We believe that Music Education Hubs and Services have a huge role to play in supporting the next generation of musicians and music lovers across the United Kingdom.
We acknowledge that the role Hubs and Services play in each of the four nations of the United Kingdom varies. This page is structured around The power of music to transform lives: a national plan for music education, but we believe it will help music services from across all areas of the United Kingdom to identify how Trinity College London can provide support and add value to you, your teachers and learners.
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Trinity believes that effective communicative and performance skills are life enhancing, know no bounds and should be within reach of us all. We exist and foster the best possible communicative and performance skills through assessment, content and training which is innovative, personal and authentic.
Founded in 1872, we were the first awarding body to start offering external music exams. With a proven track record of excellence, personalised support and proactive communication, by working with us you can be sure of getting an excellent service to help your Hub to thrive.
Trinity is unique in its multi-arts function. We provide qualifications and awards to creative learners across:
We are also experienced with providing CPD and ongoing training across the art forms, both online and in-person. This includes our Certificate for Music Educators qualification.
With subject experts and regional support across the UK, an expansive free support programme and a commitment to excellent customer service, we are passionate about ensuring that all Music Hubs and Services can work in partnership with us to achieve their strategic aims.
Toby Davies – UK&I Business Development Manager - Music & Performing Arts
Toby currently heads up our Business Development team whilst also looking after our wider Local Area Representative network. He has years' worth of teaching experience as well as an extensive performance background. Toby has a wealth of knowledge across the music and performing arts sector and will happily talk about all things Trinity for hours. Contact Toby
Kate Attard – Head of Sector Support UK&I
Kate leads on supporting our customers and ensuring that you have excellent service and support to enable you to engage with our qualifications. Contact Kate
Natalie Christopher – Sector Support Manager, Music Education Hubs & Partnerships Manager
Natalie is your go-to person at Trinity if you are from a Music Education Hub or Service. She has previously worked for a Music Service and lead organisation of the local Music Education Hub, so understands your needs and challenges and is on hand to answer any questions you may have. If you would like to arrange any CPD sessions for your staff, Natalie will be in touch. Contact Natalie
Sue Clarke – Subject Expert, Drama
Leading on national programmes to support our Drama syllabuses, Sue has a wealth of experience with drama education. As a former Head of Drama she has that classroom knowledge and understanding, and can help Hubs to identify opportunities to incorporate Musical Theatre into development plans for singing. Contact Sue
Judy McFall – Subject Expert, Arts Award
Judy has worked with Arts Award for many years and is experienced in supporting a range of settings to get started with Arts Award. She is currently leading on our National LCEP Programme and is always looking to make new connections. Contact Judy
Whatever your musical interests and whatever your musical strengths, Trinity has the music qualifications for you.
Every year we support the music education of thousands of students with assessments across a wide spectrum including Classical, Jazz and Rock & Pop music. Our graded exams from Initial to Grade 8 allow learners to perform to their strengths; the flexible structure enables learners to gain recognition for their own unique skills as performers.
Digital Grades and Diplomas sit alongside our face-to-face exams, providing even more choice and flexibility in how a regulated graded qualification can be achieved.
Our new, fully inclusive Awards and Certificates in Musical Development have been developed in association with Sounds of Intent, setting a new standard for accessible music assessments which are available to all learners.
Certificate exams offer a performance-only alternative to graded exams for solo performers or groups, at Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced level.
Our diplomas (ATCL, LTCL and FTCL) are for those looking to take their professional development to the next level in music performance, teaching or theory.
Our Theory of Music syllabus responds to modern teaching and learning styles, with workbooks presenting the study of musical theory in bright and practical formats.
Our Level 4 CME (Certificate for Music Educators) is supported by a flexible programme of learning and is designed for music educators working in both formal and non-formal settings.
Trinity College London offers an unrivalled choice of qualifications for students and teachers of drama and speech, at all levels of experience and ability.
Our Musical Theatre exams provide learners with the opportunity to integrate acting, singing and movement to become an all-round performer through the performance of pieces from published works of musical theatre. Whether as solo, in pairs, or in groups, candidates can bring character and narrative to life with song and movement as an actor or in-production.
Unique to Trinity, our Performance Arts syllabus provides a huge range of flexibility, and can incorporate music making, composition, soundscape design and much more. In pairs, groups or as solo performers, candidates demonstrate their skills in the imaginative and creative exploration and integration of different performance forms and materials.
Arts Award is a range of unique qualifications that supports anyone aged up to 25 to grow as artists and arts leaders, inspiring them to connect with and take part in the wider arts world. The beauty of Arts Award is that it can be achieved in any art form, providing the opportunity to explore musical skills and genres outside of the usual graded music qualifications. Examples might include playing as part of a band or ensemble, music technology and production, composition, journalism, DJing, beatboxing – the list is endless!
Through progressing through the five levels, young people have the opportunity to:
We have specific further support and guidance for Music Hubs and Services looking to offer Arts Award
Find out more about Arts Award or get in touch with our Arts Award Subject Expert, Judy McFall.
Following the release of The power of music to change lives: a national plan for music education, we are aware that the roles of Hubs in England are changing and that they now have five Functions to fulfil. Additionally, we know that Hubs will also be contributing to the Cultural Education Challenge and many will be embedded within and/or supporting their Local Cultural Education Partnerships (LCEPS).
We hope that this resource will give you a flavour of how diverse our support and opportunities for engagement can be, and how they can support you to fulfil your functions under the revised national plan. And remember, you can contact us at any time to discuss how Trinity's array of exams, qualifications and services might complement the ideas you have for your local area.
'Take a leading role in building a sustainable, local infrastructure for high-quality music education and music-making, in partnership with schools, community music organisations, and other regional and national youth music organisations and industry.'
Researching potential partners to both broaden and strengthen your Hub's offer is an exciting prospect, and it may be a good opportunity to explore ideas and connections that you haven't considered before. In your search for the right partners, you might find it helpful to investigate:
'Support all state-funded schools in their area through ongoing relationships to help them deliver high-quality music education, including a quality curriculum support offer, specialist tuition, instruments and ensembles; and a broad range of progression routes and musical experiences for all pupils.'
Every school is different and establishing what high-quality music education looks like, and how best to develop it, in each case will need a bespoke approach. Having a knowledge of the range of options available to schools, and how they might be applied in different settings and scenarios, is a great way in which you can support them.
Coming soon: our new, dedicated music in schools web page will outline how Trinity qualifications can be used to enhance and support schools as they work towards meeting the aims outlined in the new National Plan.
In the meantime, we believe the following qualifications and resources will prove useful:
'Support children and young people to develop and progress with music, including into national or specialist opportunities, higher education and employment, so that the chance to be involved in high-quality music-making is shared more widely in our society. Support children and young people to access the wider world of music, including live performance and community music.'
The plan's inclusion of musical activities hosted outside of school is a positive step in fostering a joined-up approach to music education, and one that seeks to benefit both students and the local, regional and national organisations running these programmes.
Coming soon: our new, dedicated out of school providers web page will outline how Trinity qualifications can be used to enhance and support the programmes run by out of school providers.
Trinity's qualifications can support students pursuing routes into higher education and industry in the following ways:
'Drive broad access to music education, so every child has the opportunity to participate irrespective of their circumstances, background, where they live or their SEND.'
Providing opportunities for all to have their musical achievements recognised is at the heart of what Trinity does. It comes in numerous guises and includes:
'Ensure the strategic, financial, and operational sustainability of the Music Hub by:
- supporting a dynamic and well-trained workforce;
- leveraging DfE funding to develop wider investment into young people's music from a range of sources and revenue streams;
- being accountable and transparent by publishing plans, needs analysis and impact data; and
- considering and acting on the Hub's environmental responsibilities.'
As music education bodies founded with the purpose of distributing government funding, this last Hub function is a shift, encouraging a more enterprising and commercially aligned approach. Here are a few ideas of how Trinity's qualifications and services might be able to support you in achieving these aims:
