News story

Letter from Michael Gove on music teaching

The Secretary of State for Education regarding advice from music organisations to teachers on avoiding physical contact with pupils.

• From: Department for Education and The Rt Hon Michael Gove
• Published: 7 January 2011

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, has written to the NSPCC, the Musicians Union, Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and Youth Music in response to their advice to music teachers to avoid any physical contact with children.

Michael Gove writes:

By telling your music teachers that they should avoid any physical contact with children, it sends out completely the wrong message. It plays to a culture of fear among both adults and children, reinforcing the message that any adult who touches a child is somehow guilty of inappropriate contact. We must move away from this presumption and the Department for Education is taking steps to restore common sense to this whole area.

Further information

Letter from Michael Gove in response to NSPCC and music organisations’ advice to music teachers on avoiding physical contact with pupils.

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Published 7 January 2011