Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness Music Services
We are the main organisations delivering music teaching in schools throughout Cumbria, as part of Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness Councils. Westmorland & Furness Music Service is the Lead Organisation for Cumbria Music Hub.
On 1 April 2023 Cumbria County Council was replaced by Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness Councils. We will continue to work with all our schools in the same way as we move towards our new position with the two councils.
What do we do?
We are teams of specialist music teachers providing schools and pupils with a wide range of musical experiences based upon modern teaching strategies. We work as partners in Cumbria Music Hub to deliver the National Plan for Music (2022)
Supporting schools and other education settings to deliver high-quality music education
> Whole Class Music including the subsidised First Access programme for every school and Whole Class Ensemble Teaching
> Small Group (or individual) specialist instrumental and vocal teaching in a wide range of instruments
> expert classroom music curriculum teaching
> Musical Experiences including live music, music technology
Supporting children and young people to engage with a range of musical activities:
> Instrument Hire for parents and students, so every child has cost effective access to a musical instrument
> Assisted Instrument Purchase Scheme for any young person taking lessons with one of our teachers.
> Music Centres, Groups and Ensembles so every child has an opportunity to play together with other young musicians
Our role in the Music Hub
Westmorland & Furness Music Service is the Lead Partner for Cumbria Music Hub, which brings together organisations to deliver the best music education for children and young people from right across Cumbria. We work together to create joined up, high quality music education in and out of school, getting the most from government funding for music education for young people.
Visit www.cumbriamusichub.com to find out what’s going on across Cumbria.
How are we funded?
Our positions as traded services units means that we run on a full cost recovery model. Currently we raise this through Service Level Agreements with schools, charges to parents and external funding including the DfE grant for Cumbria Music Hub.
Westmorland & Furness Music Service, as the lead organisation for the Cumbria Music Education Hub, is in receipt of funding from the DfE managed by the Arts Council England. We use this grant as part of the music education hub plan to support core and extended activities which have been identified in the National Plan for Music Education. The Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed that funding for Music Education Hubs will continue September 2024.
Almost all of our activities are subsidised by the DfE funding which is subject to us continuing to meet the funding criteria for the development of the Music Education Hub in Cumbria.