How is music education being discussed in the Houses of Parliament?

Secondary school music teachers are concerned with providing the best possible music education for the young people in their classrooms. This is important work. It is also shaped by those that manage schools, and Senior Leadership Teams have an important role to play in supporting and enabling the best possible musical experiences for young people too. But discussions of secondary school music teaching extend far beyond school or MAT-specific domains. Did you know that school music teaching is discussed regularly in both Houses of Parliament? As a music teacher, it can be very difficult to find time for a passing greeting with colleagues and a quick sandwich during lunchtime music rehearsals, let alone to identify a moment to monitor Hansard for updates on policy changes and current initiatives. So, in this article we try to unpack just a few snippets of how music teaching has talked about by peers and policymakers during this academic year. We know that music in schools matters, and many politicians and members of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords seem to think so too.