“Our GCSE uptake has more than doubled this year following our embedding of music technology into our curriculum.”

Several years ago, Charanga started a journey in Essex; a project set on delivering a new way of engaging young people with the music they love. We had recognised a need for inclusive practice, in and outside of school, for students to learn about and create music such as Hip Hop, Dance and the then emerging sound of Dubstep. VIP Studio Sessions was born. 

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There is now greater clarity over the new Ofsted inspection Framework and schools across Essex have spent much time in the summer term looking at the intent of their broad and balanced curriculum design.

Should your school be due an inspection soon, it is worth remembering that Music is one of the subjects that inspectors might complete a deep dive into, and therefore having clarity over the skills development within your music curriculum and evidencing impact and progress is a requirement.

Essex Music Education Hub are supporting many schools to be Ofsted ready, from our free MIDAS visits providing you with a specialist's insight, to developing the often overlooked instrumental learning with our Play-It! and  Play-It! Again provision – providing a pathway for the development of skills.

If you need support with your music provision, please do get in touch with us.

Essex Music Service runs a network of community music centres throughout the County where young musicians of any experience can play together in bands, music groups and sing in choirs. 

In this issue we highlight our Harlow Community Music Centre including news on its new Steel Band. 

The BBC have launched a new educational campaign, Bring the Noise, set to help primary school teachers and parents inspire children aged four to seven to become musicians and see the joys of music-making.  Find out more about Bring the Noise. 

Charanga, O-Generator, VIP Studio Sessions, Focus on Sound, Songwriter and coming soon, Reel Music support KS1–5 music curriculum. As part of our new offer, all of these resources have now been transferred to our E-learning package.

To continue to have access to any or all of the above for this academic year, an invoice of £100 has recently been sent to your school. New users to the resources are invited to subscribe through Book-It! 

Only 5 places now left for our Music Co-ordinators course, on October 10, 2019. This popular annual course offers  those new or looking for refreshed thinking as a Music Co-ordinator. The course is heavily subsidised from £140 to £40 by us. 

More information on Network meeting and Twilight CPD sessions  

British Jazz Rising Star 2019 Harrison Dolphin, seen here playing the Double Bass at an event in Colchester Arts Centre, is one our young Jazz Musicians. He has just been nominated for British Jazz Rising Star 2019. Please vote for Harrison here  http://bigbearmusic.com/bja2019/

My Band Holiday Course is a fantastic song-writing, playing, performing, recording 2-day holiday course for 11-18 year olds.  It takes place on 31 October and 1 November in Brentwood  Click on the link to find out more about My Band 

Young Sax soloist competition Are you a young performer, or know someone who is?  Find out more about the competition.  Deadline for first round is 15 October 2019.

Take it Away  Find out about interest-free loans for musical instruments, equipment, software and more through Take it Away 

NYO invites teenage musicians who are Grade 6-8+ to apply for NYO Inspire 2020.

NYO Inspire is targeted at musicians who have bags of skill, potential and commitment, but need to access bigger musical challenges. These musicians must be state educated and/or from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. Apply now! www.nyo.org.uk/inspire