Wiltshire Schools’ eNewsletter – June 2025

Music Education Funding Settlement Update

Following the recent Strategic Spending Review announcement on Wednesday 11th June 2025, we are awaiting confirmation from the Department for Education (DfE) regarding our long-term funding arrangements.

Current Status:

• Our existing funding agreement has been extended through March 2026
• Budgets will remain at current levels (standstill funding) during this period
• Future funding from April 2026 onwards will align with the Strategic Spending Review outcomes as determined by the DfE

We will keep you informed as soon as we receive further details about our funding settlement and any implications for our services.

 

New Quick Guide for schools when using the Glide Portal

You can now download a pdf booklet showing the criteria for First Access funding, tuition bursaries.  How to order class sets of musical instruments and how you can loo for an associate to teach in your school.  Download HERE

New Online Portal Now Live

You can access it HERE

We’re pleased to announce that our streamlined online portal is now available for all music education funding requests. This one-stop-shop platform allows you to apply for:

Whole Class Ensemble Tuition (First Access) Funding

• Supporting classroom music programs with professional instruction

Instrument Hire Class Sets

• Access to quality instruments for group learning

Individual and Paired Tuition Bursaries

• Available for pupils receiving Pupil Premium or free school meals
• Support for SEND pupils who also receive Pupil Premium or free school meals
• Funding for Looked After Children as categorised by the Local Authority

Please note: SEND pupils who participated in previous years can continue to apply even without Pupil Premium eligibility. However, new SEND applicants must also receive Pupil Premium to qualify.

Enhanced Bursary Program

(We are moving forward consciously due to the funding uncertainty)

Our revamped bursary support program now reaches more children and young people through a simplified funding structure:

Lesson Categories and Rates

All lesson types receive £5.60 bursary funding per lesson:

• 15-minute individual lesson – £5.60 per lesson
• 20-minute individual lesson – £5.60 per lesson (New for 2025-26)
• 20-minute paired lesson – £2.80 per pupil (£5.60 total)
• 30-minute paired lesson – £2.80 per pupil (£5.60 total)

This standardised approach allows music associates to work with schools to determine appropriate funding levels based on their hourly rates and lesson requirements.

Important Reminder

This bursary scheme is designed to supplement existing Pupil Premium funding, not replace it. Schools should use their Pupil Premium allocation to cover remaining lesson costs, with any balance shared between the school and parents/carers as appropriate.

Ready to apply?  – Visit our online portal to submit your funding requests and support more young musicians in your community.

Important Changes to Bursary Allocation

Please note:

Individual school allocations for bursaries have been removed to maximise accessibility across all schools. The bursary program now operates on a first-come, first-served basis with limited annual funding.

What this means:

• Applications will be processed in order of receipt
• Once the annual budget is fully allocated, the scheme will close for that academic year
• Schools should continue supporting pupils through Pupil Premium funding while the portal is closed
• The portal will reopen when new funding becomes available

Need an Associate Tutor for Your School?

We’ve streamlined the process to make finding the right tutor simple and efficient.

Here’s how it works:

Submit your requirements through our Associate Director platform, and your request will be automatically distributed to all Associates who match your specific criteria. Qualified Associates will then reach out to you directly to discuss available options and arrangements.

Complete the application that looks like this:

Once you’ve found the perfect match and finalised the details, you can easily close the request through the system.

This direct connection approach ensures you get personalised responses from tutors who are genuinely suited to your needs, saving you time while giving you full control over the selection process.

Ready to get started? Contact our Associate Director team to submit your tutoring requirements today.

 

Live School Bulletin Board on the Website

 

Don’t miss important updates! Visit our live school bulletin board on the Wiltshire Schools Page for real-time hub developments and announcements.

Quick Tip: Bookmark this page in your browser favorites for instant access to the latest news and updates as they happen. This ensures you’ll always be informed about new opportunities, deadlines, and important developments affecting music education in your area.

Your new website is available: https://gswmusichubswindwilts.org.uk