• Ensure that every child aged 5 -18 has the opportunity to learn a musical instrument (other than the voice) through whole class ensemble teaching programmes for ideally a year (but for a minimum of a term of weekly tuition on the same instrument)
• Provide opportunities to play in ensembles and to perform from an early age
• Ensure that clear progression routes are available and affordable to all young people
• Develop a singing strategy to ensure that every pupil is singing regularly, and that choirs and other vocal ensembles are available in the area

 Janice Pounds - Music Education Commissioner

 Janet Whittingham - Deputy Music Education Commissioner

Sue Hague - Administrator and Events Coordinator

Accent’s Strategic Board meets every term and the purpose of this group is to make strategic decisions on the allocation of Music projects and Funding relating to the delivery of Core and Extension Roles determined by the terms of the Music Education Grant, which is allocated through ACE (Arts Council England).

Board members have a crucial role in ensuring the proper and effective running of the Music Education Hub by bringing their independent and sound judgement to bear on issues of strategy, performance and investment of Music Education Grant resources. They are Ambassadors for the Hub, promoting the vision, values and culture of Accent MEH.

Current Board Members

​Louise Corlett - Assistant Head of Service - Achievement ＆ Learning, Warrington Borough Council

Jill Farrell - Divisional Manager for Education 0-19, Halton Borough Council

Janice Pounds - Music Education Commissioner, Accent MEH

Joanna Mangona - Creative Leader for Curriculum, Author and Composer, Charanga Music Ltd

Gill Bennett - Independent Education Consultant

Emma Cunliffe - Outreach Manager, Chetham’s School of Music

Faith Tiernan - Head Teacher, St Bede’s Catholic Primary, Halton

Jo Costello, Head Teacher, Stretton St Matthews CE Primary, Warrington

I have been a member of the Accent Music Education Hub Board since it was first established and am delighted to be the Chair of the Board. I have a passion for music and with more than 30 years of experience in primary teaching and school improvement I recognise and appreciate the value and impact of quality music provision on outcomes for children and young people. This includes developing the talents and skills of young musicians and contributing to their wellbeing. It is a privilege to serve on a Board that is committed to nurturing the musical interests of children and young people through the opportunities provided by Accent and its partners.

Accent Arts is a branch of Accent Music Education Hub which aims to support young people to develop their skills in, and appreciation of, the wider Arts. We develop and deliver exciting Arts-based projects for schools, run in partnership with professional Artists and Arts Organisations including:

• British Values Cross-Arts Project supports schools in their delivery of British Values and promote further creativity in schools. All schools have one term of Music (composition), and select from either Dance, Drama or Visual Art for the remaining two terms.

"The British Values Project has had an extremely positive impact in our school, raising the profile of British Values through an exciting and engaging learning experience for the children. Their final performance was extremely powerful." - Barrowhall Primary School. Warrington

‘It was a brilliant experience for our children and we’re looking forward to continuing the project again in the new academic year.’ - St Gerard’s Catholic Primary School, Widnes.

• ‘Meet the Bard!’ – An exciting and inspiring introduction to Shakespeare which explores plots, recreates characters using inventive theatre techniques and culminates in an exciting and high-quality performance.
• Arts Steering Group: This group is representative of the council and both primary and secondary colleagues, with responsible for the planning and implementation of school arts policy and related events for children across Warrington and Halton.
• Primary Arts Networks (PAN / HPAN) in both Warrington and Halton are given support to facilitate and deliver additional Arts opportunities for young people.

For further information please contact info@accentmusiceducationhub.org

The Hallé Orchestra

www.halle.co.uk

Activity includes Come and Play with the Hallé, an interactive concert for primary children, and an annual secondary GCSE Set Works Concert

The Northern Chamber Orchestra

www.ncorch.co.uk

Accent works in partnership with the NCO to facilitate access to high quality concerts and co-delivery of collaborative Arts Projects.

Culture Warrington

www.culturewarrington.org

This partnership enables pupils to make Music at Warrington Museum and Art Gallery and engage in several programmes of school support.

Score Creative Education

https://vimeo.com/502969814

This company is a main delivery partner of projects for vulnerable children. They actively work in the Warrington, Halton and Cheshire region and have helped Accent to make strategic links with the Youth Service and Youth Offending Teams.

Charanga

www.charanga.com

The Creative Director of Charanga has a seat on the Accent MEH Strategic Board and will work in partnership with the Hub to write a new resource for Year 3 children which will be rolled out regionally, nationally and internationally in the UK, Czech Republic and Denmark by 2020.

Music Ambassador Schools

www.accentmusiceducationhub.co.uk

Music Ambassador Schools have been deemed to offer others a pathway of support for children and teachers and to be excellent practitioners of classroom and ensemble Music.

Warrington Youth Orchestra

www.warringtonyouthorchestra.org.uk

This is a long-standing partnership which encourages children from whole class and small group lessons to join in with one of 3 orchestras of progressive standard. Accent MEH tutors are also involved with Warrington Youth Orchestra and this further assists the transition process for children. Accent MEH funds both premises and targeted concerts.

Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA)

www.lipa.ac.uk

This partnership enables secondary students to access courses and facilities which will further their experience in popular music.

Chetham’s School of Music

www.chethamsschoolofmusic.com

Since 2018, Accent MEH has worked in partnership with Chet’s to strengthen and develop the strings strategy and provide additional opportunities for all gifted and talented instrumentalists.

Xeno Music

www.xeno-music.com

Xeno Music delivers Early Years provision on behalf of Accent MEH. Courses include Early Years Music and Movement with Numeracy and Phonics, and a curriculum project for 2 -4 year olds.

Out of the Ark

www.outoftheark.co.uk

Accent Music Hub has a strong partnership with Out of the Ark Music, allowing us to provide fully subsidised access to Sparkyard for all primary schools in Warrington and Halton, saving schools up to £360 a year.  Through the partnership we also provide CPD for teachers across our region, supporting schools to make singing a key language of learning in all areas of school life, and to use Sparkyard to develop and deliver exciting and relevant Music Curriculum lessons for their children.

Out of the Ark believes that singing changes children's lives and has a profound impact on learning and wellbeing. Sparkyard is a subscription service from Out of the Ark, which gives primary school teachers nearly 1000 songs, and countless resources to allow those songs to be used in every part of a school's life: in curriculum lessons to support learning, in assemblies to develop community, in classrooms and playgrounds to enhance wellbeing, and much more. It also features an innovative, flexible, skills-based primary music curriculum designed to enable every primary teacher to feel confident teaching music - whatever their experience level.

Live Music Now

www.livemusicnow.org.uk

Live Music Now will be working in partnership with Accent MEH to provide support with the development of Accent’s strategic work with special schools in the area, raise additional funds to provide subsidised participatory concerts in special schools, deliver music CPD for staff in special schools linked to our SEND Inspire programme and the Sounds of Intent and also to explore the launch of an Open Orchestra programme with Accent MEH in 2021/22

Manchester Camerata

manchestercamerata.co.uk

Manchester Camerata and Accent MEH work in partnership on the delivery of activities in relation to school workshops and performances, including a GCSE Listening Project in collaboration with Chetham’s School of Music. They will also look at delivery of other agreed Music Education activities in relation to any external funding awarded to Accent MEH.

School of Oriental and African Studies

Accent has worked with the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS – University of London) and MARSM (an associated organisation which promotes Arabic Music) since January 2023, to deliver a programme of 80 fully subsidised workshops in 40 primary schools, involving Music from China, Arabia, West Africa and India. This is an annual programme, and contributes to Accent’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

Our Patron is Terry Caffrey a well-known and successful poet from Warrington, who is an excellent ambassador for Arts Education

His enthusiasm, and interaction with children relating to poetry, will be an inspiration to the children of Warrington and Halton. We look forward to Terry's Support as Patron of Accent Music Education Hub.

Having recently worked on a Coastal Exchange Partnership Project between Accent Music Education Hub and The Atkinson Gallery, Southport. This involved children from Warrington and Sefton participating in a poetry workshop, which was inspired by a visit to Southport beach and a visit to the Coast Exhibition at The Atkinson Gallery.

Terry is an excellent ambassador for Arts Education and we look forward to working with him in order to secure lasting and positive outcomes for children and young people.