School Advice Visits: MIDAS

Music improvement, development and support (MIDAS) Visits

Cumbria Music Hub has been helping schools for 4 years through our programme of music support visits. We have already worked with over 200 primary and secondary schools. Headteachers and music co-ordinators have found the process useful for planning their music offer and identifying CPD needs.

What is a MIDAS visit?

  • Short for ‘Music improvement, development and support’ a MIDAS visit is a one-to-one session to help you evaluate your school’s musical provision, plan for its development and identify relevant opportunities from CMH

How does it work?

  • We will get in touch with you to arrange a suitable time and let you know who will be visiting
  • We’ll arrange to meet your Music Coordinator and/or Head for a conversation of up to an hour guided by a nationally accredited self-assessment document
  • The programme is funded by the grant we receive from the DfE managed by Arts Council England so there is no cost to your school
  • This process is completely confidential between your school and our Hub representative. We use the recommendations from each review to plan and develop our response to school needs

What are the benefits?

  • Manageable, tailored objectives for moving forward
  • Free access to planning programmes for Reception-Yr 6 and Yr 7-Yr 13, to streamline planning and assessment
  • You will also receive a year’s membership to Music Mark and use of their logo, paid for by us

Get in touchWhat is a Music HubWhat can we do for you?

Thanks to you we have many good examples of high quality music provision in schools in Cumbria – through the annual data returns you provide to us as well as through collaboration on projects and events. The aim of the Cumbria Music Education Hub is to facilitate partnerships which helps all of us to succeed in providing high quality music for the children and young people of Cumbria.

“I think the visit helped to focus on both the strengths of the school’s music curriculum as well as realistic areas for development……..it was very much a supportive process”

E C – Fairfield Primary School

“Having a face to face meeting like this was very beneficial as it enabled me to review our music practice and provision in school in a relaxed discussion”

D O – Cumwhinton Primary School

“The meeting…… was informal and supportive.  It helped us to focus on the key areas of the curriculum and to see where our strengths were as well as areas we could develop further.  It’s good to know that what we’re doing is right!”

M H – Newlaithes Infant School

“I would recommend that schools embrace the MIDAS review. I found it a helpful tool with regards evaluating our music curriculum. Working with colleagues from the Music Hub in a supportive and friendly way certainly ensured we all got the most out of the review. Thank you.”

SP – Burlington CE Primary