Wakefield Music Education Hub is a partnership of over 25 organisations. In addition to schools, academies and the Local Authority, the partnership is built up of a varied range of organisations and music providers. National and regional partners include Yorkshire Youth & Music, Opera North, IVE, Charanga Online Learning, Yorkshire Young Musicians, Yorkshire Association for Music and Special Educational Needs and Music and the Deaf. Other partners range from charitable trusts, community arts organisations, small businesses, colleges and music groups.
Wakefield Music Education Hub (WMEH) is led by Wakefield Music Services (WMS) that has been providing quality, inclusive music teaching and opportunities to the young people in Wakefield since 1974. Since then, the service has grown and expanded, broadening its provision and range of instruments, genres and activities that it offers. The service is governed and supported by the LA and is highly regarded by the LA, schools, academies, parents, pupils and the wider musical community. The recent review highlighted that Wakefield Music Service was well equipped to deliver all Core and Extension Roles expected of the new Music Education Hub. In 2009 WMS was judged as ‘Outstanding’ in the independent Moderated Self Evaluation Programme.
The Hub has a clear structure of leadership, accountability and participation approaches, including:
- Local Authority Governance, including finance and human resources
- A Strategic Overview Group
- A well regarded leadership team and highly professional work force at Wakefield Music Service
- A range of network groups and working parties that represent schools, professional, partner and voluntary representatives to develop detailed strategies for all specialist areas being covered by Hub Activities
Management of the Hub’s activities is carried out by the leadership team of WMS who run the day to day service delivery of the Hub. The Service Manager for School Learning and Transformation and the Strategic Overview Group work closely with the Leadership Team to oversee its strategic development and delivery.
As the Lead Organisation for the Wakefield Music Education Hub, WMS is governed and constituted by the LA and accountable to Council policies, frameworks and legal procedures such as financial and contract procedure rules. The service sits within the Education Strategy and Performance team as part of Children and Young People’s Services and is regularly monitored and supported. The service is also a member of Wakefield Traded Services. In addition to this strong governance a wider Strategic Overview Group, Partner Network Group and Curriculum Network Groups have been established to help ensure and capture the views, needs and ideas of a broader range of stakeholders and young people.
Strategic Overview Group
The Strategic Overview Group acts as a critical friend to the Hub, offering support and advice and helping to respond to the National Plan for Music Education and the musical needs of all young people in the district. Working with the Hub on planning, reviewing, developing policies and strategies in order to further raise standards, broaden provision and strengthen progressive musical opportunities. The purpose of the Strategic Overview Group is:
- To oversee and have a strategic input into the development of the Wakefield Music Education Hub and act as a critical friend.
- Have an input into strategic decisions on the Hub’s priorities
- Ensure that systems are in place to capture views, needs and ideas of a broad range of stakeholders and young people. This will include the development and review of an annual needs analysis.
- Plan, review and develop policies and strategies in order to further raise standards, broaden provision and strengthen progressive musical opportunities
- Promote and advocate the vision and inclusive musical opportunities that Wakefield Music Education Hub offer
- To advise and respond to matters and initiatives arising from Partner and Curriculum Network Groups
Membership of the Strategic Overview Group is as follows;
- Council Portfolio Holder for Children & Young People
- Service Manager of School Learning and Transformation
- SLT of WMS – Lead Organisation
- LA Arts & Culture Representative
- WMEH Partner & Curriculum Network Group Representatives
- HT/SLT from a variety of schools in a range of catchments including Primary, Secondary, Academy and Special Needs
- Post 16 representative
- WMS Instrumental teacher/Head of Dept/Head of Centre
- School Parent Representative
- Student Representative
- LA Governor Services Representative
Network Groups
The following Network Groups are also crucial in developing and strengthening the work of the Hub and fulfilling its vision and purpose.
- Partner Network Group – with the aim of broadening opportunities and forging stronger links with other groups, organisations and providers across the district and wider community. The group consists of key partner organisations within the Hub and is a continuation of the existing partner group that began in May 2011.
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Primary & Secondary Curriculum Network Groups – with the aim of helping increase standards and inclusive opportunities in the curriculum and strengthening additional school provision and transitional stages. These groups share good practice and build upon strengths, partnerships and projects that have built up with schools over the years and include music leaders from school pyramids and clusters.
