Music teachers and music leads from Birmingham’s primary, secondary and special schools are being invited to a music education conference with the aim of increasing music opportunities for local children through partnerships and collaboration.

The conference – which is free for all Birmingham schools – will help teachers and music leads to network and share ideas with colleagues from neighbouring Birmingham schools. A particular focus will be on helping children to continue their music education and participation as they transfer from primary to secondary schools.

More than 120 music teachers and leads from Birmingham schools are expected to attend the conference which is being held at Midland Arts Centre (MAC) on Tuesday, March 3.

Organised by the Music Service of Services For Education – the Birmingham education charity that delivers music education to most of the city’s schools – the Birmingham Music Education Conference will include nationally recognised speakers and local expertise from Birmingham’s recently appointed Lead Schools for Music.

It will also give Birmingham schools the chance to learn more about future partnerships and provision provided by the Birmingham Music Education Partnership which deploys the central government funding to extend and coordinate music education provision for all, reporting to Arts Council England.

Other speakers include Richard Mabbott, Head of Music Service at Services For Education, who will explore the impact of the 2025 Curriculum and Assessment Review for Music and highlight how schools can benefit from the DfE Musical Instrument Capital Grant.

Organised by Adam Hickman, Deputy Head of Music Service at Services For Education, the conference is free for Birmingham schools and £145 per delegate for schools outside the city. Further details are available at https://www.servicesforeducation.co.uk/our-offer/birmingham-music-education-conference-tuesday-3rd-march-2026/#more-information

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Picture captions: Music teaching in Birmingham embraces instruments from around the world and includes opportunities to perform at world-class concert venues

About Services For Education

Services For Education is an education and training charity based in Birmingham, that brings music and learning to life. The organisation employs around 200 staff who deliver music tuition to children and provide expert training and development to teaching and school support staff. It has an annual income of £7.1m (2023/2024). Part-funded by Arts Council England, it also operates its own fundraising and subsidised commercial activities. Services For Education works with more than 90% of Birmingham local authority schools.

Services For Education’s Music Service, teaches music to more than 28,000 children each year, reflecting Birmingham’s diverse population. It runs 113 free ensembles and provides more than 18,000 musical instruments free of charge, ensuring that children can access and enjoy making music together.

A highlight of the year is Services For Education’s annual Youth Proms at Symphony Hall that enables nearly 3,000 young musicians from schools throughout Birmingham to perform to an audience of more than 6,000 over four nights.

Services For Education’s School Support Service delivers expert training and development to teaching and support staff in schools across the West Midlands and increasingly across England. It helps improve practice and ensures teachers are equipped to respond to changes in curriculum and policy. In 2024/25, 94% of head teachers rated its training as either as good or excellent.

The organisation also delivers innovative programmes that support the physical and emotional wellbeing of children and young people through its Health for Life initiative, which has been running for more than a decade.

Learn more at www.servicesforeducation.co.uk

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For further information:

Public and media relations for Services For Education:

David Clarke
E: david-c@clarke-associates.co.uk;
M: 07808 735255

Issued on behalf of:

Services For Education
Unit 3 Holt Court
Holt Street
Birmingham Science Park
Aston
Birmingham B7 4AX