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Summary of Academic Years 2020-2022 and Strategy for Academic Year 2023-24
The strategy sets the foundations for building an inclusive music education culture where all children and young people are valued and recognised for their unique qualities, ideas, voices and perspectives and where they can see Musica Kirklees and the wider Music Hub in Kirklees as providing a range of diverse and suitable musical opportunities and progression pathways.
The information below uses the RAG rating system to record how the strategy is progressing:
R(ed): Not applicable or unfavourable
A(mber): Underway or outcome not yet known
G(reen): Favourable or achieved
We understand that the needs and challenges of our children and young people are complex and constantly changing.
Our strategy will continue to evolve to meet those needs.
CREATING THE STRATEGY
The strategy sets the foundations for building an inclusive music education culture where all children and young people are valued and recognised for their unique qualities, ideas, voices and perspectives and where they can see Musica Kirklees and the wider Music Hub in Kirklees as providing a range of diverse and suitable musical opportunities and progression pathways.
Dr Phil Mullen was engaged to undertake extensive background research on the Kirklees area, its music provision and challenges to and deprivation of children within the region. He also conducted interviews with the Principal of Musica Kirklees and members of the senior leadership team as well as practitioners from within and beyond the Music Hub. Phil also conducted a focus group meeting with members of the team.
After gathering his research, he produced key strategy points for Musica Kirklees to become a more inclusive organisation: focusing on, and addressing, the areas of need within our locality.
The strategic ideas for each year and how Musica Kirklees is responding to them are listed below. The document is under continuous review and is updated on a six-monthly basis, using the RAG rating method to clearly show areas of success and areas for attention.
| Strategic Points for Year 1 | Year 1 (2020-21) | Year 2 (2021-22) | Year 3 (2022-23) | Year 4 (2023-24) |
| G: Develop a statement of inclusive values and practices to embed inclusion with workers and funded partners | G: Completed by IO | G: Reviewed by IO | G: Reviewed by IO | G: Reviewed and updated by IO |
| G: Engage P/T inclusion officer | G: Started the role January 2020 appointed by Principal | G: Ongoing | G: Ongoing | G: Ongoing |
| A: Analyse skills and shortfalls existing within the workforce. | R: Not started due to COVID restrictions | A: Skills audit began | A: Skills audit began | G: Skills audit completed by teaching staff |
| G: Offer training in inclusion | G: Dyslexia training offered to all staff (IO) | G: Inclusion was the main focus of all MK training days with special focus on LGBTQ+, Autism and teaching inclusively (IO) | G: Ongoing (IO) | G: There is an inclusive focus to every one of our 5 training days throughout the year |
| G: Consulted with you people and stakeholders | R: Not started due to COVID restrictions | A: Music Centre and Central groups recruited for Student Voice Groups | G: All MCs have Student Voices groups in place | G: Youth Voice groups continue to run termly and inform on how we run our centres |
| G: Develope a Youth Voice framework | A: Engaged with EVOKE (Kirklees LCEP) to begin process of framework (IO) | G: Regular meetings with EVOKE and Youth Voice events shared between arts organisations across Kirklees | G: Ongoing (IO) | G: As agove - and regularly connect with Evoke |
| G: Expand Musica Kirklees Board | G: MK advertised for new board members and changed the constitution of the board | G: New members appointed (Principal) | G: | G: |
| R: Offer shadowing, training and other opportunities for potential tutors from diverse backgrounds | R: Not started due to COVID restrictions | R: Not started due to pressures on time with staff concentrating on rebuilding the student base | A: Shadowing opportunities offered with one current member of staff | G: University of Huddersfield Placement Scheme includes working with EU/International Students |
| G: Refresh website and other areas of digital communication | R: Not started due to COVID restrictions | A: In process | G: New website launching in September 2022 with added accessibility functions | G: Regularly updated to reflect ongoing work |
| G: Work in partnership with Bradford and possibly Leeds to develop South Asian music education plan | R: Strategy point changed to fit in with ever changing need across WY. INTEGRATE was formed and funding granted by Youth Music. | G: INTEGRATE DJ project runs across 4 WY Hubs in collaboration and partnership | G: Research and collaboration with all WY Hubs to bring a new funding application (INTEGRATE 2) working on legacy of the INTEGRATE DJ project from Year 2 |
| Strategic Points for Year 2 | Year 1 (2020-21) | Year 2 (2021-22) | Year 3 (2022-23) | Year 4 (2023-24) |
| G: Offer further training in inclusion | n/a | G: Inclusion was the main focus of all of MK training days with special focus on LGBTQ+, Autism and teaching inclusively (IO) | G: Ongoing (IO) | G: There is an inclusive focus to every one of our 5 training days throughout the year |
| G: Secure funds for inclusion programme | n/a | G: Funding secured for Changing Tracks Nurture Programme - to be delivered in Year 3 | Nurture Groups and SEND Choir running with funds secured for inclusion programmes. Both groups are run by members of our Inclusion Working Groups teachers. | G: Each new funding bid included the role of Inclusion Officer - latest bid Youth Music Early Years |
| A: Offer structured reflective practice sessions termly | n/a | A: Inclusion working group formed, not yet met | G: Nuture Group teachers meet termly to review | A: Training offered to Nurther Group leaders - could be more structured |
| G: Make decisions based on aiming for natural proportion | n/a | G: Nuture Group school selected based on natural proportion and level of need/deprivation | A: New Youth Music EOI applied for in May 2023, awaiting results. Joing bid with other West Yorkshire Hubs. | |
| A: Regular instrumental teaching in two SEND schools | n/a | A: Regular working with one SEND school | G: Accord Choirs working in 3 SEND Schools | G: Achieved - woodwind and voice in two SEND specialist settings |
| G: Encourage the use of the Quality Framework as a tool for understanding and developing higher standards | n/a | G: IO engaged with training through Changing Tracks to discover QF Tool | G: Used as a reference tool to continue to uphold higher standards | G: |
| R: Training programme in music with children with SEMHD | n/a | R: Not started | G: Funding secured for collaboration project with Accord Choir. MK staff member working with SEMH leader in mentoring scheme, working in several SEND schools across Kirklees. | G: This year all staff have received training on: - working with children with SEMH need - Trauma Informed Practice |
| A: Offer training in South Asian Music | n/a | A: AP worked with Bollywood Brass to gain training and deliver a project with West and South Yorkshire Hubs | R | |
| A: Pilot creative half term projects in two Music Centres | n/a | R: Not started | A: One Music Centre running a songwriting project in collaboration with all schools in the area |
| Strategic Points for Year 3 | Year 1 (2020-21) | Year 2 (2021-22) | Year 3 (2022-23) | Year 4 (2023-24) |
| A: Develop co-mentoring programme | n/a | n/a | A: Research undertaken to write another Youth Music bid to secure funding to develop a mentoring programme for Music Production and DJ Training. Collaboration with WY Hubs. | |
| R: Establish region wide team foregrounding music of black origin | n/a | n/a | R | |
| R: Develop regional team of South Asian music educators | n/a | n/a | R | |
| R: Inclusion based festival | n/a | n/a | R: Kirklees Year of Music 2023 means we have a lot of additional events to celebrate the Year of Music | |
| G: Find 'barrier flashpoints' and reduce the barriers | n/a | n/a | G: Continuous research and collaborations with school staff to discuss barriers our young people are facing and how we can support them to overcome (Gift of Music, Pupil Premium). Discussions at training days to inform our staff and deal with each pupil on a case-by-case basis. | A: Ongoing - forms part of everything we do |
| A: Grime and related genres should be part of Musica Kirklees's offer | n/a | n/a | A: Strategy Point changed to DJ/Electronic Music to become part of our offering after the success of our INTEGRATE project in Year 2. This is not currently in our offer but applciations are being written to develop a mentoring programme for this to be available to schools in Year 4. | |
| A: Weekly open access creative music making project | n/a | n/a | A: Folk Group at one Music Centre, to be dicussed for other Music Centres |
We will be completing the table for Year 4 as the strategy unfolds for 2023-24.
| Strategic Points for Year 4 | Year 1 (2020-21) | Year 2 (2021-22) | Year 3 (2022-23) | Year 4 (2023-24) |
| Continue securing resources with the aim for developing the inclusion programme beyond 2023 | n/a | n/a | n/a | G: Musica Kirklees have committed to fund the Inclusion Officer role. The IO will work at finding funding for the role and continually supporting the staff in their awareness of EDI and best practice. Future projects will address local needs. |
| Employ artist pedagague in residence from disabled community | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
| Have dedicated SEND performance day | n/a | n/a | A: Two special schools involved with local Big Sings | R: |
| Hold festival of world musics in education | n/a | n/a | n/a | A: |
| Double the involvement of Priority Passport holders in Music Centres over the 4 years | n/a | n/a | n/a | A: Achieved: 2020-21 = 15 2021-22 = 13 2022-23 = 28 2023-24 = 33 + 2 Gift of Music |
| Creative music programme in all Music Centres | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
| Working with those who have had fixed term exclusions, inclusion units within mainstream schools and also CAMHS or similar agencies | n/a | n/a | n/a | A: Spring 2024 - to being working with ETHOS (Secondary and College PRU). Roll out Nurture Groups to Primary Schools to continue into 2024-25 |
