Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the levels of funding for music and dance schools on the adequacy of the provision of music and dance training.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government is committed to revitalising arts education.
This includes £36.5 million for the Music and Dance Scheme this academic year, with £32.5 million allocated for the approximately 900 students attending schools and £4 million for the approximately 1100 students at Centres for Advanced Training. Future funding will be announced in due course.
The government funds the Music Hub network, providing £76 million annually to support all state-funded schools and pupils. The government also provides means‑tested Dance and Drama Awards for dance students, and Arts Council England funds a wide range of music and dance education programmes.
We will establish a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education by September, investing £13 million over three years to support state-funded schools to deliver more equitable arts education. Dance teaching in state‑funded schools will also be supported by the new PE and School Sport Partnership network as part of the revised physical education curriculum.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to provide support to schools that face financial challenges to participate in the Music and Dance Scheme Schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government is committed to revitalising arts education.
This includes £36.5 million for the Music and Dance Scheme this academic year, with £32.5 million allocated for the approximately 900 students attending schools and £4 million for the approximately 1100 students at Centres for Advanced Training. Future funding will be announced in due course.
The government funds the Music Hub network, providing £76 million annually to support all state-funded schools and pupils. The government also provides means‑tested Dance and Drama Awards for dance students, and Arts Council England funds a wide range of music and dance education programmes.
We will establish a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education by September, investing £13 million over three years to support state-funded schools to deliver more equitable arts education. Dance teaching in state‑funded schools will also be supported by the new PE and School Sport Partnership network as part of the revised physical education curriculum.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to provide long-term funding for schools supported by the Music and Dance Scheme.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government is committed to revitalising arts education.
This includes £36.5 million for the Music and Dance Scheme this academic year, with £32.5 million allocated for the approximately 900 students attending schools and £4 million for the approximately 1100 students at Centres for Advanced Training. Future funding will be announced in due course.
The government funds the Music Hub network, providing £76 million annually to support all state-funded schools and pupils. The government also provides means‑tested Dance and Drama Awards for dance students, and Arts Council England funds a wide range of music and dance education programmes.
We will establish a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education by September, investing £13 million over three years to support state-funded schools to deliver more equitable arts education. Dance teaching in state‑funded schools will also be supported by the new PE and School Sport Partnership network as part of the revised physical education curriculum.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure children from non-privileged backgrounds can access music and dance training (a) through the Music and Dance Scheme Schools and (b) any other schemes.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government is committed to revitalising arts education.
This includes £36.5 million for the Music and Dance Scheme this academic year, with £32.5 million allocated for the approximately 900 students attending schools and £4 million for the approximately 1100 students at Centres for Advanced Training. Future funding will be announced in due course.
The government funds the Music Hub network, providing £76 million annually to support all state-funded schools and pupils. The government also provides means‑tested Dance and Drama Awards for dance students, and Arts Council England funds a wide range of music and dance education programmes.
We will establish a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education by September, investing £13 million over three years to support state-funded schools to deliver more equitable arts education. Dance teaching in state‑funded schools will also be supported by the new PE and School Sport Partnership network as part of the revised physical education curriculum.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment has been made of the effectiveness of financial support schemes for pupils pursuing specialist (a) musical or (b) dance training in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government will consult shortly on an improved version of Progress 8 that balances a strong academic core with breadth and student choice. It will recognise the value of subjects, including the arts, which strengthen our economy and society, and the importance of a broad pre-16 curriculum.
The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper sets out our vision for a world-leading skills system that breaks down barriers to opportunity, meets student and employers’ needs, widens access to high quality education and training, supports innovation, research, and development, and improves people’s lives.
We plan to introduce V-Levels, which will become the only pathway for vocational qualifications at level 3 for 16-19 year olds and two clear post-16 pathways at level 2, alongside technical and academic pathways. We have launched a consultation on these measures, which will close on 12 January 2026.
The department is providing £36.5 million for the Music and Dance Scheme this academic year, with future funding to be announced in due course. The scheme provides access for all students in the UK to high quality training in music and dance, such as at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey and the Royal Ballet School in Richmond upon Thames.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps are being taken to ensure that all pupils are able to pursue (a) creative or (b) vocational education pathways in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government will consult shortly on an improved version of Progress 8 that balances a strong academic core with breadth and student choice. It will recognise the value of subjects, including the arts, which strengthen our economy and society, and the importance of a broad pre-16 curriculum.
The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper sets out our vision for a world-leading skills system that breaks down barriers to opportunity, meets student and employers’ needs, widens access to high quality education and training, supports innovation, research, and development, and improves people’s lives.
We plan to introduce V-Levels, which will become the only pathway for vocational qualifications at level 3 for 16-19 year olds and two clear post-16 pathways at level 2, alongside technical and academic pathways. We have launched a consultation on these measures, which will close on 12 January 2026.
The department is providing £36.5 million for the Music and Dance Scheme this academic year, with future funding to be announced in due course. The scheme provides access for all students in the UK to high quality training in music and dance, such as at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey and the Royal Ballet School in Richmond upon Thames.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of access to (a) specialist arts or (b) vocational training for young people in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government will consult shortly on an improved version of Progress 8 that balances a strong academic core with breadth and student choice. It will recognise the value of subjects, including the arts, which strengthen our economy and society, and the importance of a broad pre-16 curriculum.
The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper sets out our vision for a world-leading skills system that breaks down barriers to opportunity, meets student and employers’ needs, widens access to high quality education and training, supports innovation, research, and development, and improves people’s lives.
We plan to introduce V-Levels, which will become the only pathway for vocational qualifications at level 3 for 16-19 year olds and two clear post-16 pathways at level 2, alongside technical and academic pathways. We have launched a consultation on these measures, which will close on 12 January 2026.
The department is providing £36.5 million for the Music and Dance Scheme this academic year, with future funding to be announced in due course. The scheme provides access for all students in the UK to high quality training in music and dance, such as at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey and the Royal Ballet School in Richmond upon Thames.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what financial support they provide to state-funded schools to assist with copyright licensing costs and to ensure compliance with intellectual property regulations regarding printed music teaching materials.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
High-quality music education must not be for the privileged few but an entitlement for all. It is an essential part of the broad and rich education every child deserves. It is a decision for schools which resources they want to purchase and use to support them to teach the national and wider school curriculum, including musical scores and texts.
The department buys copyright licences for all state-funded schools in England covering almost all their copyright requirements. Funding for this comes from the Core Schools Budget.
Purchasing these licences directly saves schools money and administrative time, while ensuring that intellectual property rights are respected.
The department appreciates the importance of educational licences to the music publishing sector and negotiate with Copyright Management Organisations to obtain licences for an appropriate range of content and usage at a fair and transparent cost.
Guidance and advice for state schools in England on copyright licences is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/copyright-licences-information-for-schools.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what mechanisms they have in place to ensure that all state-funded schools have universal access to the musical scores and texts required to support the delivery of the national curriculum for music.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
High-quality music education must not be for the privileged few but an entitlement for all. It is an essential part of the broad and rich education every child deserves. It is a decision for schools which resources they want to purchase and use to support them to teach the national and wider school curriculum, including musical scores and texts.
The department buys copyright licences for all state-funded schools in England covering almost all their copyright requirements. Funding for this comes from the Core Schools Budget.
Purchasing these licences directly saves schools money and administrative time, while ensuring that intellectual property rights are respected.
The department appreciates the importance of educational licences to the music publishing sector and negotiate with Copyright Management Organisations to obtain licences for an appropriate range of content and usage at a fair and transparent cost.
Guidance and advice for state schools in England on copyright licences is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/copyright-licences-information-for-schools.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the importance of educational licensing agreements to the financial sustainability of the UK music publishing sector; and what steps they are taking to ensure that the use of copyright material in education continues to provide fair remuneration to rights holders.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
High-quality music education must not be for the privileged few but an entitlement for all. It is an essential part of the broad and rich education every child deserves. It is a decision for schools which resources they want to purchase and use to support them to teach the national and wider school curriculum, including musical scores and texts.
The department buys copyright licences for all state-funded schools in England covering almost all their copyright requirements. Funding for this comes from the Core Schools Budget.
Purchasing these licences directly saves schools money and administrative time, while ensuring that intellectual property rights are respected.
The department appreciates the importance of educational licences to the music publishing sector and negotiate with Copyright Management Organisations to obtain licences for an appropriate range of content and usage at a fair and transparent cost.
Guidance and advice for state schools in England on copyright licences is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/copyright-licences-information-for-schools.