I have been championing arts in healthcare for over 30 years, but it is also an essential part of a child’s education.
There is plenty of evidence that doing creative things and learning creative subjects improves our wellbeing, mental health and academic learning. Yet over the past 14 years, the amount of creative education, particularly at primary level, has dramatically reduced.
I am supporting a campaign to try to make music instrument tuition available in every primary school in the country. I chair the APPG for Creative Health, which supports the campaign (and co-chair the APPG for Opera, which shares that aim).
There are serious problems. There has been a 30% fall in uptake of music GCSE at school, largely due to the lack of funding in state schools. Playing music has a massive positive impact on children’s mental health. If we are trying to prevent mental health problems, teaching children music is one of the most effective things we can do, and it can also be used to treat mental health difficulties. It also actually helps with academic maths as well.
The Government is now putting £79 million towards a national network of music hubs to give children and young people the opportunity to learn to sing or play an instrument, and to create music and to progress their musical interests and talents. They have also launched the music opportunities pilot, with £5.8 million of funding over four years to support students with special educational needs and disabilities and those with less means to access the opportunities to do so.
I know the impact that playing an instrument can have. I learned the flute at school, and last year was asked to join the Stroud Red Band. This was one of the most fun things I did as part of my campaign to become an MP, and I love getting the chance to play whenever I can.
Locally there are some amazing people advocating for, teaching and encouraging the take up of music in schools and beyond – Lisa Mayo, Jonathan Trim, and Paul Kenward spring to mind, but there are many others.
We will all benefit from more music in our lives.