Music and Dance Schools: Affordable Access

Baroness Wheeler Excerpts

Thursday 16th October 2025 Grand Committee

[Lord Blackwell]

To ask His Majesty’s Government whether they are committed to maintaining affordable access to specialist music and dance schools for talented children of all social backgrounds.

[Captain of the King’s Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard and Deputy Chief Whip (Baroness Wheeler) (Lab)]

My Lords, just before the noble Lord, Lord Blackwell, starts, I emphasise that the timings on this debate are very tight. Most speakers have two minutes, so can noble Lords please stick within that, so that everybody can be heard and the Minister can have adequate time to respond.

[Lord Blackwell (Con)]

My Lords, my purpose in raising this question is to highlight the vital role of MDS, the music and dance scheme, which provides means-tested support to enable exceptionally talented young children from all backgrounds to attend specialist music and dance schools. I should draw attention to my interest as governor of the Yehudi Menuhin School and the Royal Academy of Music, both of which have students who participate in this scheme.

There are a handful of specialist music and dance schools in the UK that take exceptionally talented and highly committed youngsters and provide them with the advanced tuition they need to achieve their potential. The children who attend are at the very top of their peer group, and most go on to make careers as acknowledged leaders in the music and dance professions. To fulfil their mission, these schools aim to take the highest-potential children regardless of their social background and financial means. The intense specialist education that these schools provide, mostly within a boarding environment, is expensive and beyond the means of all but a few parents. The boarding fees at the Menuhin school, for example, are almost £50,000 a year—and that does not cover the full cost. Musical talent is not restricted to wealthy families, and the music and dance scheme provides the financial support that is essential to enable talented children from any background to attend. Therefore, while these schools are classed as independent schools, they are not the preserve of rich, privileged kids.

At the Menuhin school, for example, only a handful—under 10%—pay the full fees, and they have to earn their place on ability just like every other pupil. The other 90% can benefit from this special environment only because of the financial support they receive from MDS, together with the bursaries funded by charitable donations. Without MDS funding, some of these schools would no longer be financially viable. Unlike many private schools, with such a limited number of full-fee payers, they cannot simply expand the number of pupils paying full fees and raise enough money to subsidise scholarships to those from poor families. Further, any lowering of standards to accept wealthy children who do not have the talent or commitment to reach the top of their profession would not be fair to those children, putting them in an environment where they were unlikely to succeed. Nor is it realistic to make up any shortfall through more charitable donations. Every one of these schools is already struggling to raise enough funds to fill the hole in their finances, and they do not have massive endowments.

After several years of zero or limited increases in the MDS funding, we are now approaching a crisis point. Over the past 10 years, the real value of fees funded by MDS has fallen by more than 15%. On top of general inflation, in the last year these schools have been hit with the additional costs from the loss of business rates relief, higher national insurance contributions and VAT on fees. Responding to an Oral Question in June, the Minister, the noble Baroness, Lady Smith of Malvern, made clear her personal commitment to the long-running MDS scheme, and I welcome her success in securing this year’s MDS funding in last year’s settlement. However, whereas historically, schools received a three-year settlement, there has been no assurance that the funding will continue beyond this year. The absence of a firm commitment to future funding at a level that makes these schools financially viable is putting them, and the parents of their children, in an impossible position, with no certainty for some of them about whether they will be able to continue.

To lose these schools would be a tragedy not just for the exceptional youngsters from all backgrounds who benefit from their unique support, but for the artistic calibre of the country in the years ahead. The Government have declared that creative industries will be at the heart of their industrial strategy, and their sector plan set out a commitment to back the next generation of British talent. The Government’s support for music hubs to broaden access to music education is welcome, but it does not replace the role of the MDS. As with sports, we need to support excellence in every field of artistic endeavour not just for those individuals but for the leadership and aspiration that they transmit in raising standards across the board. The outreach programmes of these schools are also very important and complementary in delivering this.

I understand the constraints around budget decisions, particularly in the current environment. However, the cost of this vital support—some £36 million a year, including the cost of the advanced training centres—is small change in the budget ledgers. In responding to this debate, I hope that the noble Baroness, Lady Blake, will put on record the Government’s commitment to maintain the MDS at a level of funding that will ensure the future of these small but precious schools, and that we see that reflected in next month’s Budget announcements. I thank other noble Lords for their interest in this debate and look forward to hearing the Government’s response.