Secondary Schools Newsletter

Fao: Head of Music and Music Teacher

Dear Colleague

I hope the second half of term has started well. 

I appreciate it’s an especially busy time in schools, but I just want to share some quick links to opportunities that are available to you and your school community. Our national music hub funding from the Department for Education enables many opportunities to be free of charge or highly subsidised with bespoke programmes and assistance still reasonably priced.

If you are looking for bespoke, in-school support or would like a visit to discuss developing music in your school please contact our schools’ team – we’d love to hear from you.

Curriculum support and CPD

• Big Meet: Curriculum & Assessment Review

Independent Society of Musicians / Music Mark / Music Teachers’ Association

12 November 2025 5:15pm – 6pm Zoom (Online). Book here

• The Implementation of Inclusive Practice in the Music Room | The Secondary Music Teaching Series

4 February 2026 5 – 6.30pm Online (Zoom). Book here

Music Mark of Recognition

Music Mark has made changes to their schools’ membership scheme for 2025-26. In addition to their free opportunities and paid-for schools’ membership (£50 per year) they have now introduced the Music Mark of Recognition to help celebrate and recognise your school’s commitment to music both in and out of the curriculum. Schools presented with a Music Mark of Recognition certificate benefit from a 50% reduction in school membership. Take a look at their website https://www.musicmark.org.uk/join/the-music-mark-of-recognition-for-schools/ to find out more. If you would like your school to be presented with a Music Mark of Recognition certificate, please contact Jane Swindells at music@westsussexmusic.co.uk

Bursary Fund [reminder]

We want to ensure that learners from all backgrounds can access opportunities to explore high-quality and inspiring music making. The West Sussex Music Bursary Fund helps support children and young people aged 5-18 years of age, living in West Sussex or attending a West Sussex maintained school with funding towards lessons with a West Sussex visiting music teacher or associate tutor. Parents/carers need to apply to WSM before lessons start to see if funding is available. Further information and application forms are available here

Enrichment activities

Explore opportunities to enrich your curriculum and support your extra-curricular music offer with our Time4Music service level agreement. We can provide specialists to run ensemble activities or lead workshops, and we also hire sets of instruments. Find out more here

Instrument loan

If you are looking to borrow sets of instruments to enrich a project, deliver an in-house workshop or support your music curriculum please get in touch on music@westsussexmusic.co.uk

Opportunities for pupils….

Sings Live!

In October, we kick started the year with three Sings Live! workshops led by music leaders from The Sixteen  A big “thank you” to Bishop Luffa, Durrington & Ifield for hosting these events.

Further information about the spring term Sings Live! performance opportunities will be forwarded very soon!

Holiday Activities

Please could you help us promote to your students our forthcoming holiday activities by sharing the attached flier. There are free spaces available for those on benefit-related free school meals and all participants receive a free midday meal. Find out more here.

James Underwood

Chief Executive

West Sussex Music