2012 is only a couple of weeks old, but it’s already shaping up as a busy year for the Think Again team. We had a brilliant day in Derbyshire, working with inspirational heads, school leaders and teachers in one of our “Communication for School Leaders” training days. Although we host regular events at venues around the country, we can also do bespoke training for your school, cluster or conference.
It’s always a delight to work with forward-thinking educators, and their feedback to us was both gratifying and very useful.

Among our favourite comments:

“Very inspirational – I have learnt so much that I feel is transferable to my work as a leader in education.”

“Excellent and probably essential for senior leaders in school.”

We were particularly pleased at how many of the delegates said it was refreshing to have training from professionals from outside the usual spheres of education and learning.

We’ll be posting a short video from the day here soon, and some more exciting news about upcoming Think Again projects in Sweden and Spain.

Marc welcomes the government’s ‘unswerving commitment’ to music in the lives of young people, but warns that schools are where the power really lies to protect music in children’s education.

“This is a big plan, literally 55 pages. Size is rarely a reliable indicator of quality but, for better or worse, it is a plan. And, while in the coming days and weeks we pick over the content, my first response is, ‘Hallelujah!’

It is exactly what we wanted as a government response to the Music Manifesto recommendations all those years ago. Now, we finally have it: a plan we can interpret, use and, if needed, campaign to improve. It establishes the place of music in education from which we can judge deeds and actions.

The whole of the last government’s strategy was based on an off-the-cuff line in 2001 from the then Secretary of State for Education, David Blunkett, about ‘giving every child the opportunity to play an instrumemt’. This one line drove a haphazard strategy in the most frustrating and hilarious way – worthy of an Armando Iannucci script (a story to tell another time).  So we should be big enough to commend this government for at least devising a plan.

Now, with the plan immediately comes a budget cut. A cold shower straight off. Labour may have been short on detail, but they did increase the budget by 100%.  And there you have it in a nutshell: there is plenty in this plan to excite and dismay in equal measures, depending on how you are predisposed to think.

I’m a ‘cup half-full’ guy – a realist in terms of my intellect and an unashamed optimist in my heart.  Who did not expect a cut, really?  It does not make it right but any surprise must be faux surely? And, without making light of it, I believe it is survivable. Fighting for arts funding is a peaks and troughs experience, we must keep up the good fight.

I am very pleased to see that music technology’s power is finally being recognised and that the needs of key categories of children, notably SEN and Gifted and Talented, will be addressed in the bids to become music education ‘hubs’. The workforce development proposals also feel positive and I look forward to commenting more on all of these in the coming weeks.

My first substantive observation is the sub-plot in the plan, which may have the biggest lasting impact on the music education sector, that Arts Council England (ACE) have played a blinder (no doubt behind the scenes) and are big winners. They have been written into the heart of delivering music education. ACE have been made the fund holder and awarding body for the previous Music Fund derived from the Department of Education budget. This fund acts as the central resource (alongside LA and contributions from parents) supporting instrumental teaching and performance opportunities. Historically, this fund was distributed directly to local authorities and mostly passed on to Music Services.

This will now change radically and the plan heeds the call that the Music Manifesto made in 2007, and that Darren Henley – its previous Chairman – made in his independent review at the beginning of the year, that far greater local co-ordination, planning, assessment of need, quality standards and focus on education impact should be driven through ‘local music hubs’.

ACE’s new role gives them increased formal authority and ‘soft’ power with which to bring this about and ensure that the type of dynamic partnerships we envisaged in 2007, come about. They can bring more experienced leadership, oversight and performance monitoring to awards. They can also ensure that those running relevant National Portfolio Organisations and Bridge organisations work in far greater partnership with expert instrumental teaching organisations like Music Services and the plethora of ‘community music projects’ already operating.

Indeed, over time, many of these organisational identities are likely to change. ‘Hubs’ are only worthwhile if they deliver better services (with greater effectiveness and efficiency) that lead to better individual learning outcomes for children. ACE can help make this happen. They will need to demonstrate humility and respect for those existing and excellent education organisations (something big funding bodies sometimes struggle to do) but why would they not?  Over time I suspect the organisational landscape will change beyond recognition.  Expect to see mergers, casualties and ‘super hubs’ grow up. This may be a very good thing if the outcomes are better and it may be needed to sustain the impact of budget cuts. Time will tell.

Oh and I suspect it is in ACE’s best interests to ensure this is managed without too much blood on the carpet. Why?

Well, I’m unfashionable in my view (in liberal arts and education circles at least) that generally Gove ‘gets’ music’s value to children and the plan offers much evidence of this. (I can hear some of you shouting – see below!) But the real unsung champion and instigator of this plan is, I believe, Ed Vaizey. I’d put my money on Ed chairing the National Plan Monitoring Board to oversee developments.

Now, while he rightly wants to see orchestras and other NPO’s take up the challenge better to get involved, he will not want a crude ACE articulation of power or significant disenfranchisement of education organisations on his watch, not least because most relevant NPO’s have only limited links with (ah, the word not yet mentioned) schools. Nor do they have an ability to deliver the instrumental teaching currently done by 12,000 music teachers employed and co-ordinated by Music Services. However, they will be able to offer fresh ways of rationalising and achieving this with a level and standard of leadership currently not present in the music education sector. Surely the very best Music Service leaders will welcome this? It’s certainly a message I have repeated time and time again in my own work with Music Services over the years.

And ACE, as new co-sponsors of In Harmony Sistema England, have also gained a major say on how this initiative progresses and they will, I believe, allow it to take centre stage in England’s cultural life.  Maybe the chattering classes will be blown away by the talent of English children from the far side of the tracks as regularly as they are by Venezuelan ones in the future? I hope so.

I was one of the programme’s original instigators, and have subsequently been an adviser to it, and I believe ACE’s involvement is very good news. They will have the opportunity to better knit the relationships between British Orchestras, National Youth Music Organisations and In Harmony together and bring much needed guile to building social partnerships on the ground and giving the programme national advocacy.

But all this is the sub-plot.  As I read the report I found a few key concerns.

The first is whether the very shifts outlined above, notably the moving of the Fund allocation process from the DfE to ACE, is symbolic of a distancing of the subject of music from the DfE’s corridors of power? There are those who will comment in the coming days that what I see as a strength is in fact the very opposite. If Gove cares generally about music education as I contest, how specific is that commitment when it comes to maintaining music in schools and in the classroom?

The plan is unable to report on the possible ending of music as a guaranteed 5-14 National Curriculum entitlement (subject to a wider review yet to report) and many, especially in the school music sector, will argue that this is singularly the most important question. And it remains unanswered in the Plan – unanswered therefore in the major Government announcement on music this side of a General Election. There may yet be a very harsh sting in the detail of all this apparent intent from politicians.

It is true to say that when I worked as an independent adviser to successive Secretaries of State at the DfE (and the DCMS) engagements with head teachers were dominated by their interest in the fact that the Secretary of State of the DfE was prioritising music. They generally cared less if the DCMS, let alone ACE, were involved (even though they where vital sponsors). In fact, head teachers’ level of interest was often exclusively driven by the assessment that this was a priority for the DfE and a personal passion of successive Ministers – Miliband, Johnson, Adonis and Balls (to name but 4 of the 10 involved over 5 years…)

Yet, for me, this belies a challenge that I have been flagging up for some time now that, what ever the plan says, the biggest challenge is to convince large numbers of head teachers to invest in music, to support their music teachers in their classrooms (and to ensure there is at least one music teacher in their school!) Heads need to provide resources, leadership and make music a priority for more than just a few obviously gifted children.

The question we must ask is whether the National Plan will help this happen?  For me, this challenge still remains the central task for all music educators, especially the new ‘hubs’ and their partners. But it should be remembered that, as the command and control relationship between DfE and schools is lessened, the people head teachers and other school leaders most respect and listen to are other heads and school leaders. How many will be directly involved in ‘hubs’?

I have long argued that there are not nearly enough school leaders directly involved in championing music education or school music teachers (and it’s remiss of me to mention school music teachers so late.) They are largely the forgotten majority, the backbone alongside instrumental teachers of music education for our children. Yet, they are marginal to the many representative bodies. So a question: how will Bridge organisations, ACE and the various music education bodies involved in the new ‘hubs’ bring school music teachers centre stage and convince school leaders of the remarkable educational value of music (taught well)?

Once the planning is over, that should be a key task and one that I would love ACE to ask prospective ‘hubs’ about in their selection process.

If we can mobilise school leaders we’ll insulate children from any forthcoming removal of their obligations regarding music in the National Curriculum, because a majority of heads will then use their power to protect music. If the changes proposed crack that, it will all have been worthwhile.”

Download ‘The Importance of Music – A National Plan for Music Education from the Department of Education.

Here at Think Again Towers we’re celebrating the fact that when it comes to portfolio careers, we are living the dream.

We believe strongly that people should follow their passions personally and professionally. Which is why we’re currently involved in a really eclectic mix of projects.

Top of the list is our revolutionary training programme for head teachers and senior leaders in schools, Think Again Education, led by the global force in learning and innovation, Richard Gerver. We’ve had interest from around the UK, as well as a number of approaches from Europe and beyond and will be working with visionary educators determined to make a real difference.

With youth unemployment at an all time high, and the global economy showing few signs of a lasting recovery, creating education systems that are genuinely fit for purpose has never been more important. It’s no good continuing to educate and train young people for jobs that no longer exist. Children need new skills and new capabilities, and the best schools and the best teachers recognise this. Young people need to be infinitely flexible in their approach to work. Let’s stop talking negatively about young people who don’t have jobs and elevate them to the status of innovators and entrepreneurs. Given the right skills and the right conditions, working in partnership with business and industry, they can aspire to create their own jobs. Aspiration and ambition. That’s what Think Again Education is all about.

Our founding director, Marc Jaffrey OBE, has been on the road, speaking to different audiences about another of his passions, music education. He’s ready and poised to help, advise and respond when the government finally publishes its National Plan for Music Education. Don’t be surprised if you get an overseas ring tone when you contact him though. Marc’s also busy advising the leading authority on water sanitation and health, IRC, who are based in The Hague. The world of overseas development is increasingly an area where we are hoping to make an impact.

Who was it that said they prefer radio to television because the pictures are better? Think Again’s Jane Bolger has been feeding her own passion for audio recently, training future feature makers for the BBC. She’s also producing an event next year that will bring together cutting edge radio with cutting edge technology. More on that in future posts.

For Ian Parkinson, vintage or retro are probably the words. Not in terms of age or dress sense you understand, but with reference to one of a series of documentaries he’s making for BBC Radio 2. Ian works regularly with colleagues at Folded Wing Productions on Jamie Cullum’s jazz show, and is fresh from a jaunt to Miami for their new series, Gloria Estefan’s Latin Beats. Now he’s bringing the network another gem, producing choreography legend Arlene Phillips OBE, as she tells the story of the TV dance troupes – especially the legendary Pan’s People. All this, and still finding time to indulge his passion for building bicycle wheels. At the rate we are going, and the amount of travelling we are doing (on various forms of transport) we’re wondering whether we really need an office at all?

Our friend Sir Ken Robinson would definitely approve though. He talks about how when people find their passion they are in their element. We are privileged to be able to experience variety, and indulge our passions, in our working lives. Our vision and ambition for Think Again Education is to reach a point where every school leaver feels entitled to expect the same.

Musical Bridges:Transforming Transition from Paul Hamlyn Foundation on Vimeo.

The latest edition of the leading music education magazine YES features the launch of Think Again Education and our plans for the future. YES, from instrument makers Yamaha, is distributed to thousands of music teachers across the UK and available now in digital form. Think Again’s Marc Jaffrey explains what lies behind the setting up of Think Again Education, and the challenges facing today’s school leaders.

“Richard Gerver and I look forward to empowering heads, teachers and senior leaders in education to make the changes they know are right for their schools and their children.”

You can read the latest edition of YES by clicking here. If you’re unfamiliar with the Yudu system, click on the image to get started, then turn the pages either using the arrows at the top, or the page “corners”.

We’d love to know what you think of the article and our plans, you can leave a comment with YES magazine, or here on our site.

Head teachers have been telling us for some time that schools need to change to prepare young people better for the demands of the 21st Century. They’ve also been telling us that they don’t always feel they have the right skills to respond. Which is why Think Again Education was born.

Our specialist training programmes are led by Richard Gerver, a former head teacher who is an internationally renowned author and speaker on education and change. Also joining the Think Again team is David Bell, who has worked with businesses all over the world that need to adapt to new challenges and circumstances.

Together we are offering groundbreaking training in managing change in schools and unlocking funding and resources for schools. We are also working with heads and senior leaders on how best to communicate the need for change, and how to empower their staff to make a difference that has real impact.

Find out more about Think Again Education and how we can help you here or by emailing david@thinkagaineducation.co.uk

The innovative company, founded by our former BBC Radio 1 colleague Karen Pearson, picked up the ‘Indie of the Year’ award at the Radio Production Awards, the annual bash to honour the business of great work by radio independents.

Ian keeps his finger on the radio dial as the Executive Producer of the Jamie Cullum Show on Radio 2 (Tuesdays 7pm). The award is also a tribute to our briliant Technical Producer, Micky Curling, who works with Ian and Karen on a number of other Folded Wing productions too.

Congratulations to Karen and all the team at Folded Wing. Think Again Media is proud of you all. (See the proud winners below.)

Think Again's Ian Parkinson (far right) with Karen Pearson (centre) at the Radio Production Awards

Think Again director Marc Jaffrey has written a hard-hitting article for the first issue of a new magazine aimed at the music education sector. In it, he warns the sector is “on a burning platform’.

“2011 will be a critical year in the history of music education in England – one where music educators will either work together to determinedly put the fires out and build a more sustainable education platform…or fade’.

To read more of Marc’s article, you can download a special digital extract from the magazine by clicking here.

Think Again are providing expert advice to one of the UK’s leading grant-making organisations – the Paul Hamlyn Foundation – on one of its major education programmes. The Musical Bridges project is aimed at improving the musical education of young people by encouraging greater contact between primary and secondary schools.  The recent Henley Review of music education said poor communication between  schools was a significant barrier to children continuing their musical careers.  Think Again will be working with the PHF team on the Musical Bridges project.

Think Again have joined forces with Coveney Communications to further strengthen their work in the schools and education sector. Together, we can offer a full PR, marketing and communications service to schools and other educational organisations.

Coveney Communications is headed by Petra Coveney, who has 20 years of experience in PR, delivering national campaigns for some of the country’s leading organisations and individuals.

For further details of how Think Again can help your school or organisation click here, or e-mail info@thinkagainmedia.co.uk.