Delivering the National Plan for Music Education locally for all young people

NMPAT is the lead partner in the Northamptonshire and Rutland Music Hub (NRMH), a partnership of organisations committed to delivering the aims of the National Plan for Music Education for the children and young people of Northamptonshire and Rutland.

NRMH will deliver the promises of the National Plan for Music Education by aspiring to:

  • provide high quality music education and support for children and young people in the diverse communities of Northamptonshire and Rutland
  • inspire all children and young people to sing and play a musical instrument, developing their talent through progressive pathways
  • promote high achievement through diverse partnerships
  • transform lives through music
  • provide opportunities for musical excellence to flourish
  • reach all sectors of children and young people, including the hard to reach and those in challenging circumstances, inspiring and enriching their lives through music
  • reflect the musical diversity of the community in Northamptonshire and Rutland through engagement with highly skilled and experienced partners
  • build sustainable pathways to nurture musical talent
  • promote innovation, creativity and achievement in music and the arts

NMPAT is committed to ensuring that all its actions and activities underpin the seven quality principles of Arts Council England:

  • Striving for excellence and innovation
  • Being authentic
  • Being exciting, inspiring and engaging
  • Ensuring a positive and inclusive experience
  • Actively involving children and young people
  • Enabling personal progression
  • Developing belonging and ownership

The core values of NMPAT as the Hub Lead Organisation are to Inspire, Nurture and Excel. It is the aim of the HLO that these core values underpin every action, interaction, and activity of its work and that of the Hub.

This Policy exists to outline how partners and services will be appointed and secured by Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust, Hub Lead Organisation for the Northamptonshire and Rutland Music Hub, to deliver the promises of the National Plan for Music Education for the children, young people, and communities, of Northamptonshire and Rutland.

Hub Partnerships

NMPAT has formalised its links with partner organisations to establish an effective Music Hub for both Northamptonshire and Rutland. It has built on existing partnerships and fostered new ones, partnering with other bodies as Core and Associate partners in five areas: Education, Community, Delivery, Commercial and National

Royal Ballet & Opera
Royal Ballet & OperaHub Partner

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Music for Youth
Music for YouthHub Partner

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Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Royal Philharmonic OrchestraHub Partner

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Royal & Derngate
Royal & DerngateHub Partner

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Partner organisations are committed to working together to support the goals and aims of the Hub and the National Plan, for the benefit of the children, young people and communities of Northamptonshire and Rutland.

Partner organisations:

  • Have expressed a commitment to supporting the mission and goals of the Hub and to enhancing music and music education for early years, 5 to 18 year olds and adults
  • Will provide services that are complementary to the services provided by other partners in the Hub
  • Will work together to enhance opportunities for children and young people and to support the opportunities that individual organisations are providing
  • Will not pay to be part of the Hub but contribute in-kind support (there is no expectation that partners will receive direct funding from the hub)
  • May be commissioned, if they are required, to fulfil the aims and strategic functions of the plan, and complement the other services available

Some settings have a specific closer relationship with the Hub, through the provision of premises, CPD, or engagement of key personnel with Hub Governance of activity.

The Delivery Partners’ forum comprises the music education organisations active within Northamptonshire and Rutland, including local organisations, National Partners and those delivering projects funded by Youth Music. Partners include:

The Delivery Partners consortium were responsible for the bid to Youth Music which established the post of Musical Inclusion Partnership and Programme Manager.  This has led to exciting new projects and the Musical Inclusion Programme.

Community Partners are Associate Partners in the Hub. They include the many bands, orchestras and choirs that have existed within Northamptonshire and Rutland for many years. There is a network of music making opportunities for musicians in the county for all ages. The Music Education Hub welcomes the additional opportunities that these groups offer to children and young people.

The following groups from the community have expressed their support for the Music Education Hub and are committed to the goals and aspirations of the Hub:

Commercial partners include suppliers and retailers with a track record of support for NMPAT and other Hub partners.  They have proven their support through outstanding customer service and added value as Associate Partners in the Hub:

There are a number of national organisations who have had links with music education in Northamptonshire and Rutland for many years, enhancing the work that goes on locally.  Some National Partners are involved in delivery as part of Hub activity, and are part of the Core Partners group and Delivery Partners Forum, others provide a service which enhances the musical offer and are part of the Associate Partners group.

The following National organisations have pledged their support to the Northamptonshire and Rutland Music Education Hub:

National Plan for Music Education

The 2022 National Plan for Music Education: The Power of Music to Change Lives, replaces the old core and extension roles with a vision, three aims, and five strategic functions.

The Vision for Hub Partnerships is to enable all children and young people to learn to sing, play an instrument and create music together, and have the opportunity to progress their musical interests and talents, including professionally.

Music Hub partnerships will focus on three aims:

  • Support schools and other education settings to deliver high-quality music education
  • Support young people to develop their musical interests and talent further, including into employment
  • Support all children and young people to engage with a range of musical opportunities in and out of school

Hub Lead Organisations have responsibility to lead on five strategic functions:

  • Partnerships: build a sustainable local infrastructure for high-quality music education
  • Schools: offer curriculum music support, specialist tuition, instruments and ensembles
  • Progression and musical development: support access to the wider world of music
  • Inclusion: broad access to music education
  • Sustainability: workforce, funding, accountability. Environmental responsibility

Lead Schools

Our Lead Schools for Music have a proven track record of high-quality delivery in curricular and co-curricular music, and have demonstrated a willingness to support the musical ecology of the wider hub area.

These schools will be working with NMPAT as lead partner of the NRMH to create a supportive network that will highlight best practices, sign-post resources and offer council to those seeking it.

For more information about Lead Schools, and school networks, please contact Chris Jeffs, Director of Learning Development, cjeffs@nmpat.co.uk

See our current Lead Schools below:

Cedar Road Primary School
Cedar Road Primary SchoolLead School
Corby Business Academy
Corby Business AcademyLead School
Croyland Primary School
Croyland Primary SchoolLead School
Exton and Greetham School
Exton and Greetham SchoolLead School
Greenfields Primary School and Nursery
Greenfields Primary School and NurseryLead School
Headlands Primary School
Headlands Primary SchoolLead School
Malcolm Arnold Academy
Malcolm Arnold AcademyLead School
Moulton Primary School
Moulton Primary SchoolLead School
Northampton School for Boys
Northampton School for BoysLead School
Sponne School
Sponne SchoolLead School
St Peter's CE Academy
St Peter's CE AcademyLead School

  • An Ofsted rating of Good or Outstanding. Where a school has been inspected recently but without an overall rating, the Lead School should be rated at least ‘good’ under leadership and management and under quality of education, and not ‘inadequate’ in any other sub-categories 
  • For secondary schools, an offer of music for GCSE and A-level qualifications (or equivalent) 
  • A historic record of investing in CPD for their staff, and/or others 
  • A historic track record of engagement with the Hub 
  • A School Music Development Plan in place 
  • A proven track record of introducing and fully embedding music in the school curriculum 
  • A commitment to supporting school progression 
  • The potential to promote the teaching of music with schools locally, supporting CPD for music teachers and other relevant subjects 
  • A strong focus on inclusion within the school 

The work of the Lead Schools will be monitored by the Hub Strategic Advisory Group. 

Lead Schools would be expected to collaborate with the Hub Lead Organisation (NMPAT) to design and shape activities that will benefit fellow schools/settings with the intention of improving music provision across the NRMH area. This might include: 

  • Establishing and supporting learning networks 
  • Delivering and attending CPD courses 
  • Mentoring 
  • Peer support activity 
  • Collaborative music projects 
  • Practice and resource-sharing 
  • Advocate and amplify the work of NRMH 

  • Recognition as a Lead School with exemplary music education provision 
  • In-kind support from the HLO, by negotiation 
  • Lead Schools may be invited to represent the Music Hub at events run by the HLO 
  • A partnership agreement between the HLO and the Lead School  
  • An improved musical offer available to children and young people in their area 

Supporters and partners

Find out more about NMPAT’s partners, including the Music Education Hubs East Midlands.

Supported by: