Classroom Instrumental Learning

Classroom Instrumental Learning (CIL) is our programme of support to enable all Key Stage 2 pupils to have the opportunity to learn an instrument – a key expectation of the National Plan for Music Education.

CIL is not included in membership and is charged at an additional cost depending on what level of support your school requires.

The aim of this programme is to:

• Inspire pupils and teachers to see themselves as musicians

• Develop enjoyment and skills in instrumental learning

• Create a culture of music within school

• Provide opportunities for pupils to develop their music making skills

We want to empower teachers to make choices about their programme and to help you decide which CIL programme is best for your school. Use the decision-making tree below to ensure you are getting the correct support for your school.

We want to support school budgets and create capacity by giving schools the choice of whether they need to hire instruments and/ or need a teacher to support with delivery of the programme, or whether they can provide all of this in-house.

Furthermore, pupils who complete any of our CIL programmes can access free instrument hire for a year through our Next Steps scheme.

Costs for the School Led model:

  • 1 class set of samba percussion, ukuleles or recorders: £32
  • 1 class set of woodwind, brass or string instruments: £63

Costs for the Visiting Musician model:

  • 1 class: £525 (plus additional charge for instruments, if needed – see above)
  • 2 classes: £835 (no charge for instruments)
  • 3 classes: £993 (no charge for instruments)

Once you have worked out what your needs are, see the Classroom Instrumental Learning infographic below to see what is involved in your selected programme.

School Led – by class teacher or Music Subject Lead

Delivering the programme yourself will still give you access to an online forum of support where you will receive group mentoring in providing this programme to your pupils, but you will not have a musician in your school delivering with you.

The benefits of this programme are:

  • Developing your own skills and confidence by spending more time developing your practice with the support of experienced colleagues and peers through online forums.
  • Take ownership of your school music provision – make more connections with the school’s curriculum and co-curricular offer – think strategically about the connections between CIL and the whole school plans for music (and the SMDP!)
  • Develop sustainable provision in school and become less dependent on visiting external experts – or identify new ways of working with delivery partners. ‘Next steps’ or progression activities beyond the classroom will expand the opportunities available to pupils

Visiting Musician Model

If you choose to have a Visiting Musician in school with you, then the programme will have a greater emphasis on team-teaching to support and upskill the teacher involved in the programme.

The benefits of this programme are:

  • A greater emphasis on team teaching and sustainable skills development in school
  • Support staff in their own professional development and enable them to get to ‘the next level’ of confidence in delivery
  • Enable class teachers and Music Subject Leaders to deliver instrumental learning in future years and create a sustainable programme for your school.

We will work with you to design your programme and support you to increase your confidence to deliver instrumental and musical learning at a level that works for you and your pupils. The programme will be devised and planned together to create a sustainable programme for your school.

If your school is booking for one class, and you do not own instruments for the CIL programme, please purchase both the Visiting Musician Model plus a class set of instruments for the class involved. If you purchase the Visiting Musician Model for 2 or more classes, there is no need to do this as instruments are included.

To purchase Classroom Instrumental Learning, please visit our Nexus page.

Next Steps – after Classroom Instrumental Learning

Free instrument loan offer

We want every child to be able to experience the joy of music and are offering a free instrument loan for children who have completed a programme of Classroom Instrumental Learning this year. As part of our ‘Next Steps’ programme, we can offer a free instrument loan for one year to pupils who are learning with a music teacher or attending a music club in the school setting – this could be during or out of school hours.

You are welcome to run a club yourselves or you could use your existing music teachers to access this offer – we encourage you to speak with them to see if they would like to deliver a demonstration or talk to your class about what it’s like to learn to play their instrument.

We want children to follow their own musical paths so giving a choice of instrument will set children on their journey of music and hopefully create a lifelong love of music. If you don’t currently have any music tuition happening in school, then do get in touch with us to see which local teachers we could put you in contact with.

What do I need to do now?

  • Speak to your staff and visiting music tutors about this free instrument offer for children who have completed Classroom Instrumental Learning.
  • Ask your staff if they could run a music club.
  • Ask your music tutors if they have capacity for more pupils and if they would like to do a demonstration about what they can offer to generate interest
  • Work with the tutor to send home a letter to parents with lesson information and ask for sign up via return slip
  • Liaise with the tutor about how many pupils they have gained for next term and how much time they will need
  • Ask if the music tutor would like to complete the instrument request form or complete this yourself if not – (you will need to complete a separate form for each instrument type).
  • Instruments will then be delivered to the school for the relevant pupils on a one-year free loan agreement.

To access this offer, we ask your Music Subject Lead, Headteacher or tuition provider to complete this ‘Next Steps’ Instrument loan request form.

Please note…

Your school must request the instrument(s) within one term of the ‘Classroom Instrumental Learning’ programme coming to an end.

The instrument(s) requested for the Next Steps initiative don’t have to be the same instrument the pupils are learning during the 10-week, whole-class Classroom Instrumental Learning programme. 

Whilst the instruments can go home between lessons, the person who completed the hire request remains ultimately responsible for them.

Safeguarding and DBS checks of private tutors is the responsibility of each school. If you would like any advice or guidance, or need help engaging instrumental tutors please contact us at dorsetmusicservice@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk

Pupils who have already hired an instrument for tuition will not be entitled to a refund in order to access the free offer.

Musical Next Steps – other pathways

We know that instrumental lessons aren’t the only pathway for pupils to follow when they want to take their ‘next steps’ on their musical journeys.

To find out more about other musical pathways, please contact us at dorsetmusicservice@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk or make sure you attend your Locality Area Music Network meeting to find out how we can support you and your pupils.

For more information about Classroom Instrumental Learning and Next Steps, please contact us: