A Specialist Leader of Education for Music and an Assistant Headteacher – who started his musical journey as a young chorister – has been appointed Head of the Music Service at Birmingham-based Services For Education.

In his new role, Richard Mabbott will be responsible for the Music Service’s work in Birmingham that each year teaches music to nearly 32,000 children supporting 98% of the city’s schools – as well as running 113 free ensembles, providing 27,000 musical instruments free-of-charge and staging concerts and performances.

A former choral scholar, Richard joins Services for Education after 15 years working in secondary schools having started his career as a classroom teacher in an inner-city school in Sheffield, before becoming Head of Music at Hessle High School in East Yorkshire in 2011. Whilst there, he became Specialist Leader of Education for Music working with schools in Yorkshire and Humber region to enhance the classroom music offer and build networks of music teachers enabling pedagogical developments and performance opportunities to be shared more readily.

In 2019 Richard was appointed Assistant Headteacher at Withernsea High School as part of a small senior team to deliver improvement to enhance the life chances of the school’s students. Amongst his achievements was the development of the much praised ‘Classically Yours’ programme with Manchester Camerata – a project that brought a world class orchestra to perform an annual concert in a remote East Yorkshire school and which continues to this day.

Richard said his reasons for working in education have not changed since his first day.

“Giving young people opportunities through music and the arts is crucial to their development – not just academically but also from the perspective of both the personal skills and the resilience it develops within them.

“It is these opportunities that I have championed throughout my career to enable students of all backgrounds to know that music is not the preserve of the few but an experience that should be shared by all,” said Richard who undertook a Bachelor of Music degree at Hull University where he specialised in singing and conducting.

“I am looking forward to working with Services For Education’s senior leadership, our 180-music staff and also the School Support team who deliver training and expertise to schools nationwide.

“It is no secret that music and the arts provision in schools has been squeezed in the last decade. Services For Education’s Music Service has bucked that trend growing exponentially over the last five years.  It’s important for all of us to realise is that there is a musical spark in every child we encounter, and as teachers we must be brave enough to put the ego aside and enable opportunities for each child to find their way.

“I’m proud to have been shown aspects of music by students that I would have overlooked and to now bring my recent school leadership experience to work alongside our fantastic team in Birmingham. Our goal is to enable music provision to develop further and continue to provide musical outlets for the next generation of Birmingham musicians.”

Sharon Bell, Chief Executive of Services For Education, said she and her team were delighted to welcome Richard to the organisation.

“Richard’s valuable experience and expertise will help widen opportunities as we work with schools throughout Birmingham and further afield in both music and delivering training and school improvement.

“The post of Head of the Music Service is a hugely important role for us and for Birmingham’s young people and the city’s schools. We are proud of the work of our talented and hard-working team of music teachers and support staff and we can be confident that in Richard we have a leader who will take our efforts to the next level and introduce music and the arts to an even wider audience,” said Sharon.

Richard Mabbott, newly appointed Head of Birmingham’s Music Service at Services For Education

About Services For Education:

An education and training charity based in Birmingham, Services For Education brings music and learning to life. Services For Education employs more than 200 staff delivering music tuition to children, and expert training and development to teaching and school support staff. It has annual income of £6.9m (Y/E August 2022). Part-funded by the Arts Council, England it also has its own fundraising and subsidised commercial operations.

• Services For Education’s Music Service, one of the largest in the country, works with 98% of Birmingham schools and each year teaches music to nearly 32,000 children – as well as running 113 free ensembles. It provides 27,000 musical instruments free-of-charge so all children have access to playing and enjoying music together and its Youth Proms at Symphony Hall give 4,000 young musicians the opportunity to perform to an audience of more than 10,000. It also runs music schools, has a world music department, provides private music tuition to all ages as well as working with partners to deliver music and choral opportunities to disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. Its award-winning Online Music Educational Resource was completed and launched free to schools in 2021 to appeal to a young IT-connected audience attracted to learning online and to complement traditional tuition.
• Services For Education’s School Support Service provides expert training and development to teaching and support staff in nearly 600 schools in the West Midlands and increasingly across England, to improve practice and ensure teachers are best equipped to respond to developments in curriculum and policy. As a leading provider of safeguarding education, Services For Education works with 400 schools delivering training in-person and on-line. It also delivers innovative programmes to support the physical and emotional health of children and young people through Health for Life and other community-based activity. servicesforeducation.co.uk

For further information:

Public and media relations for Services For Education:
David Clarke
E: david-c@clarke-associates.co.uk;
M: 07808 735255

Issued on behalf of:

Services For Education
Unit 3 Holt Court
Holt Street
Birmingham Science Park
Aston
Birmingham B7 4AX