New inclusion strategy addresses social inequality

New inclusion strategy addresses social inequality

Berkshire Maestros has published it music inclusion strategy, which details how it intends to build a more inclusive offer by providing a range of diverse musical opportunities for all children and young people across the county.

 

 

Already recognised as the largest provider of quality music education in Berkshire, Maestros offers support and education in the majority of schools across the county, and also teaches over 4,000 children in lessons and music groups in local music centres.

 

 

The charity intends to expand its inclusive offering, embracing a wide range of styles and offering a music education programme that addresses social and personal outcomes as well as music outcomes.

This will be particularly important in a post-Covid world, where disadvantaged children have fallen even further behind their peers in education. According to the strategy’s author, Dr Phil Mullen, “there is a very mixed picture of deprivation across Berkshire and often there are large differences in levels of deprivation within one borough. In 2020 Wokingham has been named the least deprived area of England and yet use of the borough’s food banks soared by 218 per cent between March and August 2020, with food parcels provided for 1,668 adults and 1,338 children.”

 

 

The aim of Berkshire Maestros’ inclusion strategy is to improve the lives of children in challenging circumstances, such as Ben, who is a student in a special needs school. Through his music lessons with Berkshire Maestros, Ben has been able to perform in school concerts and join an open orchestra as a pianist, where he has thrived and grown in confidence. Ben’s violin teacher says: “I feel privileged to have witnessed Ben’s progress. I am humbled by the enormity of this gift, and grateful of the opportunities we can offer to develop his life skills alongside his exceptional music abilities”.

Dawn Wren, CEO, explains why this project is at the heart of Berkshire Maestros’ plans for the next four years: “There has never been a more pressing time to seriously tackle inclusion, than now as we come out of a global pandemic that has adversely affected so many people.  Disadvantages have become greater and issues have become more complex affecting the health and wellbeing of many young people.  It has become the number one priority therefore for Berkshire Maestros to focus on inclusion in its ceaseless aim to support ALL children and young people.”

 

 

Partnerships and Inclusion Development Manager Jamie Baird agrees. His extensive classroom teaching experience has clearly illustrated the transformative power of music education for children in need: “I was there to teach every child in the room, how to play the violin but most importantly, how to connect through music. The gasps were audible as I performed live, right in front of them.

Some may consider this group of children ‘disadvantaged’, but I feel they were the opposite in some ways. Multi-lingual, multi-cultural, vibrant and so eager to learn. Through the ten weeks together, we learnt about their own cultural instruments and had performances from groups, individuals and the whole class as one. Confidence, positivity and teamwork blossomed. When the time came for me to leave the school and the teachers were visibly upset, I then realised the profound effect learning an instrument had had on these children.”

 

 

Chair of Trustees, Adam Pollard, is also keen to emphasise the importance of this project: “Berkshire Maestros has always stood for quality music education in Berkshire, and this exciting new project spearheads a fully inclusive approach for the organisation. It will enable us to develop powerful, appropriate and tailored music education, which will benefit more children in challenging circumstances.”

 

 

As the effects of Covid start to be felt across vulnerable communities in Berkshire, there has never been a more important time to expand the offer of relevant, inclusive music education to address the educational, social and emotional needs of these children, and Berkshire Maestros intends to lead the way on this important issue.