Sign in

Martin Fautley

@proffautley.bsky.social
1K followers 89 following 81 posts

Emeritus Professor of Music Education, Birmingham City University.

PostsRepliesMedia
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
No need to do my annual 'mess about with Excel' morning entering the A-level music data for England and getting depressed, as the Ofqual website does it all by itself nowadays. Result, still not good new for music. Screen grabs from Ofqual website. 1. Music A-level (England)
121
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Piece by me in which I discuss assessment in music in the Primary School. It's available at: issuu.com/primarymusic...
issuu.com
Primary Music Magazine Issue 10.2 Summer 2026
The magazine for primary music teachers, by primary music teachers.
010
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Have just read the Northern Ireland proposed curriculum for music and wondering if it might signal the direction for England? www.education-ni.gov.uk/publications...
education-ni.gov.uk
Subject Frameworks and Key Stage Documents
Please find below the subject frameworks and Key Stage documents relating to the Northern Ireland Curriculum Consultation.
000
Reposted by Martin Fautley
ISM @ism-music.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
We’re all set for @proffautley.bsky.social’s keynote! 🌟 Join us in the Keynote Theatre as he takes us through the curriculum frameworks, co-authored with @allydaubney.bsky.social and published by the ISM Trust 🎶 #MDEE26
031
Reposted by Martin Fautley
ISM @ism-music.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
This time next week, we'll be at #MDEE26! Join us on 13 Feb at 2.30pm in the Keynote Theatre as @proffautley.bsky.social takes us through ISM Trust’s revised ‘Curriculum for music’ frameworks, co-authored by Dr Alison Daubney We'll also be at stand B92 - come and say hello! 👋
021
Reposted by Martin Fautley
The UK Association for Music Education: Music Mark @musicmarkuk.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
Bridget Whyte has today announced that she will be stepping down from her role as Chief Executive Officer following nearly nine years of service to Music Mark. Read more: www.musicmark.org.uk/news/bridget...
001
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
I like to try to listen to music when it's seasonally appropriate, which means this CD only has a fairly brief window! (However, @prestomusic.bsky.social streaming means that's not a problem!)
000
Reposted by Martin Fautley
Elizabeth MacGregor @ehmacgregor.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
It's arrived! Complete with brand new cover design and brilliant contributions from Anthony Anderson, Carolyn Cooke, Victoria Kinsella, John Finney, Chris Philpott, @proffautley.bsky.social, @gary-spruce.bsky.social, @kirstydevaney.bsky.social, @drannamariguddi.bsky.social, and others 🙌
062
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 05/11/2025
Hooray, goodbye to the wretched EBacc. Gov press release today says: "...removal of the EBacc and reforms to Progress 8 – to encourage students to study a greater breadth of GCSE subjects including the arts..."Good-oh 👍
020
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
Fingers crossed the EBacc is consigned to the waste bin...
251
Reposted by Martin Fautley
ISM @ism-music.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
Read the reaction from co-authors @proffautley.bsky.social and @allydaubney.bsky.social ⬇️
011
Reposted by Martin Fautley
ISM @ism-music.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
Since 2010, the EBacc has diminished music in schools. For over a decade, we have campaigned tirelessly for reform. The government has promised to put music back at the heart of our schools. The Curriculum and Assessment Review is the chance to prove it.
152
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 20/09/2025
Strange - and worrying - that these two messages appear side-by-side in my feed this morning:
010
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
I really, really don't like the sound (or smell!) of this: schoolsweek.co.uk/row-over-new...
schoolsweek.co.uk
Row over new Ofsted ‘high-quality’ research checks
New inspections will judge teacher trainers down if use of 'discredited research' isn't tackled
010
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
Listening to Ed Watkins on latest Music Teachers Association podcast talking about A-level music grading issues, I hope he manages to make waves about this, as for a while I've been fruitlessly asking about disparity in A* grades awarded between music & maths & getting nowhere! Reposting image:
000
Reposted by Martin Fautley
ISM @ism-music.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
The ISM has long called for the reform or scrapping of the EBacc and Progress 8. These measures have marginalised arts subjects in schools. Since 2010, we've seen a dramatic fall in the uptake of music - entries have dropped by 43% at A-level and 30% at GCSE.
111
Reposted by Martin Fautley
The UK Association for Music Education: Music Mark @musicmarkuk.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
In the run up to our #MMConference25, Bridget's blog reflects on the past 9 Years of Music Mark Conferences! 🎤 Bridget shares the wide range of conferences we've had, from different locations across the country to going fully digital in 2020! 📽️ 🔗Read the blog: www.musicmark.org.uk/news/bridget...
Photo of Bridget Whyte, CEO of Music Mark, stood in front of some foliage. Bridget is a white woman with brown shoulder length hair and wears a black top and burgundy lanyard.
032
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 31/07/2025
DfE data out today. Initial back-of-an-envelope analysis shows numbers of trainees achieving QTS in secondary music seems to be the lowest it's been for some years. Not sure what this means for the future of the profession though?
010
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 23/07/2025
From 'The Times' obituary of Ozzy Osbourne: "...given that his only accomplishment at school had been to appear in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, he resolved to become a singer..." Wow! (Just thinking of the parts he could have played 🤔)
120
Reposted by Martin Fautley
nancyevans.bsky.social @nancyevans.bsky.social · 22/07/2025
24 composing challenges for young people this summer. Unleash their creativity! resources.bcmg.org.uk/creating-mus...
152
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 23/06/2025
Been thinking again about where schools have a requirement for 'assessment lessons' in music, and how this fits with notions of coherence/consistency. If a school has requirements for an assessment lesson every six weeks: if said school has 1 hour lessons, teaches ... 1/2
100
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 28/05/2025
In recognition of it being the centenary of the birth of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, am listening to his versions of BWV56, 4, and a personal favourite, BWV82. Ahh....
010
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
This piece from @drlizstafford.bsky.social gets a hooray from me for dissing the "music is a universal language" nonsense! 👍
120
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 13/05/2025
This Music Teacher article makes for sobering reading "Nearly half of the teachers reported a decline in extracurricular music participation over the past five years. The story is the same for instrumental lessons, with 45% noting a drop". Article at www.musicteachermagazine.co.uk/content/news...
musicteachermagazine.co.uk
Music teachers sound the alarm on declining access and support - Music Teacher
The survey 'Growing Musicians, Shaping Lives’, conducted by magazines Music Teacher and Gramophone, reveals stark warnings about declining student participation, underfunded programmes, and widespread...
001
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
Lots of fascinating things in this piece from @drlizstafford.bsky.social as well as quite a lot of food for thought re the future of music education in England
121
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
Tonight seems to be a night for Fischer-Dieskau and BWV 82 - Ich habe genug
000
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 07/05/2025
Brilliant news!
020
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
Composing at Key Stage 2: the LICP legacy: www.musicteachermagazine.co.uk/content/feat...
musicteachermagazine.co.uk
Composing at Key Stage 2: the LICP legacy - Music Teacher
Used to leading and assessing creative education projects, Richard Barnard was a composer on the award-winning Listen Imagine Compose Primary. Here he describes his new role at Bristol Beacon, integra...
010
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 26/04/2025
Hooray - as Geoff says; "The arts must be brought back from the curricular margins, and the EBacc measure that consigned them there needs to be scrapped." In music ed some of us have been saying that for a good while!
020
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 25/04/2025
I know it sounds pedantic to privilege the verbal form, but in music classroom terms, I think using the word "composing" matters in the school classroom, as I explain in www.musicteachermagazine.co.uk/content/qa/q...
041
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
Nice piece in Music Teacher Mag in which I am interviewed about being honoured with the lifetime achievement award for music education. Trouble with being interviewed is you can’t edit what you said –anyway here is what tumbled out of my mouth! www.musicteachermagazine.co.uk/content/qa/q...
musicteachermagazine.co.uk
Q&A: Professor Martin Fautley - Music Teacher
If anyone knows the challenges facing music education, it is professor Martin Fautley. After more than 40 years as a practitioner, researcher and teacher trainer – which led to his receiving the Music...
030
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
I see we are to get a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education. This could be interesting, although I have no idea what it will be, or what it will do?
011
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
Happy Birthday, The Mikado! 14/3/1885 First performance. Picture from last week's show by Birmingham Savoyards at the Old Rep in Brum.
000
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 04/03/2025
This is interesting www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/m... And I'm one of those drivers who thinks the problem has got worse recently.
rac.co.uk
Quarter of drivers affected by bright headlights drive less at night as a result | RAC Drive
A quarter of drivers (25%) who find vehicle headlights too bright are driving less at night as a result, while 22% say they wish they could. Read more here.
110
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Also having another look at the National Plan for Music Education, web page for which carries a big banner "This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government" so wondering if this will fall into abeyance?
000
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Just revisiting the Model Music Curriculum, and am reminded of this piece of helpful advice contained therein:
010
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 17/02/2025
Failing to find the source of "Some people say they have 10 years of experience, but actually have 1 year of experience 10 times", but anyway, currently thinking (again) about it!
000
Reposted by Martin Fautley
nancyevans.bsky.social @nancyevans.bsky.social · 14/02/2025
What a fabulous day! Thank you to @sueyoung for her fascinating and thought-provoking keynote and to everyone who came to hear about, and think about what next for Listen Imagine Compose Primary.
063
Reposted by Martin Fautley
sueyoung.bsky.social @sueyoung.bsky.social · 14/02/2025
Listen Imagine Compose conference day - Birmingham Contemporary Music Group (BCMG). Nancy Evans who led the project introducing the Bristol Beacon team and their work.
151
Reposted by Martin Fautley
DrAnthonyAnderson @music-bod.bsky.social · 14/02/2025
Interesting to read about staff perspectives on conservatoire alumni here... doi.org/10.1080/1461...
doi.org
Conservatoire staff perspectives on the role of alumni in higher music education: who benefits?
The forging and maintenance of alumni relations is critical to the sustainability of Higher Music Education Institutions worldwide. In contrast to university-based career mentoring programmes, rese...
021
Reposted by Martin Fautley
Stan Dupp @sdupp.bsky.social · 11/02/2025
033
Reposted by Martin Fautley
ISM @ism-music.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
The DfE has pulled its funding for National Youth Music Organisations. Government has routinely promised to improve access to music and the arts for young people. Cutting the funding of brilliant organisations that offer that access is a big step backwards. www.musicmark.org.uk/news/departm...
musicmark.org.uk
Department for Education support to National Youth Music Organisations not renewed | Music Mark
The UK Association for Music Education – Music Mark is disappointed that National Youth Music Organisations (NYMOs) have been informed that the Department for Education (DfE) will not renew their cont...
1109
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 04/02/2025
Interesting DEMOS report from Music Mark available at musicmark.org.uk/news/160m-in... The headline is this:
000
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
Prof. Martin Fautley, together with Ally Daubney wrote the new curriculum documents which are available for all music educators to access. Music is an essential part of a rich a broad curriculum, use this framework to create joyful engagement of music within the classroom. @ism-music.bsky.social
074
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 18/01/2025
Interesting article by @sgtoyne.bsky.social . Includes this gem (attached)...
000
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 15/01/2025
Interesting thread from the ISM here:
031
Reposted by Martin Fautley
ISM @ism-music.bsky.social · 08/01/2025
There are other important changes required for music to thrive in schools, including reform of the damaging EBacc and Progress 8 accountability measures and investment in provision and the music education workforce. Children benefit enormously from access to music education.
121
Reposted by Martin Fautley
Dan Elphick @danelphick.bsky.social · 05/01/2025
Banging the drum for music education: the UK school run with an orchestra www.theguardian.com/education/20...
theguardian.com
Banging the drum for music education: the UK school run with an orchestra
Shireland CBSO academy in West Bromwich has put music at centre of its teaching in effort to revive interest
0178
Reposted by Martin Fautley
Liz Gleed @mrsgleedmusic.bsky.social · 04/01/2025
Brilliant thoughts as always
141
Martin Fautley @proffautley.bsky.social · 03/01/2025
Link to a piece by me in which I do a bit of thinking ready for the New Year! www.musicteachermagazine.co.uk/content/feat...
musicteachermagazine.co.uk
The purpose of music education - Music Teacher
‘Why do we do it?’ asks many a frazzled music teacher at the end of a vexing day. That is precisely the question that we need urgently to debate in depth together if we are to bring purpose and cohesi...
373