Ninety-seven per cent of parents believe it is important to develop musical talent from a young age, according to new research.
Rocksteady, an independent music school, commissioned the research of over 1,000 parents with children aged 4-11 year old across the UK.
The research showed that 75% of parents would like their child to take music at GCSE or A-level if there were no barriers preventing them from doing so. Furthermore, 91% of parents said that studying music from a young age can have a positive impact on a child’s confidence, happiness and overall wellbeing.
Rocksteady’s findings follow a warning from UK Music’s chief executive, Jamie Njoku-Goodwin, that the 2021 A-level and GCSE results revealed an urgent need to “support and grow music education in schools”.
The research also showed how parental attitudes to education have changed in the wake of the pandemic, with 79% of parents saying they thought the current school examination process could be updated to be more “dynamic and innovative” to suit each child’s individual way of learning.
In light of this, Rocksteady has launched a new Ofqual certified qualification for primary school children.
Developed in partnership with Trinity College London, the new initiative eschews one-off pass or fail exams in favour of observing skills as they are being executed in lessons; once a certain number have been achieved, the qualification is awarded.
“For some children, the pressure surrounding traditional exams can be a significant barrier to both learning and enjoyment,” said Rocksteady founder, Mark Robinson.
“Our new and progressive method allows more children to gain a qualification in music. It opens up music to a new generation who can enjoy learning and developing without the fear of failure.”
Robinson adds: “The UK is known on a global stage for its musical talent, and we understand from the research that 97% of parents believe it is important to develop musical talent from a young age, so it’s vital that we make music education work for every child.”
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