Music Service ‘jewel in crown’

Oldham’s internationally renowned Music Service is reaching 92 per cent of local schools and teaches around 6,000 children each week.

And the service is also expanding into world music and offering the Government’s Wider Opportunities programme of free tuition for a year in 66 primary schools this year.

To ease the management burden of new initiatives on staff, a new structure is being drawn up and new bursar and clerical staff are being employed.

The service is also being lined up with the Integrated Youth Service, which operates in zones around Oldham, to operate more efficiently together.

The zones will be in Chadderton, Failsworth and Hollinwood, East Oldham, Saddleworth and Lees and West Oldham Shaw and Royton.

The Music Service, which is based at the Lyceum Building in Union Street, will be be developing partnerships with Oldham’s three new academies.

It wants to reduce the drop-out rate when pupils move from primaries to secondaries and post-16 education.

The restructure has been approved by Oldham Council, and officers say it will allow the service to meet the changing demands of its customers.

Councillor Jack Hulme, Cabinet member for Children and Families, said: “Anything which gets the Music Service to a wider audience is good news. It is the jewel in the crown and we should be very proud.”