Bridget’s Blog: Intentions and Resolutions for 2022

Music Mark CEO Bridget Whyte

How long can you continue to wish everyone you meet or communicate with a ‘Happy New Year’?  Is it a week, the whole of January, or actually should we wish people a ‘Happy New Year’ in April and in September too?

Whilst we start 2022 this month, I am working (as will many managers and finance departments) on forecasts for the end of the financial year and budgets for the next one.  And for all of us working in education the spring term is of course a new start in some ways, but isn’t quite a ‘new year’!  But it is the time of resolutions, new beginnings and for looking forward.  I’m hoping to read more books in 2022, to make more time for our allotment, and I am really, really, looking forward to a time when we are not reading headlines about the pandemic every day (if the WHO are saying we can end the pandemic this year, perhaps there is hope…).  These are my personal resolutions, but what about my plans for Music Mark?

2022 is going to be a significant year for Music Education – especially in England and Wales with the promise of both countries getting a new National Plan for Music Education.  I have said it so often before, but music is key to the social, cultural and educational development of children and young people, and we have seen the affect it has on pupil’s wellbeing.  Music Mark has a vision of ‘Excellent musical learning in and out of school for all young people in the UK, which inspires and enriches their lives’ and we are so very grateful for all the amazing work our members, partners and schools do to realise that vision, but we can and must do more.

As you know, we launched our year of turning Talk into Action in December at our conference, and my work resolution is that Music Mark will to do more to support, connect and influence at the highest level on behalf of those providing ‘excellent musical learning in and out of school’.  More equitable opportunities, more inclusive activities, a more diverse offer for children and young people, a more connected sector and its value and worth understood and respected by policy makers.  Regardless of what ‘The Plan’ says – in Wales or in England – this is my resolution for 2022…

At Music Mark we will do all we can through our mission of ‘supporting, connecting and influencing in pursuit of a high quality, diverse and inclusive music education for all children and young people’.  We are here to help and to travel with and for our members, partners and schools, and we are really looking forward to this year!

So, Happy New Year and let’s get started!

Bridget