ABSTRACT
Music is officially on the curriculum! For generations it has been a ‘Cinderella’ subject reliant on the existence of specialist teachers. Some schools have had a wonderful tradition of orchestras, choirs, shows, computer software and rock bands whereas others have had hardly a note sung or played. The inclusion of music as one of the foundation subjects of the National Curriculum means that this unevenness of practice is no longer acceptable. Many schools have a long uphill struggle to meet the requirements of the order but a report by the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) indicated that of the schools inspected during the year 1992–3, ‘most of the primary schools responded promptly and generally effectively’, although ‘the response of the secondary schools was less immediate’ (OFSTED, 1993). Much has been achieved already but there are still schools who need to ‘review and revise their schemes of work in line with National Curriculum requirements’, update their resources, make better use of Information Technology (IT) and ‘consider more fully the assessment, recording and reporting of pupils’ progress in music’.
