Strategic plan 2022-2027: 21st Century Musicians

21st CENTURY

MUS CIANS STRATEGIC PLAN

2022-2027 1

WHO ARE WE? The Yehudi Menuhin School is a global leader in music education. Our mission is to provide a happy, healthy learning environment where exceptionally talented young musicians discover how to achieve their fullest potential.

Our unique curriculum weaves the highest level of musical training into an outstanding academic programme, to provide a world-class education.

Our diverse community is formed of pupils who are admitted on the basis of their artistic potential, not according to financial means.

OUR VISION: 21st CENTURY MUSICIANS The Yehudi Menuhin School aims to harness its reputation as a leading authority in classical music education, to develop the performers and audiences of the future.

We aim to cultivate the next generation of happy, welladjusted musicians, who are team players, can express themselves articulately, are equipped to support their artistic expression with intellectual understanding, and who are on the path to becoming influential figures in the broad world of music and the arts.

We will continue to recruit the world’s most talented musical pupils to the school, ensuring that the mission of the school reaches all areas of the country. Diversity and inclusion will be a central focus of our mission, alongside other global priorities such as environmental sustainability.

We will ensure that all pupils are equipped with the emotional and practical tools to embrace life as a professional musician, be it in performance, composition, or any field within the sector. This will include education in music technology, recording, self-management, industry awareness, networking and other key skills, in addition to their musical and intellectual education.

We aspire for all our pupils to be powerful communicators, with something to say and the means to say it. We help them to develop a strong sense of artistic identity and integrity, fostered in a supportive and collaborative environment.

Building on the ambition of our founder, we seek to share the music made in our school to audiences near and far, contributing to the wider understanding, appreciation and reach of classical music.

Above all, our aim is not only to nurture good musicians and instrumentalists, but to develop ambassadors for music and the arts: industry leaders who will develop our traditions (and keep them relevant) for future generations.

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THE DEFINING FEATURES

OUR VALUES

A community of outstanding young musicians

The five key values of the school underpin our mission and vision for the future. All pupils and staff will be encouraged to live, work, and communicate in accordance with these values:

OF THE YEHUDI MENUHIN SCHOOL

Internationally renowned teaching staff Admission based on talent, not financial means

Focus on pupils’ aspirations and their unique paths A supportive, inclusive and nurturing environment Promotion of healthy ambition

Means-tested financial support

An intense programme of instrumental and academic music tuition

Small class sizes

An international and diverse community

Exceptional performance opportunities On-site access to a worldclass public music venue

PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE

INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY

We aim for the highest standards of musical understanding and academic achievement.

Our pupils are taught dedication, selfdiscipline and resilience, to overcome and relish the challenges of a life in music.

In the understanding that intellectual growth informs and supports musical development, we encourage all pupils and staff to be creative and open-minded, and to adopt a love of lifelong learning.

INTEGRITY

COMMUNITY

Our pupils and staff demonstrate personal responsibility, honesty, and a mature sense of social conscience.

Our community is collaborative, diverse, inclusive, and mutually supportive, with teamwork at its heart. We share the work of the school in the local community, as well as reaching an international audience.

We instil our pupils with a sense of their environmental and social responsibility.

Emphasis on outreach and community engagement A focused yet balanced curriculum

KINDNESS All members of our community understand the importance of humility, empathy and tolerance. Pupils and staff have respect for one another.

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OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND OUR PILLARS

CREATIVE CURRICULUM

NURTURING ENVIRONMENT

SUSTAINABLE FUTURE 21st CENTURY MUSICIANS

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A NURTURING ENVIRONMENT At its heart, The Yehudi Menuhin School is a boarding school in which day pupils are integrated to the full programme, including evenings and weekends. We intend to become standard-bearers for positive mental health and wellbeing, and are committed to continuing to put pupils’ wellbeing at the forefront of all we do. We will continue to nurture a family-orientated, non-competitive approach to education in which pupils recognise the importance of compassion and support for each other.

WE WILL: rovide the best possible environment to support the P pupils’ wellbeing and to encourage a balanced approach to their daily lives. evelop our boarding facilities to ensure that the school D continues to feel like a home from home for all pupils. ontinue to develop our estate to provide excellent C academic and music (including practice) facilities, with appropriate spaces to support the school’s operations.

Develop our peer-to-peer support programme, to give the pupils further access to pastoral support while simultaneously equipping them with the skills to support others. evelop our staffing structure to provide enhanced D pastoral, boarding and medical support for all pupils. eview our approach to tutoring, providing protected time R for one-to-one support for each pupil. evelop the programme of activities available to boarders, D to broaden interests and provide ample downtime from academic and musical study. evelop in-house music-specific safeguarding training, to D create champions and ambassadors for best practice.

Continue to focus on performance psychology, developing resilient young people with the confidence to present themselves in the public sphere as ambassadors for the arts.

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A CREATIVE CURRICULUM To keep pace with a constantly-evolving industry, we will equip our pupils with the emotional and practical tools to embrace life as a musician, be it in performance, composition, or any field within the ever-broadening classical music sector. We will encourage our pupils to develop the all-round abilities required for a sustainable, healthy and rewarding life in music.

Directed time for pupils will remain equally divided between music and academic study. We will review the shape of our school week to ensure that the appropriate balance is maintained, while introducing more opportunities for general academic pursuits, physical wellbeing, and supervised musical practice.

WE WILL: eview the format of the school week, R allowing time to provide a breadth of experiences and personal development.

Widen our provision, using recent developments in online communication tools, to develop online courses (‘The Virtual Menuhin School’) for promising young musicians who are not able to attend the school in person.

Refine our general studies course: a carousel for older pupils to provide a broad academic foundation. ontinue to develop cross-curricular C opportunities to weave music into other subjects, creating an extensive academic curriculum with music at the centre, wherever possible.

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evelop our life skills course for older D pupils, to include industry awareness, networking and other key skills to prepare them for the next phase of their lives. This will include exposure to a range of musical careers, as well as more general life skills.

Expose pupils to a wide range of visiting artists and musical styles, including symphonic repertoire. ontinue to provide an exciting range of C performance opportunities for pupils – in school, within the local community and through high-profile tours in the UK and abroad. ontinue to instil in all pupils an awareness C of their responsibility to uphold artistic traditions through the sharing of music with the widest possible community.

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A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE Our ambitious plans to develop the provision for the main cohort of pupils (11-18) will require growth of the estate and greater engagement with the wider world. We will add to our loyal following at The Menuhin Hall, appealing to diverse groups of music lovers and will do our part to foster a love of music for generations to come. We are committed to placing The Yehudi Menuhin School at the forefront of musical innovation and community engagement, with a stated aim to become a leading resource of information, instruction, insight, and inclusivity.

CULTIVATING FUTURE AUDIENCES WE WILL: aunch new programmes (‘Little Menuhins’ and L ‘Baby Menuhins’) to engage the very youngest members of our local community.

Forge mutually-beneficial partnerships with external organisations, to improve the educational experience of the pupils and the visibility of the school. iversify the programming at The Menuhin Hall, D and expand the range of experiences on offer, to appeal to a wider demographic.

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Continue to engage with our local community through performance and composition workshops, with a focus to support music education in other schools.

Substantially increase our visibility and accessibility as a musical authority, providing free resources in areas such as music theory, composition, and music appreciation. hare our educational methodology, through S developing international collaborations, beginning with the opening of our sister school in Qingdao (YMSQ).

A SUSTAINABLE ESTATE WE WILL:

aximise use of the school’s estate for M income-generating activities and lets.

Create new rewilded spaces on the estate.

Invest time and resources into developing a comprehensive marketing strategy to:

Develop a net-zero plan for the school, exploring solar and other renewable energy sources.

– Widen awareness of the school, its mission and charitable objectives.

ommit to net-zero projects for future estate C developments.

– Ensure we continue to recruit the best possible pupils to the school.

A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS WE WILL: nsure new programmes, such as ‘Little E Menuhins’, support the core operations of the school.

– Put The Menuhin Hall on the map as a world-class performance venue.

In order to achieve these plans, there will be a rejuvenated focus on the school’s estate, including:

Explore the feasibility of a new Foundation Course for post A-level pupils to help prepare for conservatoire or music courses at university.

purpose-built facility for our new suite of A programmes (‘Little Menuhins’), to incorporate additional practice rooms.

Provide an upgraded visitor experience at The Menuhin Hall, through improved facilities, including a new café, expanded terrasse, a rewilded garden and woodland walk.

ajor refurbishment of the girls’ boarding M house (Music House).

Develop a YMS Summer School.

Widen the school’s donor base to increase philanthropic support and corporate sponsorship for the school’s charitable objectives, through engaging with new individual and institutional partners.

evelopment of plans to expand boarding D capacity to accommodate a 20% increase in the school roll. significant investment in the school’s estate, A including refreshed public and administrative spaces, increased dining capacity, and staff accommodation.

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KEY MEASURES OF SUCCESS PUPILS’ PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY usiness streams provide B operational surplus by 2026.

School roll of 100 pupils by 2027.

nnual attitudinal surveys points A to pupil and parent satisfaction in: – Balance of activities.

– School’s approach to wellbeing.

– Quality of spiritual, moral, cultural and social education.

n increase in public A engagement with YMS facilities.

PHILANTHROPY ACCESS AND WIDENING PARTICIPATION

year-on-year increase in A philanthropic income.

Continuing and expanding our local outreach programme.

Increased number of benefactors to YMS at all levels of the donor pyramid.

Engaging with national music programmes.

I ncreased membership of the Friends of YMS.

The Menuhin Hall embraces diverse audiences through the introduction of relaxed, informal events.

n increase in multi-year grants A to YMS.

YMS provides free digital resources to reach wider audiences.

1000 pupils in local schools connect with YMS through engagement activities.

AUDIENCES Year-on-year rise in first-time attendees at The Menuhin Hall.

ignificantly increasing the S school’s endowment for bursaries.

BABY MENUHINS SUCCESS AFTER YMS ll pupils are admitted to A first choice conservatoire or university courses.

MS continues to be Y represented at the top-ranked conservatoires.

MS alumni are globally Y recognised as musical leaders. ttitudinal surveys A demonstrate high levels of pupil preparedness for life after school.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT established programme An of collaboration between YMS and YMSQ. MSQ has a school roll of Y 100 pupils by 2024.

VIRTUAL MENUHIN SCHOOL

• Two classes of Baby Menuhins run twice weekly at 60% capacity by 2023.

• Conversion rate of 50% from Baby Menuhins to Little Menuhins by 2026.

LITTLE MENUHINS 300 pupils engaged on a weekly basis by 2026.

I ncreased engagement in family programming at The Menuhin Hall.

PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES pportunities for all O pupils to collaborate with world-class artists.

I ncreased opportunities to perform at prestigious venues at home and abroad.

1 00 children enrolled as VMS pupils by 2027.

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT Success in competitions and academic examination results.

A year-on-year increase in pupil and parent satisfaction, as measured by annual surveys.

Concerts sold to at least 75% capacity on average by 2027.

The Menuhin Hall reports a greater diversity of audiences in response to new programming initiatives.

Hall audiences are attracted from a wider geographical area.

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www.menuhinschool.co.uk The Yehudi Menuhin School Stoke d’Abernon, Cobham, Surrey KT11 3QQ, UK +44 (0)1932 864739 admin@menuhinschool.co.uk Photography by Richard Lewisohn (cover, pages 2 and 11), Nigel Luckhurst (page 8) and Sara Porter (pages 6, 12 and 14)

Registered Charity No. 312010. Company Registration No. 818389.

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