The Queensland Instrumental Music Program is a band/ensemble program where students have at least two contact periods per week, one in an instrumental lesson and at least one in an ensemble rehearsal. Teachers implement the department's
Instrumental Music curriculum (PDF, 476KB).
Instrumental Music is a regional service, delivered through clusters of secondary schools and feeder primary schools. Time is allocated to schools taking into account available resources, demonstrated demand from schools, participation rates for Instrumental Music (IM student numbers over day 8 numbers), and the need for reasonable circuits for instrumental teachers.
Instrumental Music resources are be allocated in the following way:
- Students from all primary and secondary schools are afforded access to the program.
- Instrumental Music teachers are allocated to Band 7 schools and above.
- Students in Band 5 and 6 schools will have access to Instrumental Music through the IM Online Program, or through cluster programs at neighbouring schools in order to facilitate access to a viable ensemble/group program.
All schools at Band 7 and above are allocated time to accommodate up to 7% of the school enrolment. Schools may request additional time to service up to 18% of the school enrolment. This is offered through an expression of interest process and will be allocated according to:
- demonstrated student demand
- school's ability to support, supervise, accommodate and resource the program and the Instrumental Music teacher.
Any increases to schools' allocations are made within the regional capacity and participation rates. Where capacity for expansion is possible, increases go first to schools with lower existing participation rates. Increases to the regional allocation to any school are dependent on commensurate decreases to another school's allocation.
Schools may fund additional time to the IM Program. Advice of a school's intention to fund additional time, needs to be received through the Instrumental Music survey.
Principals are asked to consider the following viability for instrumental programs:
- Band program (woodwind, brass and percussion) minimum numbers: 20
- String program minimum numbers: 12
- Where a school cannot maintain viable programs in band and strings, a preference for 1 program will be required.
- Students wishing to learn instruments not offered at the school may be accommodated in the IM Online Program offered by the Music Resource Centre.
This process is followed each year to manage allocations of instrumental music resources. Schools are asked to submit predictions of instrumental music student numbers. This information is used with student data from One School and school enrolments to make allocations. Following the development of drafts, principal cluster meetings will finalise the amount of instrumental staff and time allocated to schools for the following year.