Whole Education

Musical Futures is an approach to teaching and learning that brings non-formal teaching and informal learning approaches into the more formal context of schools.

At the heart of Musical Futures is a commitment to find ways of engaging all young people in the 11-18 age range, particularly Key Stage 3, in meaningful, sustainable music activities. This is achieved by a series of ideas, projects and approaches to learning that make music learning and participation relevant to the lives of young people, and connect their in-school and out-of-school interests and experiences.  Musical Futures challenges teachers and practitioners to be flexible with their teaching and learning styles by acting as facilitators, and through ‘showing’ rather than ‘telling’, guiding and modelling rather than instructing.

The impact of Musical Futures has been profound. As an initiative it has grown from 60 participating pathfinder secondary schools to more than one-third of all English secondary music departments. Teachers and practitioners report that Musical Futures helps them to become more effective teachers, as well as increasing their enjoyment in and confidence with teaching music. Independent research shows significant increases in students’ behaviour, motivation and attitude towards music and in the numbers of students choosing music at KS4.  Also 95% of students prefer this way of working to more conventional music lessons.

Musical Futures offers:

• Musical Futures: An Approach to Teaching and Learning  - a free toolkit. • A programme of free training and CPD events across the country. • A ‘Young Champions’ mentoring programme, whereby young people mentor others with their music making online, via www.numu.org.uk • Training, CPD and support for PGCE students. • Musical Futures Website containing free resources for teachers and practitioners and an online community of teachers/practitioners to share good practice.

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Contact
abigail.damore@googlemail.com
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Website
musicalfutures.org.uk
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