No. 35: Visiting Music Teachers
Contents
Background
Instrumental and vocal lessons are provided at most schools by visiting music teachers, often referred to as instrumental or peripatetic teachers. These skilled individuals can enhance the musical life of a school and provide valuable opportunities for children and young people to learn a musical instrument, usually in an individual or small group lesson.
In Devon and Torbay, most visiting music teachers work on a self-employed basis and will invoice parents/carers directly for payment. Some are directly employed by schools or engaged via a third party organisation (such as IMS or Music Devon) for some or all of their work, which could also include delivering Whole Class Ensemble Tuition (WCET), curriculum music teaching or supporting schools to offer group music-making opportunities, such as a choir or orchestra.
Devon Music Education Hub works closely with both schools and visiting music teachers, providing regular CPD, advice and support. Devon Music Education Hub does not, however, directly employ visiting music teachers and, as with other visiting staff, schools should ensure that appropriate child protection and safeguarding measures have been followed, whether the individual is offering lessons in an employed or self-employed capacity.
What are the risks?
Visiting music teachers work closely with the same children and young people over a number of years often on a one-to-one basis, which can build very strong relationships. Almost always, this is very positive and can often mean that children and young people will disclose things that are troubling them during an instrumental lesson.
- Visiting music teachers can sometimes inadvertently be placed in vulnerable situations, particularly if they are asked to work in inappropriate teaching spaces on a one-to-one basis.
- Often, such lessons have been arranged between the parents and the visiting music teacher so checks expected of other adults might not have been rigorously evidenced
- As they might only teach at a school for a few hours each week, and work at several different schools, they may not be as familiar with safeguarding policies as other staff.
- Sadly, there are examples of such situations being abused, such as the highly publicised historic cases of grooming and sexual abuse involving several staff at Chetham’s Music School in Manchester.
What should visiting music teachers do?
Devon and Torbay Music Education Hub recommends that visiting music teachers offering lessons in schools should:
- Hold a recent DBS Enhanced Disclosure with Children’s Barred List Check and subscribe to the DBS Update Service to avoid the need for multiple DBS checks – an annual subscription costs £13 and, for most self-employed individuals, this is likely to be tax deductible.
- Complete appropriate Child Protection Training for the work they are carrying out – this could be provided by the school itself, Devon Education Services or another reputable provider e.g. an NSPCC online course.
- Have suitable Public Liability Insurance in place – most self-employed visiting music teachers are members of The Musicians Union or Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM), which includes Public Liability Insurance cover, as well as generic Privacy, Safeguarding and Health & Safety policies. Again, the cost of membership is likely to be tax deductible for self-employed individuals. Those visiting music teachers employed directly by a school or via a third party organisations should be covered by the school or third party organisation’s Public Liability Insurance.
- Ensure that they are familiar with Safeguarding/Child Protection policies of the school where they work, who the Designated Safeguarding Leads are and how they can be contacted. Ensure that any safeguarding concerns are reported using the schools internal reporting system or to MASH/LADO if appropriate.
- Register with Devon and Torbay Music Education Hub and regularly engage with training and CPD events.
Useful links and contacts
Devon and Torbay Music Education Hub
Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) Teacher’s Pack is free to download with lots of useful information and advice for Visiting Music Teachers.