Readings

Music tuition is recovering

A survey conducted by the Institute of Education, London University, suggests that music tuition is recovering from the decline it witnessed four years ago.

About 8 per cent of pupils in the UK receive regular music lessons, mainly because of the Government's decision to set up a national music standards fund. More seven to ll-year-olds are learning a musical instrument than has been the case for many years.

Funding is guaranteed until 2005, and the Government has promised to ensure that every primary school pupil will have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. The survey, which was commissioned by the DfES, found that the violin is currently the most popular instrument, followed by the trumpet, flute, clarinet, cello, guitar and trombone.