UNION officials fear children in Wyre Forest state schools are missing out on vital music education as a result of budget cuts and curriculum changes.

Members of the Musicians’ Union highlighted their concerns about Worcestershire County Council outsourcing its service at a meeting with shadow education secretary Angela Rayner, who visited Birmingham earlier this month.

Stephen Brown, from the MU, said private schools still valued the benefits of music education but other children were being “short-changed”.

Worcestershire County Council said that many schools in the area were still committed to music education.

Mr Brown said: “I know only too well from my day job that music education and its value to schools, children’s overall development and their wellbeing is being eroded.

“Government cuts, detrimental curriculum changes, council outsourcing, and Arts Council disinterest in delivery models has created a perfect storm for music education.

“Worcestershire County Council is the latest to outsource its service, and in time in my experience, that usually leads to pay and hours cuts, low teacher morale, and more gig economy style employment meaning teachers leave.

“Does anyone care that this is happening? The Tory Government doesn’t, it’s created this mess. School head teachers care, but they are facing so many challenges to hit academic targets in the face of cuts, that in Wyre Forest they simply don’t have the resources to cope in my view.

“State schools are being short changed when it comes to music education and once again a class gulf is opening up as pressure is being put on hard pressed parents to pay for it.

“Most private schools offer good music education, so if it’s good enough for wealthier children, it should be good enough for our state school kids too.

I’d like to see music education as part of Labour’s National Education Service, with a properly funded strategy including proper terms and conditions for music teachers, rather than this race to the bottom we have now.

“It’s what myself and my MU colleagues have been arguing for with Angela Rayner. Music can help children develop to their full potential and flourish, that’s what I want to see happen.

“It’s what we should all want for our kids, and I believe all Wyre Forest parents want that too.”

Councillor Marcus Hart, cabinet member with responsibility for education and skills, said: "Music Services are obviously affected by the pressures faced by schools and it is becoming more challenging to ensure that the services are offered in a way and at a cost that are attractive to schools.

"Despite this, there are still many schools that commit to providing both a viable music curriculum and extra-curricular opportunities and many services are maintaining their presence in schools and also the ensemble and vocal after-school opportunities.

“Severn Arts is in this position and continues to consolidate its presence in schools to such an extent that its business model is now enabling it to spin-out from the council as a limited company with charitable status in the New Year.

"The positives are that recruitment for instrumental teachers is not proving difficult at the moment.

“There is also a National Plan for Music Education and the Department for Education funds Music Education Hubs which enable increased free access via the Wider Opportunities work at primary level."