Choosing music: exploratory studies into the low uptake of music GCSE
Abstract
School music has a comparatively low take-up rate as a qualification among English secondary school pupils. Existing research on the issue has proffered possible reasons for this phenomenon but has generally been piecemeal and undertheorised. This paper sets out a fresh theoretical perspective capable of providing a basis for systematic empirical research, and discusses the results of two exploratory studies. Drawing on legitimation code theory, a new approach in the sociology of education that focuses on the basis of achievement within educational contexts, the paper analyses National Curriculum, GCSE syllabi and pupils' attitudes towards a range of school subjects, including music. The documentary analysis highlights that earlier stages of the music curriculum emphasise either musical knowledge or musical dispositions of knowers, but music at GCSE level represents an ‘elite code’ where achievement depends upon both possessing specialist knowledge and being the right kind of knower. The study of pupils' attitudes suggests this code shift is recognised by pupils and may play a role in the low uptake of music for GCSE study. This new framework offers a firmer foundation for future empirical research into attitudes towards school subjects and subject choices.
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The closer students got to GCSE, the less important they perceived music to be.
“An analysis by year group showed that the closer students got to GCSE, the less important they perceived music to be.”
From Enjoyment of music and GCSE uptake: survey findings from three North East schools in England (2024) · cites this paper as Lamont and Maton (2008)
Students who chose to study GCSE Music found it more important than those who did not.
“Students who chose to study GCSE Music, however, found it more important than those who did not.”
From Enjoyment of music and GCSE uptake: survey findings from three North East schools in England (2024) · cites this paper as Lamont and Maton (2008)
In Lamont and Maton's (2008) study, music was found to be the least significant subject.
“In relation to the importance attributed to the subject, music was found to be the least significant subject.”
From Enjoyment of music and GCSE uptake: survey findings from three North East schools in England (2024) · cites this paper as Lamont and Maton (2008)
In School B, the observed decline in music's importance as students approach upper school grades is in line with prior findings.
“In School B, the decline observed is in line with findings by Lamont and Maton (2008), and Tossavainen and Juvonen (2015) who found that the importance of music diminishes as students approach upper school grades.”
From Enjoyment of music and GCSE uptake: survey findings from three North East schools in England (2024) · cites this paper as Lamont and Maton (2008)
The view that future career goals can have a negative impact on GCSE choices echoes findings in previous studies.
“This view about how future career goals can have a negative impact on GCSE choices, echoes findings in a number of previous studies (Lamont and Maton, 2008;Adey and Biddulph, 2001;Little, 2009).”
From Enjoyment of music and GCSE uptake: survey findings from three North East schools in England (2024) · cites this paper as Lamont and Maton, 2008
Bray's proposed reasons lack a theoretical base.
“While some of these conjectures make intuitive sense, Bray's proposed reasons lack a theoretical base.”
From Teachers’ perceptions of declining participation in school music (2011) · cites this paper as Lamont & Maton, 2008
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Teachers’ perceptions of declining participation in school music
Ng, C.-H. C., & Hartwig, K. (2011) · Research Studies in Music Education · doi:10.1177/1321103x11423598 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Enjoyment of music and GCSE uptake: survey findings from three North East schools in England
Whitford, H., & Kokotsaki, D. (2024) · British Journal of Music Education · doi:10.1017/s0265051723000438 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
- Authors
- Lamont, A., & Maton, K.
- Affiliations
- Keele University (GB)
- The University of Sydney (AU)
- Venue
- British Journal of Music Education
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2008-11
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 267-282
- ISSN
- 0265-0517 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-2104
- OpenAlex
- W2104462945
- Cited by
- 103
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 139.64
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- British Journal of Music Education (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Music › Diverse Music Education Insights
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Educational Theory and Curriculum Studies
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Critical Race Theory in Education
- Keywords
- school music, Legitimation Code Theory, national curriculum, music curriculum, high school students, participant selection
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