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Funding gives 8,000 London pupils better access to music

BBC Two girls singing and one playing guitarBBC
Harris Academy in Crystal Palace, south London, is among the schools to benefit from the funding

More than 8,000 pupils across 17 schools in London are to get access to new musical instruments through funding from an education charity.

Restore the Music UK said the £238,000 would enable the primary and secondary state schools involved to expand their music offerings.

Polly Moore, the charity's chief executive, said the need for school music funding had increased.

Harris Academy in Crystal Palace, south London, is among those to benefit.

Polly Moore
Restore the Music UK's chief executive Polly Moore says she is aiming to improve access to music at UK schools

Katie Stanton, the school's head of music, told BBC London they have been able to purchase equipment ranging from classical instruments to DJ equipment.

Grace, a Year 11 pupil, said: "It's a great opportunity for us to express ourselves."

The school has also been able to set up its first steel drum band.

Pupils playing steel pans
The charity has awarded £238,000 to 17 schools in London

Ms Moore said music in schools was a "powerful tool for change" but music departments were "inevitably" always the first to face budget cuts.

"We invest in all young people, reaching them through our grants to school music departments," she said.

"Music is not just a nice-to-have, it's a must-have."

Restore the Music has granted £420,000 to 29 schools across England in the latest round of funding.

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