Famous classical music family Kanneh-Mason supports school strike

A mother from a world-famous family of classical musicians has joined the teachers’ strike at the school where her children were taught.

All seven of Dr Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason’s children attended Trinity Catholic School in Aspley, Nottingham, where a trial is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday over a dispute over staffing levels.

She said the number of music lessons for students would be reduced under the new proposals.

The school’s sponsor said it would continue to “prioritize the arts” in its curriculum.

The Kanneh-Mason family first rose to fame when six of them reached the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent in 2015.

Sheku, the third eldest, later played at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and became the first black artist to be named BBC Young Musician of the Year.

Ten teachers will leave their former school at the end of the year and there will be no replacements, the National Education Union (NEU) said.

The union told the BBC that the number of hours of music lessons would be reduced from the current two hours per week to 90 minutes.

Dr Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason, who joined the teachers’ picket line on Wednesday with three of her daughters, said she felt music classes were being “taken away” from the school.

“If my children hadn’t gone (to Trinity), they wouldn’t be musicians now, but more than that, they wouldn’t be the people they are today,” she said.

“Many music teachers have been told they have to teach other subjects in which they are not specialized because there are not enough music lessons left in schools.

“I want to stand alongside the striking staff because my children have a long association with Trinity School.

“The school has been stripped of its entire ethos and morale is really low.”

Headteacher Matt Shenton said: “We place an emphasis on the arts in the KS3 curriculum, devoting 54% more time to music and orchestra than similar schools.”

“Our seventh, eighth and ninth grade students will continue to receive an average of 1.5 hours of music and orchestra per week.

“The orchestra, in which all students in the seventh and eighth grades learn to read music, play instruments and participate in a large ensemble, is taught for one hour per week in the seventh grade, and in the eighth grade the lessons are reduced to 30 minutes.”

“The adjustments made to address funding shortfalls and curriculum needs are being made in the best interests of students. The school will continue to maintain class sizes below the national average.”

The NEU said the trust’s proposals could have “longer-term negative impacts” on students.

Dr Kanneh-Mason added: “Music gives children a sense of identity, a sense of belonging and an opportunity to express themselves creatively. If we take that away from a school, the school changes completely.”

“I went to the headmaster, who told me that music lessons were being cancelled mainly because they wanted to teach more history and geography.

“I think if you say that other subjects are worth more than music, then that’s a problem for me. I don’t think music is worth more than any other subject, but I also don’t think we should eliminate music to make cuts in other areas.”

Following the union’s announcement of the strike, the trust said it was under “significant financial pressure” due to “chronic underfunding of schools”.

The NEU said additional support staff would be hired at the school, but officials said classroom teachers were needed to “maintain outcomes for young people”.

Assistant secretary Sheena Wheatley said there were concerns about the continued “success” of the school orchestra.

She told the BBC: “We are also concerned that the specialisation in music, which is closely associated with Trinity and is part of its identity, will diminish over time as a wedge is now being driven into the matter.”

“Our concern is that if you continue to restrict the right to learn music, taking away what every child should have, you will no longer be serving the community as you have been.”