"Sir Keir Starmer discusses the importance of music education and accessibility in the educational system"
The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has announced a significant new funding package worth £88 million, named Building Creative Futures. This investment aims to increase support for extra-curricular activities, including music education, as part of the broader arts and youth investment.
Sir Keir Starmer, who was a Guildhall music scholar in his youth, recognizes the importance of teamwork in musical education, a skill he believes is crucial for personal and professional growth. He stated that music can give children confidence, even if they do not pursue a career in music.
The funding package includes £22.5 million over three years dedicated to enrichment offers in up to 400 schools. This will provide pupils access to activities such as music, sport, art, and more outside school hours. The key details of the plan include creating tailored enrichment offers focused on wellbeing and essential skills through arts and music activities in schools.
Other key aspects of the plan include improving youth club infrastructure with a £30.5 million fund for capital projects to support community engagement. The government will also pilot local youth transformation programs to enhance the quality and breadth of out-of-school youth services. Joint funding with The National Lottery Community Fund will increase youth work hours, benefiting areas with high anti-social behavior. The expansion of the Uniformed Youth Fund will create more places in youth organizations like Scouts and Guides.
Sir Keir Starmer finds the decline in arts education a real shame. According to a 2024 report, the provisions of creative subjects in education have declined, with half as many students studying the arts in 2022/23 compared to 2009/10. The Prime Minister wants music to count towards the curriculum to give children opportunities and confidence. He believes that music and arts provide skills valuable beyond academics, including eye contact, confidence, and teamwork.
The Prime Minister, who enjoys listening to music daily and counts Beethoven as a personal favourite, has a lifelong love for music. He believes that music and arts can help children develop confidence outside of the classroom. During his youth, he was a Guildhall music scholar, and he continues to play the flute, recorder, and piano.
Sir Keir Starmer's children, aged 17 and 14, were given confidence through music and sport, according to the Prime Minister. He spoke to Dan Walker from Milton Keynes Central Library about the importance of arts and music education. The Prime Minister also participated in a music lesson with a group of children on their school holidays.
The funding will support schemes and programs such as youth clubs, Scouts, and Guides. The Prime Minister's announcement forms part of the government’s Plan for Change strategy to ensure equitable access to high-quality extra-curricular activities, targeting especially those children affected by poverty or barriers to participation. The Prime Minister's children were learning to play the choral 'Ode To Joy' from Beethoven's Symphony No.9, and he hopes that this investment will give more children similar opportunities to develop their talents and build their confidence.
- Sir Keir Starmer, a former Guildhall music scholar, emphasized the importance of music education for skill development, stating that it promotes teamwork and confidence in children, regardless of whether they pursue a career in music.
- As part of the Building Creative Futures funding package, £22.5 million will be allocated to enrichment offers in up to 400 schools, providing pupils with opportunities to engage in extra-curricular activities such as music, in addition to sports and art.
