The Purcell School of Music is one of just five specialist music high schools currently funded by the Government's Dance, Ballet and Music scheme through the Department for Education and Skills (DFES). The other four schools are Chethams (Manchester), Menuhin (Surrey), Wells Cathedral School (Somerset) and St Mary's (Edinburgh). Clearly, the geographic locations of these schools aim to give the best possible nation-wide coverage for the Government's highly acclaimed specialist music provision.

All five specialist music schools receive substantial financial support from the State. Students must demonstrate outstanding music potential and a high academic success to qualify for a place at any one of the five specialist schools. Here at The Purcell School, costs per pupil can exceed £26,000 per annum (including boarding). This places The Purcell School among the most expensive schools in the country. Despite these high fees, The Purcell School is continually struggling to meet the ever-increasing financial cost of offering highly specialised music education. Arts provision is never cheap. This point is highlighted by the recent purchase of a grand piano for the School's main concert hall at a cost close to £40,000! But the intention is clear, to provide exceptionally gifted young musicians from both this country and abroad, the best possible music education within a well-balanced academic programme.

If one is agreed that support of the arts in any civilised and modern society is of import, then one may also agree that the existent specialist music establishments in the United Kingdom offer excellent value for Government funding. Furthermore, considering the fact that these schools draw pupils from all nationalities (esteemed British Ambassadors) and all social backgrounds (the inability to pay fees does not preclude acceptance by these schools), the funding received is a very small percentage of the overall budget provided to Local Education Authorities (LEAs).

Given the proven unqualified success of the established specialist music schools, and the quality of education provided by these establishments, it is somewhat worrying to observe the recent new developments proposed by Government. There would seem to be a watering down of quality provision in the shape of Specialist Arts Academies and Regional Specialist Music Centres, both of which claim to offer specialist music training. But is this in fact the case?

When one looks closely at the curriculum, teaching staff and the general infrastructure of these new organisations, it would appear that they do not provide the same depth and quality of music education currently provided by the five longstanding “specialist” schools. Therefore, one wonders if Government are wise to spread scarce funds further by providing new tiers of music education (see the growth in new highly paid music posts of late). What will happen to “quality” in music education? In the author's opinion, the current push by Government to provide a three-tier structure (local/regional/specialist) of country wide so called “specialist” music schools, stands to potentially weaken the high quality education achieved by schools like Purcell by creating “specialist” expectations without necessarily being able to fulfil them.

What is wrong with the current situation, whereby a gifted young musician progresses from local school and county music service, direct to specialist music school? As mentioned above, the old system is unbiased and fully funded for those who cannot afford to pay, so would it not be both sensible and preferable for Government to provide more funds to the already existent and proven music establishments, so that they may increase their student numbers?

The direction of “specialist” music education in the United Kingdom is now in question and the high quality of music education achieved to date is under threat: a sad, confusing state of affairs, and surely another instance of Government making change merely for change sake?