LOCAL EDUCATION AUTHORITY MUSIC AWARDS
1999/2000

DIPLOMAS

With Worcestershire, Birmingham established a joint programme for music therapy assessments and will provide a central subsidy to schools where a large number of pupils are likely to benefit from such provision. Through the "Teachers and Artists Working Together" initiative (£26,000 per annum) professional artists, including musicians, work with schools. Arts organisations run arts education projects in and out of schools under an annual programme worth £250,000, which included, during the year in question, a successful music technology project involving eight special schools working with Punch records and culminating in a live performance by all the students and artists at the Drum Centre. A further two examples: first, the Wilson Stuart Special School, which worked with the Craft Space Touring Company, a black musician, a disabled black poet, a photographer and others to create 'The Blue Blood Travel Agency", an ambitious and successful multi-media project which went on to win a national award. Secondly, Gallery 37, a youth arts project for unemployed young people, involved 140 young people between 16-24 in seven different arts projects, including the performing arts, sculpture and music. They worked with professional artists for four weeks, during which time they also participated in key skills and play training. They continue to be monitored and helped for up to a year after the end of their course and there is 87% progression into further education, training or employment. Full advantage was also taken of the potential for work with pupils presented by the existence of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group. We applaud the LEA's policy of providing a full range of instruments on free, long-term loan to pupils. And, finally, the Music Service and the University of Central England piloted an instrumental teaching route within the Secondary Music PGCE with the aim of improving the supply of suitably-trained and qualified instrumental teachers. This is proving to be a highly successful collaboration and in 1999/00 the numbers of trainees choosing the route has more than doubled.

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