FOI release

Government spend on school music department instruments since 2009

Information about the amount spent supplying instruments to school music departments between 2009 and 2013.

Documents

Details

  • Date requested: 8 February 2013
  • Date responded: 19 February 2013

Request

How much has the government spent on supplying school music departments with instruments between 2009 to 2013?

Response

The Department of Education introduced a £42 million musical instrument grant for local authorities. This funding, which ended in 2011, was delivered for the department by the Federation of Music Services:

  • £1 million for maintenance and repair in 2006 to 2007 and 2007 to 2008
  • £10 million each in 2007 to 2008; 2008 to 2009; 2009 to 2010 and 2010 to 2011 for instrument purchase

You may also be interested to know the government published a national plan for music education in November 2011, which puts the needs of the pupil at the heart of a new approach to music education.

The government is fully committed to high-quality music education and this plan will ensure that every child should have opportunities to learn to play a musical instrument, learn to sing, have opportunities to play in ensembles and have access to musical progression routes regardless of where they live and their family circumstances.

Ministers have protected core music funding for schools, this includes funding to enable outstanding young talent to attend elite specialist schools in music and dance and help 12,000 disadvantaged children enjoy music.

Updates to this page

Published 19 September 2013

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