via MMG’s Facebook and Twitter accounts (including direct requests to organisations working with young people in Gloucestershire who follow MMG)
  • via a paid-for ‘boosted post’ on MMG’s Facebook account
  • through the added incentive of a prize draw to win one of six £25 high street vouchers

The survey was devised by Ambassadors, based on a brief provided by Make Music Gloucestershire, using the ‘U engage’ electronic consultation tool used by Gloucestershire County Council.

3.Results

3.1How easy is it to make/learn music in Gloucestershire?

On average, students in the consultation sessions gave this a rating of six on a scale of 1-10.

3.2How important is music to young people?

Survey question:How important is music to you?

3.3How are young people making/learning music – do they enjoy learning music in school?

Survey question: Do you play a musical instrument (if so, which), sing, rap, beatbox, DJ or make music using music technology? How were you taught to play and make music?

Survey question: How much do you (or did you) enjoy music lessons taught in the classroom?

3.4Would they like to have a say about music education in Gloucestershire?

3.5Drivers

3.5.1Getting involved

Survey questions:What made you get involved with music? Does anyone in your family play an instrument, sing, rap, beatbox, DJ or make music using technology?

Consultation questions:What encourages people into learning music - i.e. beyond classroom music?How did you start making music and why? / What and who inspired you?

The consultation results backed up the survey results in terms of the influence of family and friends, and anadditional influence mentioned was teachers boosting young people’s confidence, reassuring them they can sing/play well. A number of young people mentioned using YouTube videos to teach themselves.

Joined school choir for fun inspired by mum and dad and other family members

I started singing because one of my teachers said that I sing quite good. I started doing it often.

Learnt using the Internet on YouTube.

Just wanted to have a go at it. I started making music by combining notes together.

3.5.2Staying involved, progressing

Consultation questions:What has kept you involved and able to progress? What about things that go on in school – does it help, could more be done to encourage more young people?

In terms of staying involved, common themes (in addition to enjoyment) were:

Learning new things/ challenges - “I try pieces that are way above my level so that I make big process. I really enjoy it” and “working towards exams and the next grade”

Family and friends – “Watching my brother practice guitar and taking drum lessons at school and practicing at home”

Support from music teachers “Cause it was really fun and my teacher really supported me”

Achievement - “I’m good at it”; “Winning the national youth brass championships of Great Britain”; “Passing exams”; “I’m good at it and love performing. I get money from busking and gigs”; “Progressing in musical talent.”

Other - “A lot of Dubstep music inspired me to play tunes like them. I like combining music.” “Being able to listen to music and feel strongly about the lyrics inside the songs kept me wanting to style and create things in the same way.”

In terms of whether schools activities help or more could be done, the common themes were:

  • Performances and competitions were seen as a good way to showtalent and raise self esteem (but some young people don’t see themselves as talented, as one quote from the e-survey demonstrates – see front page)
  • There is enough of this going on but the one thing they would improve would be to have more choice of instruments both at school and in competitions. They would also like more opportunities to try instruments – particularly non-musicians:

‘More instruments to be taught at school’

‘Free tester trials to play an instrument so you can decide if you want to continue or not.’

‘I think there could be a bigger range of instruments.’

  • Music clubs after schoolwere also mentioned regularly – including instruments and making music on a computer and with apps

3.6Barriers

Survey question:What stops young people / prevents them from making music

(choose from: there aren’t opportunities in the type of music I want to make; there aren’t any places where I can make music; there aren’t enough musical groups available; transporting my instruments; cost of instruments and lessons; I don’t feel I’m able to; I don't have enough time; I’ve never found anything I like to do in music; I’m not interested; other)

If you have a disability, does this stop you from learning/being involved in music?

Consultation questions:Do you feel restricted at all/what’s difficult about being involved in music?

Consultation questions focused more on barriers to progression, rather than barriers to making a start in music. There were a wide range of responses,but as with the survey, cost and time were two of the common themes, with the addition of confidence/persistence:

  • Money and transport – young people say that lessons can be very expensive and their parents can’t afford them and/or to buy instruments and then to transport them.
  • Time – young people said that it is difficult to go to school and do school work and try to balance this with music practice, especially around exam time.
  • Confidence and persistence – stage fright/lack of confidence, and perseverance particularly in the face of mistakes were mentioned frequently and one person mentioned lack of encouragement from parents/teachers.

You have to be persistent, it takes a long time

Sometimes you get bored with the type of music or tunes that they’re playing

Confidence

Distance for lessons

Taking my instrument from and to school

Not having a drum kit at home – use the school’s but can’t practice at home

It can be expensive / don’t have the money /Not being able to buy own instrument

The internet provides good lessons but at a price and some don’t have internet

Musical instruments are sometimes not available

Peer pressure

Finding people to play with in a band

It’s difficult to be shy and get noticed, So many people have talent; it’s hard to stand out as someone worth time

3.7What young people would like to see happen

Survey questions:How would you like to develop further in music?

Consultation questions:What other opportunities would you like to see for young people?What could we do to break down some of those barriers, to enable more young people to make music?

Students in the consultation who were not learning/making music, emphasised that they wanted to see opportunities being for all ages, and for opportunities to try out instruments (suggesting a need for young people to be encouraged to start at different points in their school life), and that schools should be involved as it’s where young people are most likely to be reached.

Some of the common themes from across the sample were:

Schools being more involved

Venues where young people can practice music

I think the government should build a special place for people to practice music

Community projects to make our own tunes that are age specific

More opportunities outside of school for bands

Community music centre / Music centres (a strong view in Deer Park, Cirencester)

Somewhere to go to learn musical instruments that is cheap - £5-10

This was also an issue in rural Forest of Dean for bands

Free instruments

More bands and singers - people like performances – concerts/competitions

More trips! (in reference to a school trip to see a concert)

More workshops and shows

Taster sessions so young people can try out different instruments – for all age groups.

Would like to have a music technology club

More music lessons

A number of people also stated that they would like to make Dubstep music, do beatboxing, and drums were very popular. Electric or acoustic guitar were also popular

4 Appendices

1Consultation overview from Participation Team11

2E-survey: report on results12

1. Consultation overview from Participation Team

Aims:

  • To consult with young people who are actively learning and making music and those who aren’t.
  • To find out young people’s views about their experiences and how they think they could be improved.
  • To consult on how young people would like to give their views and feedback on an ongoing basis.
  • To find out the barriers for young people to learn and make music.

Timescale:

  • The consultation process ran from January – May 2015, to include the planning process and writing of reports.

Methodology:

We devised a consultation with young people which

  • Was participative, fun and engaging to obtain their views
  • Providedstatistical information which can be used by MMG

Young people were of secondary school age (11-18 years) and in mainstream schools, Special schools and Alternative Provision schools. Pupils were a mix of young people from different backgrounds, Years 7-13, some who made music and some who didn’t and some who received Pupil Premium money.

  1. Participative consultation sessions in schools
  • A 45min-60 min participative consultation session in four mainstream secondary schools, one Special school and one Alternative Provision school
  • The interactive consultation session was devised by the Ambassadors for Vulnerable Children and Young People and facilitated by two Participation Officers and two Ambassadors
  • Sessions included between eight and 25 young people
  • The session included playing ‘Uptown Funk’ by Bruno Mars to encourage young people to identify different ways of ‘making music’ and to introduce the session
  • Outline of Consultation session in Appendices

NB: Actual results were provided as a separate report and further analysis, and so are summarised in the main body of this report.