Music
Overview
South Tyneside Music Service has a very good reputation for supporting and nurturing the musical abilities of young people in the borough.
We encourage maximum participation in music making activities.
We try to reach as many children and young people as possible, nurturing talent through excellence in teaching and learning and offering opportunities for ensemble or orchestral performances.
What opportunities are available
There are a range of opportunities available (not in every school), including:
- small group lessons with the traditional brass, woodwind and string instruments plus some guitar, keyboard and piano
- whole class lessons in ukulele, recorder, djembe, samba, garage band, and keyboard
We also offer a number of free or nominal charge ensemble opportunities for children to showcase and build on the skills learnt.
Working in partnership
From September 2012 to August 2024 South Tyneside Music Services were in a partnership with Gateshead Music Service.
This was created in direct response to the government's National Plan for Music Education (NPME), to provide access, opportunities and excellence in music education for all children and young people.
This partnership has now been dissolved and replaced, from September 2024, by a far larger partnership formally known as the North East Music Hub.
This new hub comprises services in South Tyneside, Sunderland, Gateshead, Newcastle, Northumberland, Durham & Darlington and North Tyneside. It continues to be funded by Arts Council England (ACE).
All the partner music services provide access to specialist delivery and services to schools, community groups and ensembles.
Our partners' services were very successful and together we hope to broaden and further develop what we can offer you.
Current fees / remissions
South Tyneside Music Service (STMS) currently operates a pay as you go service with small group tuition requests submitted by schools on a termly basis and whole class tuition requests across the full academic year.
Infant, junior, primary and special schools signing up for the full year are offered one free term of whole class tuition each funding period.
Fees for tuition, which are subsidised via our ACE grant, are charged direct to schools.
Schools may offer a range of charges and remissions to parents, dependent on the demographic of their children, and their own school setting.
Schools may also further subsidise tuition in line with their own charging and remissions policy.
Parents should contact the relevant school setting for more information.
Individual small group tuition through STMS is currently charged at £32 / £35 per hour pro-rata.
Whole class tuition beyond the free term is currently charged at £41 / £45 per hour pro-rata.
All pupils taking part in STMS tuition have access to instruments free of charge. A signed instrument loan agreement is required for those instruments used in individual / small group tuition.
We offer an instrumental purchase scheme with no charge for administrating purchases.
Children are invited to join our various ensembles for which there is currently no fee. These are fully subsidised through the Music Education Hub funding.
In addition, we offer access to high quality workshops / music opportunities. These are often subsidised through the Music Education Hub Fund, keeping charges down so more pupils can enjoy performances.
Where possible, we do not charge pupils and schools for participation in large scale performances and events. These are either funded through the Music Education Hub Fund or via programme sales.
Any ticket price levied for parents / performance guests is carefully considered to keep costs down (usually £3 for adults and £2 for children / concessions) or often a donation dependent on the event.
Contact lynn.freer@southtyneside.gov.uk if you would like further information.