Music Teacher Training in England

I. Background / Organisation

There are separate Music teacher training courses in England for those teaching in primary schools (children aged 4-11years of age) and secondary schools (children aged 11-18).

Prior to 1963, students with degrees could become teachers with no further study; those without degrees were required to study for 2 or 3 years in teacher training colleges to gain a Certificate in Education (Cert.Ed.). After a major governmental debate in that year - the Robbins Report - teacher training courses were augmented to 4 years in length and led to a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.). In both Cert.Ed. and B.Ed. courses, students studied an academic subject and pedagogy simultaneously. Since 1983, all teachers have had graduate status and, in the 80s, a different route into secondary teaching became popular: studying for a Batchelor degree, in most cases for 3 years, and then completing the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), one year, teacher training qualification.

In 1994, the Teacher Training Agency (TTA), now known as the Teacher Development Agency (TDA) was established. This is an executive, non-departmental public body which reports to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills and takes responsibility for all aspects of teacher training. It is this body that accredits and funds all providers of Initial Teacher Education. To improve the quality of training courses, regular inspections are carried out by government inspectors using a framework which was developed by the TTA together with the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted); these inspections have a bearing on the number of students that a course can take on and, consequently, on their funding.

Today, all teacher training courses – both primary and secondary - lead towards Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) which must be gained to teach in a state school; increasingly non-state schools (public schools) are also requiring QTS. The 3-year degree +1-year teacher training route is still the most popular for those wishing to become secondary school music teachers; students complete their undergraduate studies and then select their teacher training course. The one year PGCE can either be acquired by completing a university-based course or through a school-based School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) programme. Those courses provided by universities consist of taught courses at the institution and teaching placements in at least two of their ‘partnership schools’ where trainees have block periods of time termed ‘teaching practice’. Secondary teaching training courses must include a minimum of 24 weeks in schools. School-Centred Initial Teacher Training was set up in 1994; SCITT programmes are devised and run by a consortia of schools within the same geographical area. They sometimes choose to work with a range of partners including higher education institutions and local education authorities (LEAs). Most of the work takes place in a ‘lead’ school, with some teaching or development taking place in other consortium schools.

Another route into teaching is the employment-based route which was introduced in the 1990s to meet individual needs and to enable prospective teachers to qualify whilst working. There are three main types of employment-based routes: the Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP), the Registered Teacher Programme (RTP) and ‘Teach First’. Candidates for the GTP must have a degree; and will train in a school for about a year, although this can be shorter depending on any prior experience they have in teaching. Their school pays them an unqualified or qualified teacher’s salary, depending on responsibilities and experience and the TDA pays the school up to £14,000 and a training grant to help meet employment costs. The RTP is very similar in funding; it is usually two years in length and enables non-graduates with at least two years experience of higher education to complete their degree and qualify as a teacher at the same time. Both GTP and RTP students must be at least 24 years old. ‘Teach First’ enables graduates, who have attained high grades in their undergraduate degrees, to spend 2 years teaching in challenging schools, where they qualify as a teacher and also complete leadership training and work experience with reputable employers outside the field of education. Students entering employment-based routes are required to have the same qualifications as those entering a university or SCITT course.

There are currently 36 music PGCE, secondary level, teacher training courses in England; two of these offer the opportunity to specialise in instrumental work as well as classroom teaching: Manchester Metropolitan University which operates in conjunction with the Royal Northern College of Music Conservatoire and Birmingham City University.

In England, today, there are very few specialists courses aimed at training teachers for primary school work. Classroom primary school teachers are expected to teach music but the majority have gained a general primary school qualification through a 4-year primary teacher training course and most of providers of these offer very little music training and in some cases none at all.

The following 4-year undergraduate courses place a strong focus upon music:

· University of Plymouth: Music and General Primary 5-11 years;

· Birmingham City University: Primary Education with QTS;

· University of Reading: Education Studies (Primary) with Music;

· and there is a Postgraduate 1-year course in Primary Music at Exeter University.

· Canterbury Christ Church University Music Education course is the only course which trains for teaching music across upper primary and lower secondary.

Since 2006 there have been developments in university-based teacher-training courses so that they are able to offer a Masters route into teaching. Some secondary music teacher training courses have opted to retain their course leading to the Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (non-Masters), others only offer a route to the Postgraduate Certification in Education (Masters) and others offer both. Confusingly, both routes still have the widely-used acronym PGCE. Recently, there has been a shortage of music teachers such that the government has augmented the training grant for music trainees. The following sections describe the training route for a secondary school music teacher following the 3+1 route: completing an undergraduate study and then a one year teacher training course.

II. Curriculum

Undergraduate Studies

Most entrants to PGCE music courses come from university courses although some have trained in the English music conservatoires. Traditionally, students attended conservatoires to concentrate upon their performance skills on ‘conventional’ instruments or using the voice but today, whilst a focus can still be on develop performance skills, there is a broader range of opportunities. The following list identifies the 7 English conservatoires and indicates some of the less ‘traditional’ areas of main study that they now offer:

· Birmingham Conservatoire: Jazz, electric guitar;

· Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London:Jazz, composition, electronic music;

· Leeds College of Music: Jazz, music production;

· The Royal Academy of Music, London;

· Royal College of Music, London;

· Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester: Conducting, composition, popular music;

· Trinity College of Music and Drama, London: Jazz, Indian music (including sitar, tabla, mridangram), musical theatre.

Applications to conservatoire courses are made through the conservatoires admissions services whereas applications to undergraduate courses are via the Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR).

The UK central organisation through which applications are processed for entry to higher education, states that there are currently 1,355 English undergraduate courses which include music; these are so different in their focus and design that it is impossible to present a picture of the main curriculum areas. The following indicate the categories of study: Audio Music Technology, Applied Music, Contemporary Music, Creative Music, Electronic Music, Live, Live Music, Music, Music Acoustics; Music and Audio Technology, Music Education, Music Management, Music Marketing, Music Multimedia, Music Design Technology, Music Performance Management, Music Production, Music Recording, Music Systems Engineering, Music Teaching, Music Technology Systems, Performance Studies, Popular Music Performance, Popular Music Studies. Other categories follow with links to the website where one can see the make up of the curriculum for each:

· Actor Musician;

· Band Music 2 (Music Broadcasting);

· Commercial Music;

· Creative Music Technology (and Film Studies);

· Digital Music (Digital Music and Computer Games Design);

· Folk Music;

· History of Music (Music with Political Studies);

· Music Composition (Music Composition and Contemporary Practice);

· Music Industry Management (Music and Management Sciences);

· Music Performance (Community Arts/Music)

· Music Studies;

· Music Technology (Music: Creative Music Technology);

· Music Theatre (Performing Arts/Musical Theatre);

· Popular Music;

· World Music (Popular and World Music).

A large percentage of undergraduate courses, whatever the subject focus, are now modular in form. As such, that some music courses offer the opportunity to study an education module, although many do not.

Curriculum: PGCE

There is no prescribed curriculum for teacher training courses although providers must ensure that all trainees attain each of the Qualified Teacher Status standards set by the Government’s Department for Education.

These are organised into three interrelated sections:

· Professional Attributes - these outline the values and attitudes expected by anyone qualifying to become a teacher;

· Professional Knowledge and Understanding – these indicate the requirements of trainees in terms of subject and pedagogical awareness and understanding of how children develop and progress;

· Professional Skills – these outline requirements related to planning, teaching and assessment.

This competence-based curriculum allows a PGCE training institution flexibility in how they organise their training provision. As long as each trainee spends 24 weeks in at least 2 schools, the university can organise the timing and length of each, as they choose.

Since most students arrive at PGCE courses with very limited or no knowledge of and experience in education, the main focus of the studies are on pedagogy, although the requirement of subject competence means that weaknesses in subject knowledge and skills must be addressed. Due, both to the increasingly culturally diverse population and to the musically pluralist nature of society courses include input on a range of musical traditions. Amongst the most commonly found are gamelan; samba; bhangra and West African drumming traditions. It is still the case that the majority of those choosing to train as music teachers come form a western classical music background.

III. Learning and Teaching Approaches

Undergraduate Studies

A wide variety of learning and teaching approaches are used and again these vary from course to course, depending on the nature and focus of each. Since the majority of courses are very practically based, the use of workshops and peer-led group exercises is widespread.

PGCE

Within university PGCE programmes, there is usually a mixture of lectures, smaller group seminars and workshops and individual work and trainees are prepared for their teaching in school through use of micro-teaching. In most institutions, students are expected to develop the subject skills and knowledge they identify as weak through personal study.

The lengthy periods of teaching in schools allow concentrated time, with the support of school teachers, for the development of practical aspects of teaching. Inevitably, subject skills development also occurs within the school situation, such as the development of conducting skills.

In the last decade, to keep abreast of curriculum changes in schools, technological skills – both generic and music specific – are seen as essential skills for all classroom music teachers and students are supported, either through university-based workshops or through work in schools to develop skills in sequencing (mainly using Cubase and Logic programmes, multi-track recording and score-writing, using Sibelius) and to develop knowledge and understanding of the pedagogy surrounding the use of music technology in the classroom.

IV. Assessment / Examination

Undergraduate Studies

These vary according to the focus and nature of the course even in relation to entry requirements. The majority of courses designate a certain number of ‘credits’ to each course rather than expressing weighting in terms of ECTS.

PGCE

To enter the course, students must hold a first (Bachelor’s) degree, preferably in music, but they can enter the course with another degree provided that they demonstrate strong musical skills. Selection procedures vary from course to course but always include an interview to determine suitability for teaching. All prospective secondary school teachers, whatever subject they wish to teach, must also have at least a ‘C’ grade at General Certificate in Education (GCSE) in English and mathematics. Primary students must also have science at this level. Since 1989, universities are required to include practising teachers, usually from their partner schools, in the selection process. Institutions must also check physical and mental fitness to teach, although they have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for trainee teachers with disabilities. All applicants must disclose previous criminal convictions and undergo a criminal record check.

By the end of all teacher training courses, trainees must have demonstrated that they have acquired the Qualified Teacher Status Standards (QTS). Continual assessment takes place throughout the course. School subject mentors work closely with university tutors to assess practical teaching and university tutors most often take full responsibility for marking assignments which also contribute to acquisition of the Qualified Teacher Status standards. Through assignments, students relate practical work to theory; this can include some training in research methods and the opportunity to carry out a small-scale empirical study. Assignment requirements and assessment tools vary from institution to institution; some courses include opportunities for oral as well as written presentations and offer some student choice. Courses which certify at Master’s level can decide on how many credits to allocate to PGCE assignments. These are generally worth 20 credits (a full Masters requires the attainment of 180 credits).

Another requirement prior to entry into schools is that trainees pass government tests in Literacy, mathematics and ICT. The tests, taken on-line, are set up in special centres around the country and are completed by the individuals whenever they wish, as long as this is within the training period. All students must complete these tests even if they have degrees in any of the three subjects.

One of the Qualified Teacher Status standards is that students must ‘identify priorities for their early professional development in the context of induction.’ (Standard 7b) As such, all students are required to complete a Career Entry and Development Profile (a pro-forma produced by the government) to indicate their areas of strength and those which require further development. This is sent to their first school and forms the starting point for continued professional development in school. The student is then known as a Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) and they must pass the first year of full-time teaching in a school – by continuing to demonstrate all the Qualified Teacher Status standards – before they become completely qualified. During this year, senior managers in their school support and map their progress. All teaching staff are now required to keep a Career Development Profile to demonstrate their competences in preparation for promotion.

V. Current and Future Challenges

1) Perhaps the main challenge for teacher educators of music is the wide range of music degree courses from which the prospective teacher trainees graduate. Trainees arrive at a teacher training course with very varied music skills and also different gaps in their subject knowledge and skills. For example, one trainee might complete their undergraduate degree in classical music, another in popular music and another in music technology. Those involved in technology-based courses – and even those on more ‘traditional’ courses – may not have developed key skills required for work in schools, including instrumental and vocal performance and conducting, aural and harmony. Even students completing the same type of undergraduate degree will not have covered the same areas of study owing to the large amount of choice that is offered on most undergraduate courses and their modular nature. This sets up difficulties for both the teacher educators and for the trainee music students themselves. Those leading a teacher training course may be aware of their students’ individual areas of weakness but in what is already a very short, intense course there is limited time to address these divers needs in organised tutor-led sessions. The difficulty for the students is finding the time to further develop their areas of weakness further when the course is already very demanding in terms of teaching and written – often Master’s level – assignments. Indeed, many educators and students feel that 38 weeks is a very short time to develop teaching skills, even when trainees have a high level of competence in relation to subject skills and knowledge.

2) At the outset of their music degrees, most students are completely unaware of the musical requirements for entering a PGCE course. As such, for most, it is only in the last year of their degree when they apply for a teacher training course, that they become aware of their gaps in knowledge and skills - and this is rather late for skills - such as aural - which require development over a long period of time. Many educators believe there is a need for undergraduate course to clarify the requirements of teacher training at the very beginning of the first year, to enable students who know they want to enter the teacher profession to be informed of ‘important’ modules to cover during their music course.

3) In those institutions where only Masters certification is possible there is a challenge for music teacher educators in creating appropriate assignments. On the one hand, these assignments should focus on supporting the development of the practising teacher, yet being certificated at Masters level there is a requirement that literary skills are strong; the combination of strong musician skills and competence in written expression is not always found in good music teachers. As such, there is a real likelihood that, with the introduction of the Masters accreditation, students who are excellent musicians and teachers might still fail their teacher training course on the basis of weak written assignments.

4) Owing to the very small amount of time allocated to the development of musical and music pedagogical skills in generalist primary school teacher training courses, many primary school teachers lack the expertise and/or the confidence to teach music well.

5) The increasingly diverse nature of the curriculum for music and the emphasis on informal and non formal modes of learning demand that teachers are able to act as a resource and mediator or coordinator of children’s music learning. Training courses need to incorporate this by enabling trainees to have experiences in out of school music learning contexts. This may challenge the structures and modes of assessment that are currently in place.

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