First Access Subsidies
As of Tuesday 15th October 2024, we are not accepting any new requests for First Access subsidies as the available budget has now been committed.
We expect to release initial payments to schools in November with a second payment coming from GSW music hub in 2025.
Criteria for First Access Subsidies:
- Your First Access programme must be delivered by one of our Associate tutors OR a designated member of your school’s staff.
- If you are using an Associate then he/she must be paid the equivalent of at least £43.30 per hour. (Subsidy will not be agreed for lower rates of pay.)
- Your First Access provision must take place on the equivalent of a weekly basis over a minimum of one term (minimum of 10 sessions). We will not fund First Access that takes place in an intense block.
- Subsidy is available for up to 33 sessions / weeks of sessions.
- Pupils must be able to access the First Access provision for free and without needing to buy an instrument.
- You must provide time to introduce options for continuation to pupils / parents.
- Schools must provide some feedback to Wiltshire Music Connect in relation to pupils’ continuation – we will provide an accessible template.
How much subsidy is available?
For academic year 2024-25 the amount of subsidy we can offer is calculated on the size of your Year 3 intake (or Year 7 for secondary schools):
Up to 30 pupils – £5.66 per week
31-60 pupils – £8.50 per week
61+ pupils – £11.33 per week
You can request subsidy for a maximum of 33 weeks.
In addition, we can offer an extra £2.55 per week Early Bird funding for any school that applies by Friday 28 June 2024.
We have a limited budget for First Access subsidy and will close the scheme once we have allocated all the money in the budget. We therefore encourage schools to apply as early as possible to avoid disappointment. Please note that retrospective requests will not be approved.
Final deadline – Friday 8 November 2024
What happens after my request has been submitted?
- Our panel will meet regularly to consider requests and schools will be notified of approvals by email within a week of each panel meeting.
- Approval emails will confirm the amount of subsidy awarded.
- Subsidies will be released in two separate payments of 50% each, the first in November 2024 and the second by the end of May 2025.
PLEASE NOTE:
We now have separate request forms for First Access subsidy and First Access instrument hire. When you have completed this subsidy request form, if you would also like to hire an instrument set for your First Access programme please use the link here.
