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Musical Pathways: An Investigation into the Musical Journeys of Children with a Disability

Project Code: MP-37846520

Project Description:

This PhD aims to address the issues of inclusivity and equality in music education, as outlined in the National Plan for Music Education. Despite the goal of providing equal opportunities for all pupils, many children and young people still face barriers to accessing high-quality music education. Factors such as cuts to arts funding, reductions in music provision in schools, and the lack of centralised data on disadvantaged and disabled children contribute to this problem.

Music education in England is complex, with classroom music and instrumental teaching organised separately. As a result, there is a lottery nature to provision and access to high-quality music education. This PhD seeks to understand and analyse children's musical pathways from ages 7 to 18 and investigate the barriers they face in their musical development, particularly focusing on those with a disability.

Through a mixed methods approach, the PhD will explore children and young people's perceptions, teachers' pedagogic practices, and policies in schools and local music hubs. By delving into these narratives and analysing current data, the project aims to uncover insights into how to improve musical engagement, learning opportunities, and attainment for children and young people with disabilities.

Ultimately, this project seeks to mobilise opportunities and ensure equality of access in music education by gaining a deeper understanding of musical pathways, barriers, and learning trajectories. By interrogating current practices and policies, it aims to contribute to the development of a more inclusive and equitable music education system for children and young people across England.

Anticipated Findings:

This PhD is grounded in a body work undertaken by BMERG and directly aligns with our impact case study 'Removing barriers to musical participation in schools – a social justice issue' (2021) and our proposed impact case study for 2029 ‘Barriers, Access and Equity in Music Education’. We would want to collaborate across HELS and the RBC to research this important area and continue our interdisciplinary work in BMERG. Although this PhD is grounded in research there is still a lot to learn and contribute to the field of music and disability. We therefore anticipate findings including:

  • Understanding the musical profiles of young people with a disability.
  • Ensuring disabled children and young people’s voices are heard and recognised, which is often overlooked in music research.
  • Understanding the whole child and identity of children with disabilities.
  • Exploring the provision offered and potential barriers, aiding in defining necessary support for those with disabilities.
  • Creative industries and pathways into Higher Education, focusing on becoming a musician.
  • Developing new theoretical insights to define music practices in education.
  • Implications for policy regarding music education and inclusion.

Contact (and Director of Studies for this project):

Dr Victoria Kinsella-Hadjinestoros - Victoria.Kinsella@bcu.ac.uk

To apply, visit the course page