Musical Inclusion
Inclusion is central to our values, our plans, and our actions
Musically inclusive practice ensures that all children and young people who want to can make music. It can only happen by embracing a wide range of genres and styles, supporting participants to achieve social and personal outcomes as well as musical ones, and having a music education workforce which can work with young people of all backgrounds, needs and interests. Definition from Youth Music.
Inclusion involves change. It is an unending process of increasing learning and participation for all students. It is an ideal to which Hubs can aspire but which is never fully reached. But inclusion happens as soon as the process of increasing participation is started. An inclusive Hub is one that is on the move. (Adapted by Dr Phil Mullen from Booth and Ainscow, 2002: 3)
As a hub, we need to ensure that we:
- identify and work to break down any barriers to music-making that young people face
- put the voices of children and young people at the heart of work which is relevant to their needs and interests
- place emphasis on young people’s self-expression and musical creativity
- support a diversity of high-quality music-making across a wide range of genres and musical activities
- actively work to create understanding among all those involved in music education of the different approaches to teaching and learning
- do this through all areas of our work: making inclusion a central factor in funding and resource allocation; strategy and planning; programming/curriculum; staffing and professional development.
Our IDEA Strategy Priorities 2021-24
Dorset Music Hub’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access strategy outlines how we will work to break down barriers to music education in Dorset and reach more children and young people with an offer that’s right for them.
Our inclusion strategy was developed by musical inclusion expert Dr Phil Mullen, with local partner organisations, schools, music leaders and Dorset Council stakeholders. It contains focused recommendations and actions for DMS to take to make progress towards the strategic goals.
Strategic Goals – January 2021
- Cultures, policies and procedures are developed to support inclusion and to ensure that appropriate and continuing resources are put in place to enable the inclusion strategy to succeed.
- Staff including music service staff, generalist and specialist school music teachers, frontline volunteers, hub partners and members of the wider workforce, have appropriate and sufficient skills to deliver musically inclusive practices with all children and young people.
- Inclusion is embedded within the hub and across the hub area.
- The hub has examined and refreshed its communications – with schools, partners, music educators, young people and has raised its profile as an inclusive organization.
- The work of the hub to engage in sustainable ways with new groups of children in challenging circumstances has expanded.
- The offer for children with SEND has been refreshed and expanded, in part building on current good practice.
- The workforce has the skills necessary to engage all children in the region in ways that fit the children’s needs, interests and abilities.
- The hub has increased and sustained engagement with children with SEMH, including those at risk of school exclusion.
- Data, particularly on the level of engagement, retention and progression of children in challenging circumstances, is used as a driver for inclusion and influences future strategy.
- There is an increased emphasis on a move to long-term engagement in music and a culture of progression for all children (including those in challenging circumstances).
- Monitoring and evaluating the quality of inclusion across the hub is embedded and influences future strategy.
- The hub will have explored the potential of virtuality as it relates to both inclusion and access.
- The hub has reviewed and refreshed its current programmes and activities to ensure they are all based on an inclusive approach to music provision.