NEW RADIO STATION LAUNCHES IN GLASGOW

Beloved Glasgow record shop LP Records have announced 2019 shall see the launch of their online radio platform focussed on new music discovery, airing a carefully curated mix of programmes and podcasts live from the shop in Glasgow's west end. 

Despite a slight hiatus earlier on in the year, since opening in 2015, owner Lorenzo has placed new music at the forefront of his agenda. From carving a solid reputation of stocking the beloved and the obscure on their shelves, guaranteed not to be found nowhere else in the city, to starting a label also in his name to promote and publish some of Scotland's most promising musicians, having dabbled in audio formats in the past the next logical step would be to start their own online platform! Programming will be 24 hour and include both live and pre-recorded show, highlighting a variety of guests. 

Lorenzo describes the venture as: "Free from agenda, guidelines, and pretension. A radio station for music, debate, patter and community.”

Though exact plans are yet to be announced, the campaign looks promising. Having launched a Kickstarter to get plans off the ground LP have not only reached the target but nearly doubled it proving tenfold that radio in fact is not dead, particularly not when the support from the local community rings so loud. Money raised will go into licensing and studio equipment. 

IGNITE GLASGOW RETURNS

The fourth edition of IGNITE, the event initiated by the Scottish Music Centre, returns this month with a stellar local line-up, including headlines Walt Disco. As an offshoot of the Hit The Road project funded by Help Musicians UK and PRSF, the night showcases an array of up and coming musicians, manager Cara Mills Mclaughlin says: “IGNITE is an artist development project. We showcase four bands every six months, giving them a small grant to put towards the development of their act.” Already this year alumni have gone on to sell out headline shows, announce support slots which have seen them play to larger audiences than ever before and even announce live sets overseas!

Backed amid the wondrous setting of Glasgow’s Saint Luke’s the IGNITE project allows for young musicians who may need a nudge into the industry, to perform on a larger stage to giving them a platform not only to tighten their live set but also to play to people they may not otherwise have the chance to: “Our showcases are aimed at those who work in the industry. We invite up record labels, publishers and agents from London as well as managers, press, promoters etc across Scotland.”

The project works solely alongside Scottish artists, keeping support local and homegrown, despite plans to perhaps expand Cara adds: “I think with Glasgow in particular there is such an amazing variety of good music and great venues to have a thriving live music scene. I think a lot of people recognise that Scotland has its own little music industry outside of everything that goes on down in London, and I think that’s amazing.”

SCOTTISH SCHOOLS IN CRISIS OVER HEADTEACHER SHORTAGE

(ABOVE) John Swinney - Education Secretary

A shortage in headteachers is having to be addressed by the Scottish Government as the issue reaches crisis point with some forced to operate from multiple schools, education secretary John Swinney says teachers interested in this promotion should be “identified” and encouraged into the role.

The Headteacher Recruitment Working Group, which comprises of members of the Scottish Government, professional education groups and trade unions, suggested the Scottish Government work closely with local councils to participate in the Into Headship qualification and ensure it’s being ran successfully to cover all regions. At the conference for the Association of Headteachers and Deputes in Scotland (AHDS) John Swinney has said: “While the number of teachers in promoted posts increased last year and average age of headteachers is reducing, Scotland needs more headteachers to inspire pupils and teachers to reach their full potential.”

The working group headteacher recruitment report also found that the issue was at its worst in rural and denominational regions with 50% of head’s being over the age of 50, effort is also being 

made to lower that and make the promotion attainable for more teachers. 

There has been a strong increase in the number of Scottish primary schools having to share head teachers as there are simply not enough. In 2010 this number was at 239 which has increased to 390. However more concern is made for the fact that there are 420 teachers in Scotland with headship qualifications not being used.

There are various reasons as to why a teacher wouldn’t want to take the leap including disputes with pay or some with a fear of the pressure this workload would bring as the weight of operating multiple schools could be too great. One local teacher, anonymous, believes: 

“Just now in education there are a few issues and people are speaking up about what they’re facing. Therefore I wonder if because people are finding issues with education, they are becoming less motivated and inspired to move up the ranks. 

I wouldn’t be interested in taking a promotion. I wanted to be a teacher because I wanted to work with, help and support children. I personally feel being a head teacher takes away that opportunity for teaching, guiding and supporting children as there is paperwork and other things you need to do. They aren’t working with a class of children watching them grow and helping them progress everyday and I think I would miss that if I went into a management role.”

FAMILIES HIT WITH CHANGES TO CHILDCARE

The UK government are cutting a tax-free childcare scheme which could see Scottish families losing up to £2,000 a year. 

The tax-free childcare scheme was introduced last year in a bid to save working families money from ever increasing fees, making them more affordable. However thousands of families failed to make the claim and get their money back through the programme. 

Replacing childcare vouchers, the scheme offered parents working 16 hours or more per week with a child aged 11 or younger the chance to claim back £2 for every £8 they spent on childcare meaning that basic-rate taxpayers would be exempt from paying tax on this cost.  However, as less than a quarter of the eligible 1.5 million parents have signed up funding is being cut from 3.1 billion to 2.4 billion. Eligibility can be calculated on the GOV website if your childcare provider hasn’t already signed up.

If your child is under 12 years of age you could be eligible for Tax-Free Childcare and receive £2,000 per child, per year towards childcare costs #childcarechoices #SmarterGov https://t.co/T3x7J5qYl8 pic.twitter.com/lRCQX7fmkO

— HM Revenue & Customs (@HMRCgovuk) November 8, 2018

One local parent has said: “I have little support and until now I worked self-employed and literally worked around my son’s school and social life to enable me to get money. Only now that he is older can I work full time. It's hard to say what Scot Gov can do to help families with child care. I think it changes for each family. Each family situation is extremely unique and I do know that many families would be better off financially if they never worked rather than pay for childcare for babies and preschool children.”

With families in Scotland also eligible for 600 hours of free childcare if their children are between the ages of 3-5, local campaign group Free Funding For Our Kids who are a “parent-led campaign bringing together everyone concerned that parents can't access the childcare they are entitled to” have spent the last four years investigating why many are not receiving that. 

Their report suggests that “two out of three children attending council nurseries are only allowed to take their free places in blocks of three hours and ten minutes. This is impossible for many working families, who end up missing out on their entitlement.

Childcare is now a political issue and we give the Scottish Government and other political parties credit for recognising how important it is. But we still hear Government claiming that the 600 hours has been delivered, and we know that's not true.”

The main issues surrounding this being a lack of flexibility from care providers who may only be able to offer half days or reduced hours thus excluding many working families who can’t make alternate arrangements with their employers. There are also not enough places for some children due to such a high demand with no funding options for those forced to go somewhere private. This is forcing a strain upon childcare providers, with 80% of private facilities reporting a loss at the hands of the Scottish Government due to its subsidised funding in some places.

. @NdnaScotland research will be quoted in a motion to be debated tomorrow, which will look at the levels of funding to deliver @scotgov #1140hours of childcare policy by 2020.

We also sent a briefing to MSPs & we'll be at the session tomorrow.

👉 https://t.co/sPnYw6ZLSg pic.twitter.com/jbxd7Remb8

— NDNA (@NDNAtalk) 30 October 2018

The Scottish Government however has stated that by 2020 they will double the number of free early learning and childcare hours to 1,140 (around 30 hours per week) and allow parents the ability to choose where their child attends, despite concerns from spending watchdog Audit Scotland which suggests this may cause premises ultimately to collapse due to lack of funds. 

STUDENTS FACE SOARING COSTS OF MUSIC TUITION FEES

With the costs of music tuition within schools ever-increasing or being removed from the curriculum altogether, the idea of children learning this extra skill from a young age is becoming a distant hope as families are being priced out of the opportunity. 

23 councils charge parents for music tuition making it cheaper in some areas to take private lessons than group lessons within schools. Fees which were once free are now ranging from £117-£500 not including instrument costs on top, making it out of reach for many with fears not only for the jobs of those teaching (which have halved nationwide over the past decade) but for the lack of music groups which serve as a necessary escape for some children, made a feat only possible for those well off. 

Alice relays constituents’ views from #WLmusic campaign: on how they find it unfair that when it comes to budget cuts, music and art get ‘thrown away’ first. Music opens doors for us. Music makes you smart. 🤓🎼🎧🎹🎻@AliceMSYP pic.twitter.com/apXwElvEs8

— SYP (@OfficialSYP) November 7, 2018

Claiming it “unfair” Catherine Mackie from the Scottish Youth Parliament told ministers at Holyrood yesterday that: “The benefits are there - mental health improves, you end up with more friends if you join a band or an orchestra, even grades can improve ... it seems like quite a clear solution to keep music free for everyone.”

According to the Scottish Brass Band Association, of the 133 brass bands they identify to be

based in Scotland, 63 of these are youth brass groups, that’s almost half. For an industry that controls so much of the touristic enrichment the country has to offer it’s a wonder music is being deemed a privilege, far out of reach for the next generation to get into.

A COSLA Spokesperson said: “Local Government budgets are facing significant pressures. Since 2011/12 our core funding has been reduced, in real terms, by £1.6bn.  At the same time, demands on the essential services provided by local authorities have continued to grow meaning that difficult decisions have to be made about the funding of services, including charging to ensure a service can continue.

Decisions to introduce charging for any service are not taken lightly and are the result of both careful consideration and local consultation taking account of the context and circumstances in each local authority area.

However, COSLA is keenly aware of the contribution music tuition makes to the lives of our children and young people. That is why we are working in conjunction with the Scottish Government and the Music Education in Partnership Group to examine pragmatic ways to address these concerns.”

Creative Scotland is however administering the Youth Music Initiative which aims throughout this year and next to make funding opportunities more readily available to students, assisting them through picking up their first instrument and developing that skill as they grow up.