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GSW Lead Schools

GSW Music Hub Announces New Lead Schools for Music Education Excellence Across the Region

20 March 2025 - Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire

The Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire (GSW) Music Hub is proud to announce the appointment of seven outstanding schools as Lead Schools for music education across the region. These institutions will play a pivotal role in elevating music education standards, providing specialised professional development, and championing music-making throughout our communities.

Regional Lead Schools

Gloucestershire

  • Primary: Powell's C of E Primary School
  • Secondary: The Crypt School

Swindon

  • Primary: Lethbridge Primary School
  • Secondary: The Dorcan Academy

Wiltshire

  • Primary: Grove Primary School
  • Secondary: Royal Wootton Bassett Academy
  • Special Education: Silverwood School (serving the entire GSW region)

The carefully selected Lead Schools will serve as centres of excellence for music education, fostering collaboration between schools and sharing best practices across the region.

Enhancing Music Education Through Specialised Leadership

Each Lead School will contribute to transforming music education by:

  • Providing specialist Continuing Professional Development (CPD) across key focus areas including Composition/Improvisation, Assessment, Notation, Inclusive Music Making, Singing in Parts, and Extra-Curricular music activities/events
  • Conducting support visits to schools throughout the region
  • Championing music education at all levels
  • Identifying and addressing local needs
  • Providing dynamic leadership and strategic direction to improve music-making quality across GSW Music Hub schools
  • Embedding strong practice and supporting effective professional development for teachers

"This initiative directly responds to the Department for Education's directive for Music Hubs to 'support stronger links between local schools and academy trusts, and broker opportunities for peer-to-peer learning,'" said Lisa Mayo on behalf of the Consortium Executive Team for GSW Music Hub. "Our Lead Schools will integrate schools within the Music Hub framework as both customers and co-creators/delivery partners, creating a more collaborative and effective music education ecosystem."

Contact Information and Focus Areas

Lead Schools

Music Lead

School Type

Email

The Crypt School

Julian Whittaker

Secondary Lead - Gloucestershire

jwhittaker@crypt.gloucs.sch.uk

Powell’s C of E Primary School

Sarah Williams

Primary Lead - Gloucestershire

swilliams@powells.gloucs.sch.uk

Dorcan Academy

Bethany Durston

Secondary Lead - Swindon

bdurston@dorcan.co.uk

Lethbridge Primary School

Lisa Mayes

Primary Lead - Swindon

head@lethbridge.bluekitetrust.org

Royal Wooton Bassett Academy

Elizabeth Hodgson

Secondary Lead - Wiltshire

ehodgson@rwba.ascendlearningtrust.org.uk

Grove Primary School

Jessica Fish

Primary Lead - Wiltshire

jfish@grove.wilts.sch.uk

Silverwood School

Nick Fletcher

Special School - Whole Hub Area

nickfletcher@silverwood.wilts.sch.uk

Focus Areas

Music Lead

Composition & Improvisation

Royal Wooton Bassett Academy & Powell’s C of E Primary School

Assessment

Dorcan Academy

Notation

Dorcan Academy & Grove Primary School

Singing

The Crypt School & Silverwood School

Inclusive Music Making

Silverwood School & Lethbridge Primary School

Extra-Curricular Music / Events

Royal Wooton Bassett Academy & Grove Primary School

Early Years

Grove Primary School

Please be mindful of our Music Leads' workload.  Feel free to contact them to make them aware of a need or request for support you may have and they will endeavour to get back to you as soon as possible.  Your patience and understanding is appreciated.

For more general information around Lead Schools, please contact: 

Lynn Hawkins Lhawkins@smscio.co.uk

Deputy Head of Service (Swindon)

Online Support Seminars

Our Lead Schools will be running online seminars throughout the academic year around their focus areas.  Please see below the videos of the sessions that have been held so far.  Thank you so much to everyone who has contributed.

If you wish to watch any of these seminars please contact gswmusichub@gloucestershire.gov.uk and we will share the password with you.

Supporting Music in the Early Years

Watch Seminar Here

Supporting Notation Learning in Primary to Secondary Education

Watch Seminar Here

Extra-Curricular Music Ideas

Watch Seminar Here

Composing In The Primary Classroom

Watch Seminar Here

As partners within the Hub, Lead Schools will continue to bring school-based expertise and experience of school-to-school support to wider Hub partnership discussions and strategies. By doing so, they should help to ensure that the Hub understand and are able to respond to the present challenges and opportunities within local schools and can adapt their offers and ways of working to achieve maximum impact in these settings.

As a Lead School, you'll:

  • Champion music education best practice in our area
  • Collaborate with local schools and through network meetings
  • Exemplify high-quality music provision and teaching
  • Advocate for music education and the work of the Music Hub to colleagues in schools
  • Shape the future of music education for our hub
  • Receive valuable in-kind support, including a free Whole Class (WCET) instrumental programme
  • Gain valuable experience in delivering at our CPD conference
  • Receive a kitemark to denote your status

Lead Schools will contribute to the development of a strategic approach to inclusion.

The National Plan for Music Education (NPME) emphasises the role of Hubs in supporting school music improvement, embedding stronger practice and supporting effective professional development for teachers. As part of this, the Department for Education (DfE) would like Hubs “to support stronger links between local schools and academy trusts, and broker opportunities for peer-to-peer learning”.

Within these parameters, the specific role of Lead Schools in a Hub, the approach to identifying and appointing them, and the work they are commissioned to undertake, should be driven by the needs of pupils, teachers, and schools within the Hub area. 

Collectively, Lead Schools should have 7 focus areas of headline topics and each Lead School should exemplify best practice in at least one focus area:

·         Assessment

·         Composition/Improvisation

·         Extra-Curricular music making and ensemble playing

·         Inclusive Music Making

·         Notation

·         Singing in Parts

·         Yr 6 - Yr7 transitions

(Secondary Leads will help with music transition into Yr 7 as part of feeding into a Hub CPD Day).  They will also deliver a twilight on how to lead an ensemble training.

It is important that Lead Schools continue to exemplify excellence in music education beyond the acceptance of Lead School status.

As partners within the Hub, Lead Schools will continue to bring school-based expertise and experience of school-to-school support to wider Hub partnership discussions and strategies. By doing so, they should help to ensure that the Hub understand and are able to respond to the present challenges and opportunities within local schools and can adapt their offers and ways of working to achieve maximum impact in these settings.

As a Lead School, you'll:

  • Champion music education best practice in our area
  • Collaborate with local schools and through network meetings
  • Exemplify high-quality music provision and teaching
  • Advocate for music education and the work of the Music Hub to colleagues in schools
  • Shape the future of music education for our hub
  • Receive valuable in-kind support, including a free Whole Class (WCET) instrumental programme
  • Gain valuable experience in delivering at our CPD conference
  • Receive a kitemark to denote your status

Lead Schools will contribute to the development of a strategic approach to inclusion.

The National Plan for Music Education (NPME) emphasises the role of Hubs in supporting school music improvement, embedding stronger practice and supporting effective professional development for teachers. As part of this, the Department for Education (DfE) would like Hubs “to support stronger links between local schools and academy trusts, and broker opportunities for peer-to-peer learning”.

Within these parameters, the specific role of Lead Schools in a Hub, the approach to identifying and appointing them, and the work they are commissioned to undertake, should be driven by the needs of pupils, teachers, and schools within the Hub area. 

Collectively, Lead Schools should have 7 focus areas of headline topics and each Lead School should exemplify best practice in at least one focus area:

·         Assessment

·         Composition/Improvisation

·         Extra-Curricular music making and ensemble playing

·         Inclusive Music Making

·         Notation

·         Singing in Parts

·         Yr 6 - Yr7 transitions

(Secondary Leads will help with music transition into Yr 7 as part of feeding into a Hub CPD Day).  They will also deliver a twilight on how to lead an ensemble training.

It is important that Lead Schools continue to exemplify excellence in music education beyond the acceptance of Lead School status.

Lead Schools should exemplify high-quality music provision and teaching, championing best practice in their area, showing commitment to a number of key aspects including curriculum delivery with appropriate timetable time, co-curricular opportunities, inclusive provision and teacher development.

Lead schools' ethos should match the ambition and passion of the school music lead and demonstrate a rich culture of music making throughout school life.

Lead Schools should exemplify high-quality music provision and teaching, championing best practice in their area, showing commitment to a number of key aspects including curriculum delivery with appropriate timetable time, co-curricular opportunities, inclusive provision and teacher development.

Lead schools' ethos should match the ambition and passion of the school music lead and demonstrate a rich culture of music making throughout school life.

In accordance with the new DfE/ACE changes and the new National Plan for Music Education (NPME), from April 2025 Lead Schools must be appointed in each Local Authority area.

Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire Music Hub (GSW) will start of the process of defining the roles and selecting Lead Schools in October 2024.

GSW Music Hub will be appointing at least one of the following school types in each of Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire:

1 Primary 

1 Secondary

1 Special School/APS

In accordance with the new DfE/ACE changes and the new National Plan for Music Education (NPME), from April 2025 Lead Schools must be appointed in each Local Authority area.

Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire Music Hub (GSW) will start of the process of defining the roles and selecting Lead Schools in October 2024.

GSW Music Hub will be appointing at least one of the following school types in each of Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire:

1 Primary 

1 Secondary

1 Special School/APS

As a Lead School, you'll:

Champion best practice in our area

Collaborate with local schools through network meetings

Organise and deliver one twilight meeting per academic year

Design and deliver CPD packages at Hub conferences 

Exemplify high-quality music provision and teaching

Advocate for music education and the work of the Music Hub to colleagues in schools 

Shape the future of music education for our hub

Work with the GSW leadership team to help design and shape activity that will benefit schools in our area

Will attend two lead school meetings (September 2025 & January 2026)

Will advocate and amplify the work of the music hub

May provide 1:1 school support as required

Will provide a yearly impact report based upon your focus area detailed below:

·         Assessment

·         Composition/Improvisation

·         Extra-Curricular music making and ensemble playing

·         Inclusive Music Making

·         Notation

·         Singing in Parts

·         Yr 6 - Yr7 Transitions

The status of Lead School will be:

• Initially for 1.33 years (April 2025 - July 2026)

• Evaluated after July 2026

• Re-assessed every 2 years (or sooner if the Lead Person leaves the school or setting)

• A memorandum of understanding will be prepared between the Lead School and the Music Hub.

As a Lead School, you'll:

Champion best practice in our area

Collaborate with local schools through network meetings

Organise and deliver one twilight meeting per academic year

Design and deliver CPD packages at Hub conferences 

Exemplify high-quality music provision and teaching

Advocate for music education and the work of the Music Hub to colleagues in schools 

Shape the future of music education for our hub

Work with the GSW leadership team to help design and shape activity that will benefit schools in our area

Will attend two lead school meetings (September 2025 & January 2026)

Will advocate and amplify the work of the music hub

May provide 1:1 school support as required

Will provide a yearly impact report based upon your focus area detailed below:

·         Assessment

·         Composition/Improvisation

·         Extra-Curricular music making and ensemble playing

·         Inclusive Music Making

·         Notation

·         Singing in Parts

·         Yr 6 - Yr7 Transitions

The status of Lead School will be:

• Initially for 1.33 years (April 2025 - July 2026)

• Evaluated after July 2026

• Re-assessed every 2 years (or sooner if the Lead Person leaves the school or setting)

• A memorandum of understanding will be prepared between the Lead School and the Music Hub.

Recognition as a Lead School with exemplary music education provision through a New Hub Kite Mark.

We propose an in-kind model of benefits such as whole class provision, band/ensemble training and live music roadshows/recitals

Where appropriate, one-off financial support for bespoke projects may happen.

Lead Schools may be invited to represent the Music Hub at local events, national events, conferences, or other hub-related activities if required

A memorandum of understanding will be prepared between the Lead School and GSW Music Hub

Recognition as a Lead School with exemplary music education provision through a New Hub Kite Mark.

We propose an in-kind model of benefits such as whole class provision, band/ensemble training and live music roadshows/recitals

Where appropriate, one-off financial support for bespoke projects may happen.

Lead Schools may be invited to represent the Music Hub at local events, national events, conferences, or other hub-related activities if required

A memorandum of understanding will be prepared between the Lead School and GSW Music Hub

The official application form is in a digital format and can be here accessed here:

GSW Lead Schools - Application Form

Please submit only one application per school. Academies and schools within multi-academy trusts and federations will each be treated as separate schools.

GSW Music Hub recognises that all schools have strengths and relative areas for development. In applying, please consider the areas which are exemplary (e.g. provision within EYFS and KS1; or inclusive provision within KS3 etc.)

We strongly advise that the application is filled in by the Lead Music Subject Leader, in collaboration with the leadership team and associated governor responsible for evaluating and monitoring the effectiveness of music provision.

Please submit the online questionnaire.

The application deadline has been extended until 23:59 Sunday 8th December 2024.

The official application form is in a digital format and can be here accessed here:

GSW Lead Schools - Application Form

Please submit only one application per school. Academies and schools within multi-academy trusts and federations will each be treated as separate schools.

GSW Music Hub recognises that all schools have strengths and relative areas for development. In applying, please consider the areas which are exemplary (e.g. provision within EYFS and KS1; or inclusive provision within KS3 etc.)

We strongly advise that the application is filled in by the Lead Music Subject Leader, in collaboration with the leadership team and associated governor responsible for evaluating and monitoring the effectiveness of music provision.

Please submit the online questionnaire.

The application deadline has been extended until 23:59 Sunday 8th December 2024.

Those schools selected from the first stage will be the shortlisted schools and will be assessed for the final selection of Lead Schools. The school will receive one or more visits by one or more GSW Music Hub assessors. On the visit, the GSW Music Hub assessors will undertake several activities which may include:

Observation of a selection of teaching situations including assemblies, lessons and clubs.

Those schools selected from the first stage will be the shortlisted schools and will be assessed for the final selection of Lead Schools. The school will receive one or more visits by one or more GSW Music Hub assessors. On the visit, the GSW Music Hub assessors will undertake several activities which may include:

Observation of a selection of teaching situations including assemblies, lessons and clubs.

Please note the application deadline has been extended until 23:59 Sunday 8th December 2024.

Please note the application deadline has been extended until 23:59 Sunday 8th December 2024.