Wakefield Music Services and has been providing quality inclusive music teaching and opportunities to the young people in Wakefield for over 50 years! The service is proud to teach over 7,000 young musicians every week and believe that practical music making is for everyone.
Since being formed in 1974, the service has grown and expanded, broadening its provision and range of instruments, genres and activities that it offers. The service is governed and supported by the LA and is highly regarded by the LA, Schools, Academies, parents, pupils and the wider musical community. WMS provides musical tuition and opportunities to children in the majority of schools and academies and in several Music Centres across all Wakefield communities!
Curriculum development and teaching has been embedded within the service for many years now and support for schools is recognised as a strength. The service delivers a wide range of training for schools and has created nationally recognised music resources and publications.
WMS has approximately 45 members of staff who mainly perform a teaching and directing role. The service is led by Phil Needham (Principal) and Amanda Spalding (Assistant Principal) with musical activity across the district coordinated by an Operations Manager, 4 Area Leaders and 3 Heads of Music Centre.
Wakefield Music Services is also a Consortium Partner and Strategic Lead (Schools) for the recently formed West Yorkshire Music Hub. You can find out about this amazing partnership here Home – West Yorkshire Music Hub
10 Things You Should Know about WMS
1. Providing an Outstanding Service – WMS is proud to have received the highest rating from Arts Council England as Wakefield Music Education for 10 years. It continues to provide excellent provision as a consortium partner for the recently formed West Yorkshire Music Hub
2. Teaching the Next Generation – WMS delivers progressive instrumental tuition and opportunities to over 7 thousand young people each week on a variety of instruments
3. Directing Groups & Ensembles – WMS runs over 50 exciting groups and ensembles in many different styles from beginner to advanced
4. Forging Partnerships – WMS is the lead organisation for the Wakefield Music Education Hub, building strong partnerships that maximise musical opportunities for all young people
5. Inspiring Young People – WMS inspires and motivates young people through a team of caring, dedicated and highly skilled professional teachers and musicians
6. Fostering lifelong enjoyment – WMS works with many young people throughout their musical education life: mentoring and fostering a rigorous culture of respect, appreciation, commitment, confidence and aspiration
7. Creating Performance Opportunities – WMS provides a diverse range of performance opportunities for young people in in exciting venues locally and nationally
8. Building New Musical Pathways – WMS strives to build effective pathways and stepping stones for young musicians across an ever increasing musical landscape helping to identify and nurture talent along the way. This includes valuable work with the more vulnerable and Children in Challenging Circumstances
9. Serving the Community – WMS provides musical tuition and opportunities to children in the majority of schools, academies and in 3 Music Centres across all Wakefield communities!
10. Delivering Quality CPD and Support – WMS delivers nationally recognised training and critically acclaimed original music resources
Providing Teaching Directing Forging Inspiring Fostering Creating Building Serving & Delivering Outstanding Music for All
