The UK Department of Education has announced a £1.3 million ($2.3 million) boost for music education and an overhaul of the national music curriculum.
Running a music program poses significant challenges for non-specialist teachers. It is hoped that the revised curriculum will make it easier for teachers to plan lessons and reduce workloads.
The revised curriculum will be devised by a group of teachers, education leaders, and musicians and will be released in 2019.
The UK School Standards Minister Nick Gibb sees the funding boost and curriculum reset as part of an effort to increase access to high quality music education:
"Having the opportunity to study and explore music isn’t a privilege, it’s a vital part of a broad and balanced curriculum — and that’s why I’m determined that all pupils should have access to a world class music education."
The additional funding will go to the UK's system of music education hubs. 120 hubs were established in 2012 to support teaching music in and out of school. They are supported by £300 million ($534 million) between 2016 and 2020. The hubs have supported 89% of schools and provided group music lessons to over 700,000 students in 2016–17.