Give HLOs Time
This article was originally published by Music Mark.
For music education leaders and managers, launching forty-three new HLOs has been a monumental task and brought challenges, anxiety and even tears. Thank you to so many of you who forgave their summer holidays to get us to this point.
With the revenue grants broadly in place, we approach another crucial step. Capital grant letters are being finalised before the end of November, with complexities to be overcome in some areas.
The pressure of the reorganisation has been intense; all on top of the day-to-day work of running music services, engaging schools, supporting staff and most importantly providing high-quality music education.
So what advice do we offer HLO leaders and managers at this stage?
Put simply – it’s time.
The music industry will be eager to get started, but that does not change the reality: music education has experienced a lot of change very quickly, and now you need time.
Time to properly and fully assess need – with many HLOs newly established across expansive and varied geographical landscapes, needs will not become clear overnight and local needs will be varied.
Time to think strategically about how we can ensure school engagement is meaningful school engagement. How we train and support classroom teachers more effectively whilst suffering workforce challenges in our organisations stuck with standstill revenue budgets.
Time to properly audit existing inventories – music hubs for too long had no choice but “buy cheap and pay twice”. The new DFE Framework and ACE guidance give HLOs vast flexibility to move away from the 'cheapest of three quotes' approach and put value, quality, sustainability and partnership at the heart of instrument procurement.
Time to have a real debate locally, regionally and nationally about how we will deliver the ambitions of the NPME for all children and young people across England.
Time to learn and upskill our knowledge and practical application of music technology, SEND and inclusion.
Time to fail – failure is part of success, not the opposite of success, and we will learn much from adopting new approaches and new strategies celebrating our successes but also sharing our challenges.
Time to do it right; because we don’t know when this time will come again. We hope HLOs will be given this time to do the job they have been entrusted with; to support, deliver and enable high-quality music education for children and young people within their area.
Steven Greenall is CEO of pBone Music, a strategic partner with HLOs and music education organisations
To find out more about the ways that pBone Music are supporting Progressive Instrument Pathways and inclusive instruments for the classroom, download our free eBook.
