Dr Anthony Anderson
Anthony taught music in schools for 16 years, during which time he was a Head of Performing Arts.听 He is an accredited Advanced Skills Teacher and coach, and has worked as an Outstanding Facilitator with the National College for Teaching and Leadership. He is an experienced initial teacher educator having worked in schools as a subject mentor and lead mentor across a variety of subjects.
As a former chair of the Expert Subject Advisory Group for Music, Anthony has worked closely with many organisations on curriculum development. He was lead music consultant for BBC Bitesize for many years, and also completed work on music curriculum taxonomies for Channel 4 Learning and Discovery Education. He has served as an adviser听to many music services across the country, including Leicestershire Schools Music Service and Services for Education in 探花直播. Anthony has written many published materials for teachers and is a member of the editorial board for the British Journal of Music Education.
Anthony completed his PhD on music curriculum design in secondary schools in 2019 and continues to be fascinated by all things curriculum. He is currently working at the University as Associate Professor听in Music Education, contributing to a wide range of research into school and arts-based practices. He is a former Research Fellow at BCU. He supervises PhD, EdDoc and Masters students, as well as teaching on a wide range of university programmes, including secondary Music PGCE, and a variety of Masters education modules. He is currently the External Examiner for the international MEd Music Education programme at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and听is a former external examiner for secondary music QTS at the University of Reading.
Areas of Expertise
- Music education
- Music curriculum
- Curriculum in schools
- Creativity
Qualifications
- Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- Community of Practice around Research Supervision (SEDA)
- PhD
- PG Cert in Research Practice
- PGCE
- BA (Hons)
Memberships
- British Educational Research Association
Teaching
- PGCE Secondary Music
- Masters in Education
- Masters dissertation supervision
- PhD supervision
- EdDoc supervision
Anthony has been an internal examiner for PhD and EdDoc students and has examined PhD and EdDocs at the University of Wales and University College, London. He is always interested to hear research proposals from those interested in doctoral study in the area of Music curriculum.
Anthony is currently the External Examiner for Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance's Teaching Musician MA programme. He was External Examiner for Secondary ITT Music at the University of Reading from 2018 - 2021.
Research
- Curriculum and music curriculum
- Music Education
- Composing
- Primary and Secondary Music CPD
Postgraduate Supervision
Anthony currently supervises 7 doctoral students researching diverse aspects of classroom and instrumental music education.
Publications
Articles
Axtell, I. Anderson, A., MacGregor, E., Nenadic, E., Fautley, M. & Evans, N. (2024). Beowulf Opera Scenes: Classroom music pedagogy and knowledge when composing an opera with primary-school children. Research in Music Education 0(0) 1-19.
Anderson, A.听(2024) Teaching music unmusically: The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on secondary school music curricula in England.听The Curriculum Journal, 35(3) 470-488.听
Anderson, A. (2024) Curriculum power positioning in classroom music education: music curriculum design in the secondary music classroom in England Arts Education Policy Review, 125(2) 94-107听
Anderson, A.听(2022) The Swanwick/Tillman Spiral of Musical Development: impacts and influences - Guest Editorial.听听British Journal of Music Education,听39(1) 1-43.听听
Boyce-Tillman, J. &听Anderson, A.听(2022) Musical development then and now: in conversation with June Boyce-Tillman.听 39(1) 51-66.听
Anderson, A. (2021). Understanding curriculum design in the perceptions and practices of classroom music teachers in the lower secondary school in England. British Journal of Music Education, 1-12.
Anderson, A. (2021). Topic choices: Revealing concealed processes of curriculum sequencing in English secondary school Music classrooms. BERA The Curriculum Journal 32听(4), 722-740.
Anderson A and Barton-Wales S (2019). Musical culture and the primary school: an investigation into parental attitudes to Whole Class Ensemble Teaching in the English primary school and potential impacts on children鈥檚 musical progress. British Journal of Music Education 36 (3) 267鈥�279.
Reports
Evans, N., Fautley, M.,听Anderson, A.,听Kinsella-Hadjinestoros, V., & Nenadic, E. (2025).听听Listen Imagine Compose Primary: Research Findings Executive Summary.听探花直播: 探花直播.
Anderson, A.,听Fautley, M., Kinsella-Hadjinestoros, V., MacGregor, E., & Nenadic, E. (2024).听Listen Imagine Compose Primary Research Report 2024.听探花直播: 探花直播.
Kinsella, V., Booth, N. &听Anderson, A.听(2024).听探花直播 Arts School Evaluation: Final Report July 2024.听探花直播: 探花直播
Anderson, A., Fautley, M., Nenadic, E., & Kinsella-Hadjinestoros, V. (2024)听Listen Imagine Compose Primary: Interim Report.听探花直播: 探花直播
Kinsella, V.,听Anderson, A.,听MacGregor, E. & Booth, N.听.听探花直播: 探花直播.
Anderson, A.,听Kinsella, V., MacGregor, E. & Booth, N. (2023)听探花直播 Arts School Year 2 interim Report.听探花直播: 探花直播.
Kinsella, V., Booth, N.,听Anderson, A.听& Nenadic, E. (2022)听探花直播 Arts School: Year 1 Theory of Change 2022.听听探花直播: 探花直播
Kinsella, V.,听Anderson, A.听& Booth, N. (2022)听Uprising! Year 2 Interim Report 2022.听听探花直播: 探花直播.
Kinsella, V. &听Anderson, A.听(2022)听听Inspiring Sounds 探花直播 Music Service Research Report 2022.听探花直播: 探花直播.
Fautley, M., Anderson, A., Kinsella, V., Devaney, K., and Whittaker, A. (2021). Sound and Music Go Compose Project 2020: Research Report. 探花直播: 探花直播.
2019 Whittaker, A., Fautley, M., Kinsella, V. and Anderson, A. Geographical and social demographic trends of A-level music students. London: Royal College of Music.
PhD Thesis
2019: Happy accidents? Music teacher perceptions of curriculum design at Key Stage 3 in the English secondary school
Publications 鈥� chapters in edited books
2024 - Why composing matters for disadvantaged young people. In听Music and Meaning: European Perspectives on Music Education 12,听edited by Maimberg, I. & Petrovic, M. Innsbruck: Helbling Publishing
2012 - 鈥楧eveloping Performing Opportunities鈥� chapter in Teaching Secondary Music edited by Price, J. and Savage, J. London: SAGE
2010 - 鈥楽tudents mentoring students: can it work in the classroom?鈥� chapter in Whose Music Education is it? (Ed. Finney Harrison) Matlock: National Association of Music Educators.
2009 - 鈥楽ongs My Mentor Taught Me or Mentoring for Musical Development鈥� chapter in Sound Progress: Exploring musical development. (Ed. Lamont, Coll) Matlock: National Association of Music Educators.
Other articles and papers
2025 - Fautley, M. &听Anderson, A.听Making Progress? Music progression at Key Stage 3.听Music Teacher Magazine听April edition. London: Mark Allen Group
2024 - Anderson, A.(2024). Covid鈥檚 Long Tail. Music Teacher Magazine September edition. London: Mark Allen Group
2024 - Anderson, A., Whittaker, A. & Fautley, M. (2024). Bird鈥檚 eye view: What a recent DfE dataset tells us about music education in English Secondary Schools. Music Teacher Magazine September edition. London: Mark Allen Group.
2024 -听Breaking down musical barriers and the National Plan for Music Education.听Ensemble Magazine听No. 123/Summer 2024. Kenilworth: Music Teachers' Association.
2023 -听Music Curriculum Design for Special Education Schools: A beginner's guide. (Sellars, B. & Anderson, A.)听Leicester: MEHEM Uprising!听
2023 -听Read all about it! Anthony Anderson interviews Chris Stevens, Ofsted subject advisor for music听(1/11/23 edition) Music Teacher Magazine: London Mark Allen Group
2023 -听 18 May 2023
2023 - Whittaker, A. and Anderson, A.听NPME House of Lords Debate: Raising questions for music educators.听听Music Teacher magazine (1/2/23 edition).听 London: Mark Allen Group.
2022 -听Spirals and all that.听听CSPACE Blog 7 July 2022听/education-and-social-work/research/cspace-blog/spirals-and-all-that
2022 -听Why do teachers need to understand assessment theory? Principles of assessment course.听听Chartered College of Teachers. (Co-authored with Booth, N.)
2021 - Music teachers are curriculum designers. British Educational Research Association Blog. 16 Nov 2021.
2021 - Music teachers and curriculum chess. Ensemble Magazine - Curriculum: resources for Music Teachers. No. 114/Summer 2021. Kenilworth: Music Teachers' Association.
2021 - Investigating Covid-19's impact on institutions: 探花直播 news item.
2017 - Time to think. Music Teacher Vol. 95, no. 10 London: Rhinegold.
2012 - Curriculum off-roading. Music Teacher Vol. 91, no. 4. London: Rhinegold.
2012 - Assessment for Learning in GCSE Music. Music Teacher Vol. 91, no. 5 London: Rhinegold.
Published reviews
2013 - Book review: Careers in Music. Matlock: National Association of Music Educators.
Research Projects as Principal Investigator
2022, 探花直播 School Music Survey. Investigating provision across primary, secondary and special schools in 探花直播. Services For Music Education funded.
2021, Uprising Curriculum. Developing a school curriculum in music for children with SEND. Funded by MEHEM.
2020, Curriculum models in school practices. Investigating the telescoping of Key Stage 3 into two years and its impact on music. Funded by 探花直播 Pilot Project Fund.
Research Projects as Co-Investigator
2025, Reframing music education policy.
2025, Uprising 360. Understanding the impacts of special educational needs music teaching in schools.
2024, City of 探花直播 Symphony Orchestra and Shireland MAT partnership. Exploring impacts of an arts funded school on curriculum models.
2023, 探花直播 Arts School. Researching BAS's strategy to enable equality of access for arts provision across schools in 探花直播.
2021, Uprising. Improving music activities to engage young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Funded by MEHEM.
2020, Listen Imagine Compose Primary. Investigating the impact of composing in the primary school. Paul Hamlyn Foundation funded.
2020, Assessment in music education. Exploring teachers approaches to music assessment in the UK and Singapore.
2020, Inspiring Sounds: Research into training for staff teaching music to young people with special educational needs.
2020, Whole Class Ensemble Tuition Assessment. Research into enabling whole class music tuition and its assessment in primary schools.
2020, Listen, Imagine, Compose Primary. Research into enabling composing in a primary school context.
2018 鈥� 2020, Voices Foundation Singing Schools Project. An evaluation of a whole-school improvement strategy through music.
2018 - 2020, Go Compose. A study considering approaches to composing from disadvantaged groups.
Conference Papers, peer reviewed
2025 -听The Chameleon curriculum: How music curriculum is changing in secondary school music classrooms in England.听Research in Music Education (RiME) Conference. London: Royal College of Music.
2025, April -听Was Covid-19 the beginning of the end for school music education?听Covid-19 5 years on: Where are we now? 探花直播: 探花直播.
2024, November - (Fautley, M., Kinsella-Hajinestoros, V., & Whittaker, A.) Music Mark Conference. Nottingham: East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham University.
2024, July -听Keeping to the curriculum: How classroom music teachers conceptualise curriculum and what this means for curriculum design.听CSPACE Conference. 探花直播: 探花直播.
2023, November -听The place of policy to practice research to foster dynamism in music. (Anderson, A.,听Fautley, M. & Whittaker, A.)听Music Mark, the UK Association for Music Education Conference. Southampton: Hilton Ageas Bowl.
2023, September -听Policy to practice barriers to creativity in music teaching and learning in children and young people.听British Educational Research Association (BERA) Conference. 探花直播: Aston University.
2023, July -听Rhythm in curriculum and curriculum in rhythm: Music curriculum design in the Key Stage 3 classroom.听听CSPACE Conference.听 探花直播: 探花直播.
2023, July -听How singing changed the course of human history: An interactive workshop exploring joint music-making, rhythmic entrainment and social bonding.听听(McGregor, E., Davey-Nicklin, K., Fautley, M. Anderson, A. & Nenadic, E.) CSPACE Conference.听 探花直播: 探花直播
2023, April -听The telescoping of the Key Stage 3 Curriculum in Schools: impacts on the music classroom in England.听听Research in Music Education Conference (RiME).听 Royal College of Music: London.
2023, April - (With Professor Daniel Johnson, University of North Carolina Wilmington).听听Can music teachers be trusted? A transatlantic comparison of political influences in music curriculum design.听听Research in Music Education Conference (RiME).听 Royal College of Music: London.
2023, April -听Understanding music development in special schools in England: perspectives from specialist and generalist teachers.听听Research in Music Education Conference (RiME).听 Royal College of Music: London.
2022, July -听Spirals in music education.听CSPACE Conference.听 探花直播, 探花直播.
2022, May - Has the Covid-19 pandemic impacted interpretations of musical meaning in classroom music education in England? EAS (European Association for Music in Schools). Faculty of Music University of Arts: Belgrade, Serbia.
2022, May - Go Compose! Research report on a programme for children and young people facing challenging circumstances. EAS (European Association for Music in Schools). Faculty of Music University of Arts: Belgrade, Serbia.
2021, July - Don鈥檛 stop the music: impacts of Covid-19 on classroom music education. An Unequal Impact? Covid-19 Research Conference. 探花直播: 探花直播.
2021, June - Pedagogies in a pandemic: impacts of Covid-19 on music in the secondary classroom. CSPACE (Centre for the Study of Practice and Culture in Education). 探花直播: 探花直播.
2021, March - Epistemic ascent in classroom pedagogies in English secondary music classrooms. RiME (International Research in Music Education). London: Royal College of Music.
2021, March - Doing music in the classroom: how activity theory can reveal hidden dynamics of curriculum design. EAS (European Association for Music in Schools). University of Education and University of Music: Freiburg, Germany.
2020, June - Tacit notions of inclusivity for music curriculum design in English classroom contexts. EAS (European Association for Music in Schools). Padova University: Italy. Paper accepted, but conference did not take place due to COVID-19.
2019, July - Frankenstein curricula at Key Stage 3 in the English Secondary School. CSPACE (Centre for the Study of Practice and Culture in Education). 探花直播: 探花直播.
2019, April - Happy Accidents? Music teacher perceptions of curriculum design at Key Stage 3 in the English Secondary School. RIME (International Research in Music Education). Bath Spa University.
2018, July - Music in the secondary school classroom: developing methodologies to acknowledge tacit teacher practices in curriculum design. CSPACE (Centre for the Study of Practice and Culture in Education). 探花直播.
2017, July - What factors influence teacher planning of the KS3 Music curriculum in high schools in England and how do teachers sequence musical knowledge for musical understanding? Poster presentation. CSPACE (Centre for the Study of Practice and Culture in Education). 探花直播.
2017, April - In what ways do music teachers plan the sequencing of musical knowledge for musical learning in the lower secondary school in England and why do they make these choices? RIME (International Research in Music Education). Bath Spa University.
2017, April - In what ways do music teachers plan the sequencing of musical knowledge for musical learning in the lower secondary school in England and why do they make these choices? ISAME (International Symposium on Assessment in Music Education), 探花直播.
Keynotes
2024, October听Curriculum Design: Courage or camouflage?听London: Curriculum Music: Access and Impact Conference. Music Teacher Magazine.
2024, February听Breaking down barriers to music making and creating in schools: A research view.听(Anderson, A.听& Fautley, M.). London: Music Expo
2023, January听Thinking about curriculum and assessment in music.听Lincolnshire Music Service. (Anderson, A.听& Fautley, M.) Sleaford: Staff Training Day
2019, June听Music curriculum: By design or benign?听Music Summit. North West Midlands Music Hub: Keele University听
Papers and research presentations by invitation
2025, February听Changing Tracks: Does Key Stage 3 curriculum matter at Key Stage 4?听Services For Education Music Educators Conference, Midlands Arts Centre, 探花直播.
2025, February听Listen Imagine Compose Primary Research Findings Executive Summary.听探花直播. Listen Imagine Compose Conference, CBSO Centre.
2024, June听Cross-examining Music Curriculum: Meaning, design and discussion.听Leicester: Leicestershire Music Educators Conference. Leicestershire Music
2024, June听Thinking about musical development in instrumental teaching contexts.听探花直播: King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys Instrumental Teachers Training Day
2024, May听Our Music Assessment Beliefs: A collaborative study between 探花直播 (UK) and the Ministry of Education (Singapore).听Online Teach-meet Seminar
2024, May听Breaking down musical barriers and the National Plan for Music Education 2.听Caversham: Music Teachers Association Conference
2024, March听Music Provision in 探花直播 Secondary Schools.听探花直播: 探花直播 Music Education Partnership
2024, February听How do you do curriculum? Thinking together about Key Stage 3 music curriculum design practices.听Wolverhampton: Wolverhampton Music Service Teacher Conference
2024, February听Comparing Notes: Perceptions and practicalities of Key Stage 3 music curriculum design.听探花直播: 探花直播 Music Education Conference
2024, February听A guide to writing a school music development plan and using the self-evaluation toolkit.听探花直播: 探花直播 Music Education Conference
2024, January听Secondary Schools Survey: A snapshot.听探花直播: Services For Education Music Service
2023, December听探花直播 Arts School Year 2 Interim Findings听(Kinsella-Hadjnestoros, V. &听Anderson, A.) BAS Strategic Advisory Group. 探花直播: Rep Theatre.
2023, November听CBSO Shireland Academy Research听(Whittaker, A. &听Anderson, A.) Staff training. Wolverhampton: CBSO Shireland Academy.
2023, October听Uprising! Research Analysis听(Kinsella, V. &听Anderson, A.) Music Education Hubs East Midlands. Leicester: Leicestershire Music.
2023, October听Life as an Early Career Researcher: Knitting your own job and planning ahead as an ECR.听Early Career Researcher Network. 探花直播: 探花直播.
2023, July听 Beautiful curriculum: A vision for music education.听Future Forward Enabling NextGen Conference.听 Warwick: Warwick Schools Foundation.
2023, April听听Has the Covid-19 pandemic changed music in English schools forever?听听Early Career Research Network.听 探花直播: 探花直播.
2023, March听听Thinking about Key Stage 3 music curricula: substance and sequencing.听听Encore Music Service: Hereford.
2023, February听Teach Meet Share - presentations from 探花直播 colleagues covering a new music curriculum initiative/teaching strategy in school.听听(Chaired by Anderson, A).听 探花直播: 探花直播 Music Educators Conference, Services for Education.
2023, February听Key Policy Updates including NPME2, MMC and Ofsted Research Review.听听(Fautley, M. &听Anderson, A.)听 探花直播: 探花直播 Music Educators Conference, Services For Education.
2023, February听Why music curriculum really matters.听听Royal 探花直播 Conservatoire.听 探花直播: Seminar.
2023, January听Thinking about curriculum and assessment in music.听听Lincolnshire Music Service.听 Sleaford: Staff Training Day.
2022, November听Curriculum Conundrums: Concepts and challenges for Key Stage 3 Music.听听Kent Music.听 Maidstone: The Kent Music Conference 2022.
2022, September听Embodied Learning in Composing.听听Listen, Imagine, Compose Steering Group.听 探花直播: 探花直播 Contemporary Music Group.
2022, July听听The place of doctoral research in music education: 探花直播 Music Education Research Group.听听Pre-doc Summer School.听 探花直播: 探花直播.听
2022, June听 Our music assessment beliefs.听听探花直播 with Ministry of Education, Singapore.
2022, June听听What have we learned about children as composers?听Listen Imagine Compose Primary Seminar Day.听 探花直播: City of 探花直播 Symphony Orchestra Centre
2022, April听听A response to the Model Music Curriculum.听 探花直播 Music Teachers鈥� Conference.听 探花直播: Services for Education.
2022, April听Round Table Discussion: Issues facing music teachers (Chair).听 探花直播 Music Teachers鈥� Conference.听 探花直播: Services for Education.
2022, April听听What is curriculum?听Curriculum Design in Special Ed Schools.听 East Midlands: Uprising Research Project
2022, March听 Away Day.听 Loughborough: Uprising Research Project
2021, June Challenging curricula: issues and ideas for Key Stage 3 Music. 探花直播 Music Teachers' Conference. 探花直播: Services for Education.
2021, March Research starting points in Music education. Uprising Project Partners Forum. Music Education Hubs East Midlands.
2021, February Curriculum models in school practices. Pilot Project Symposium. 探花直播: 探花直播.
2020, November Wrestling the leviathan: managing the monster of literature review. Post Graduate Researcher Thesis Coaching. Centre for the Study of Practice and Culture in Education forum. 探花直播: 探花直播.
2020, September Developing understanding in curriculum design in the secondary music classroom. Leicestershire School Music Service Executive Group. Leicestershire: Leicestershire County Council.
2020, September Enabling students to represent complex ideas in pictorial form. PhD Supervisors Community of Practice. 探花直播: 探花直播.
2020, August What is musical learning? London: London Music Masters
2020, May Thinking in pictures: finding patterns in your data and conceptualising themes in pictures and diagrams. Post Graduate Researcher Thesis Coaching. Centre for the Study of Practice and Culture in Education forum. 探花直播: 探花直播.
2020, April Who am I again? Pursuing a part-time doctorate or at a later stage in your career. Post Graduate Researcher Thesis Coaching. Centre for the Study of Practice and Culture in Education forum. 探花直播: 探花直播.
2020, March Research dream: rethinking curriculum through a post-doctoral lens. Centre for the Study of Practice and Culture in Education forum. 探花直播: 探花直播.
2020, March Five reasons why music curriculum design is harder than you think. Public seminar at Royal 探花直播 Conservatoire: 探花直播.
2020, February Key Stage 3 curriculum design and subject leadership. 探花直播 Primary and Secondary Music Education Conference: 探花直播.
2020, January Curriculum design: challenges or choices? Leicestershire Music Educators Conference: Woodhouse, Leicestershire
2020, January Curriculum making. Solihull Music Hub Teacher Network. Park Hall Academy: Castle Bromwich.
2019, November Music curriculum: perspectives and pathways. Wolverhampton Music Service. Wolverhampton: West Midlands.
2019, September What is musical learning? London Music Masters. King鈥檚 Place: London.
2019, June - Music curriculum: by design or benign? Music Summit, North West Midlands Music Hub, Keele University.
2019, June - Composing and progress in classroom music during Key Stage 3. Kent Music, East Malling: Kent.
2019, May - Music hub governance: an analysis. Leicestershire Schools Music Service Executive Sub-committee: Leicester.
2019, April - Building a curriculum: perspectives from music education. Seminar. Centre for the Study of Practice and Culture in Education: 探花直播.
2019, February - What you need to know about research. Music Educators Conference, Leicestershire Schools Music Service: Leicester.
2019, January - Music teacher resilience. Music Educators Conference, Services for Education: 探花直播.
2018, March - Music as education. Westminster Education Forum, London.
2017, November - Music GCSE comparisons. GCSE Music conference, Leicestershire Schools Music Service, Leicestershire.
2017, October - In what ways do music teachers plan the sequencing of musical knowledge for musical learning at Key Stage 3 and why do they make these choices? Erasmus presentation, 探花直播.
2017, June - Curriculum design: is it important in a musical classroom? Fairfax Academy Trust music subject leaders day, Sutton Coldfield.
2017, June - Curriculum design: messy or method? Services for Education curriculum design day, 探花直播.
2017, March - Thinking about progress in GCSE Music. Sefton Music Service, Sefton.
2016, November - GCSE Music: an analysis of the changes. GCSE Music teachers conference, Leicestershire Schools Music Service, Leicester.
2015, November - Curriculum planning for musical learning: an impossible dream? ;Music teachers conference, Leicestershire Music teachers conference, Woodhouse, Leicestershire.
2015, January - The Key Stage 3 curriculum: planning and sequencing for musical learning. Solihull Music Service, Solihull.
2013, February - Creative music teaching at Key Stage 4 and 5. Music teachers conference, Leicestershire Schools Music Service, Woodhouse.
2012, September - Creating an inclusive school concert. National Association of Music Educators Conference, Stone.
Media Work
- 2024, October - Music Teachers' Association Podcast interview with Patrick Johns听
- 2023, August - The Music Education Podcast interview with Chris Woods.听
- 2023, April - Music Teachers鈥� Association Podcast interview with Patrick Johns.听
Links and Social Media
- Twitter听