Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted)
 Printable version
|
 E-mail this to a friend
|
Helping teachers sing from the same song sheet
Two valuable new aids for teachers of music are being launched today as part of the Year of Music by Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills.
The booklets, Making more of music: improving the quality of music teaching in primary/secondary schools, highlight the aspects of effective teaching, and present them in a chart which describes the satisfactory, good and outstanding features seen in Ofsted’s music inspections.
The booklets also feature best practice examples from the 2008/9 academic year and from the Ofsted music report, Making more of music, which was published in February and led to development of these resources.
The Ofsted music report found that school music has the potential to improve pupils’ development, personally as well as musically, yet all too often this powerful tool isn’t properly harnessed.
The report revealed that the main weaknesses in music provision all related strongly to the quality of teaching, and included:
- a lack of emphasis on increasing the quality and depth of pupils’ musical responses
- inconsistency of musical experiences within and across key stages
- ineffective assessment.
Christine Gilbert, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, said: “These booklets celebrate the work of outstanding schools, and are intended to help others to achieve excellence and sustain it. I hope that they become essential reading for all teachers of music.”
If you would like to order a free printed copy of the leaflets, please email freepublications@ofsted.gov.uk or telephone 07002 637 833.
Notes for Editors
1. The booklets, Making more of music: improving the quality of music teaching in primary/secondary schools, can be found on the Ofsted website
www.ofsted.gov.uk/Publications/090084 (Primary)
www.ofsted.gov.uk/Publications/090085 (Secondary)
2. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It rates council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.
3. Media can contact the Ofsted Press Office through 020 7421 6899 or via Ofsted's enquiry line 08456 404040 between 8.30am - 6.30pm Monday - Friday. Out of these hours, during evenings and weekends, the duty press officer can be reached on 07919 057359.
