Although it is widely acknowledged that composition has a part to play in general musical education, some critics have argued that its place in the school curriculum is not justified by the results. John Paynter finds the evidence still on the whole encouraging and suggests that, where there are shortcomings, these should be seen, not as criticism of classroom composing, but as indications of uncertainty about how to help pupils make progress – a dilemma which, perhaps, reflects lack of conviction about the value of creativity in a curriculum based upon a theory of knowledge and progression more helpful to other subjects than it is to the arts in education.

Studies in the history of music education reveal much about the place and purpose of music in the changing curriculum. In this article, the ideas of some significant British music educators of the twentieth century are considered, in an evaluation of the apparent goals of music teaching that have been articulated over the decades. The connections between rationale and practice are discussed, with published ideas placed alongside the views of contemporary teachers in a small-scale questionnaire survey. The conclusion is proposed that school music, as a small part of the child's musical identity, must be modest in its intentions but ambitious in its provision.

Reflecting upon the relationship between people and music, the author is led to adopt a new position on musical education. His ideas are based on the work of the philosopher Hannah Arendt, the pedagogue and paediatrician, Janusz Korczak, and the composer R. Murray Schafer – all of whom focus upon the ‘dialogue’ of education. From Korczak is borrowed the idea of the child as ‘a present-state being’ rather than a ‘future-state being’; from Arendt the concepts of labour, work and action; and from Schafer his ‘Wolf Project’ for a musical community. On the basis of these three influences, the author advocates a ‘new manner of enacting music’ instead of ‘simply enacting new music’, basing pedagogic practice on a psycho-analytical approach to education. The pupil–teacher relationship turns on identification and projection. Teachers must nurture pupils' aesthetic choices and opinions as well as their commitment, so that ethical and aesthetic considerations can be brought together in the same musical act. Only in this way can musical education be worthwhile.

Life attitudes to, level of involvement with and success in musical learning are all tied to first musical experiences. Consequently an important objective in the planning of any musical programme for young children is to acknowledge their interests in and attitudes to different musical activities. The purpose of this investigation was to determine young children's attitudes to musical activities included in their pre-school musical programme. In particular it sought to discern if preferences exist for certain activities. What emerged from the investigation is that pre-school children generally appear to respond favourably towards involvement in all musical activities but that preferences do exist for moving and playing based activities.

The oft-lamented decline of singing in school, like many other reported declines in education (Mills 1996), is probably more imaginary than real. Ask adults to reminisce about singing when they were at school, and their stories of off-task antics during massed renditions of ‘Greensleeves’, ‘The British Grenadiers’ or ‘Nymphs and Shepherds’, of grunters, groaners and pupils asked by their teachers just to mouth the words, do not speak of a golden age of singing in schools. Certainly, any golden age had passed when I started teaching in 1976, and I needed to work as hard as any teacher must now to persuade pupils to sing with effort, concentration and sensitivity, to vary the mood of their singing, when appropriate, from that suited to ‘Football Crazy’, and to cease to use their imagination to produce what they thought were amusing alternatives to printed lyrics. Yes, there was sometimes singing, of a sort, in assembly. And yes, many music teachers ran choirs and other activities for pupils who were particularly interested in singing. But then, as now, it was difficult to draw in boys, and girls whose time was sought also by PE teachers. But the fact that no decline in singing at school is proven does not excuse any complacence about the quality of singing in schools now. To judge from the high standards that may be observed in some schools, they could be much higher generally. This article considers some of the background to singing in secondary school, and describes some of the more successful approaches to singing by pupils aged eleven to fourteen that have been observed by HM Inspectors (HMI).

Who is responsible for the learning outcomes for a student in higher instrumental education? The issue of students having influence and responsibility over their instrumental learning is a complex question. Based on research, this article discusses three questions. First, the relationship between teachers and students in instrumental lessons; second, the role of the students as practitioners: how independent and responsible their practice behaviour is; third, an institution's role in students' learning. Both teachers and students work in an educational institution. The institutional responsibility for students' learning is the most neglected area of students' learning generally.

The GCSE music examination is the principal form of accredited study for students aged 15+. (More students take the examination than previously took GCE O-level and CSE examinations combined.) For this reason the examination is generally thought of as a success. An analysis is made of uptake rates during the period 1994-8 and comparisons are made with uptake rates in other optional subjects. Based on this evidence, a suggestion is made that GCSE music is not as successful or attractive to students as is commonly thought. An assumption is made that there are factors that make this situation surprising and worth further research. Some possible reasons for the current situation are explored.