National Association of Music Educators

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NAME is the professional association which represents all those involved in music education: advisers, inspectors, consultants, teachers in schools, instrumental teachers, heads of instrumental services, lecturers working in teacher education and in conservatoires, community musicians, publishers and other retailers.

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Notes from the Chair - May 2009

The NAME year is proving to be very busy – which is, of course, a reflection of the current situation in music education as a whole. Internally our main project is a new NAME website in order to provide an even better online experience for those involved in music education. The project manager and website developers were appointed in March and we are on track for the launch at our annual conference in York, 18-20 September.

Talking of the conference – have you booked your place there yet? This year’s overarching theme is musical development and we have our usual wide range of keynote speakers, breakout sessions including workshops, presentations and round table discussions; meetings of the various NAME regions and focus groups; an extensive resource exhibition; and, of course, our AGM. The conference is open to everyone, whether members or not. Click here to find full programme details and booking forms, including an online one. Be quick – Early Bird rates apply only until the 30 June!

The last few months have seen the publication of two key documents for music educators: the Ofsted report Making More of Music and the Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum by Sir Jim Rose. It is good to think about what we do and why we do it and both of these contain aspects that challenge and inspire. The latest NAME Magazine contains five articles written by members of NAME responding to the Ofsted report from their different perspectives within music education. There is much that NAME can do to help address some of the issues raised in the report, particularly those connected with the isolation of music teachers and the dissemination of information and good practice. The association is constantly seeking to develop the services we offer to all involved in music education and I’m sure those of you who are already members need no convincing about the quality of, for example, our publications and national conference – but perhaps you have colleagues who do not yet know about the association?

The Rose Review could lead to considerable changes in primary schools and I think there are great opportunities for music as part of the area for learning Understanding the arts. Last term NAME was involved in joint responses with the Council for Subject Associations and with the Music Education Council (MEC) and there are links to each of these from the News & Events column on the right. The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) is currently managing a public consultation, ending 5pm on 24 July. The QCA consultation site is quite extensive with links to various separate pages and assorted related documents. There are separate questionnaires relating to each of the four main areas under consideration: the primary curriculum; personal, social, health and economic education; subject level descriptions; and non-statutory guidance on religious education. The questionnaire specific to each of those can be reached from individual pages about each area – choose from the list in the middle or that on the left of the main page and then look in the Related Documents section on the right hand side of that area’s page. As well as downloading hard copies, it is also possible to register to complete them on line. One does not, of course, have to complete every questionnaire or, indeed, all of any single one. This is our chance to help shape the curriculum we want and although NAME Directors and members of the Representative Council are gathering material for a response from the association as a whole, I urge as many of you as possible to take part as individuals.

Lis McCullough, NAME Chair, 2008-9

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