Schools to recruit music graduates - graduate jobs

The Government has announced that top music graduates will be encouraged to consider teaching as a career after a review found that music education in schools is still "patchy".

Education Secretary Michael Gove revealed the new strategy is intended to help close the "musical divide" between rich and poor students, after a review by Classic FM director Darren Henley called for music students to spend two years teaching before embarking on a performance career.

Under the Teach First programme, the country's brightest music graduates will be recruited to work in schools, while Mr Gove revealed that funding for music education will be protected at £82.5 million for 2011 and 2012.

Despite this announcement, he was accused of cutting funding in the House of Commons as Labour claimed the settlement was cut in real terms after the Government revealed that councils could face cuts to school music budgets of up to 10% from next year in a funding shake-up.

A statement published at the same time as the Henley review said: "In line with Darren Henley's recommendations, the Government will also start the move towards a national formula for music education funding this year but we will ensure that no local authority loses more than 10 per cent of its central funding in this first year."