{"id":2381174,"date":"2026-04-20T12:24:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T12:24:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2381174"},"modified":"2026-04-20T12:24:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T12:24:12","slug":"royal-academy-of-music-launch-new-funding-scheme-for-state-educated-students-only","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/royal-academy-of-music-launch-new-funding-scheme-for-state-educated-students-only\/","title":{"rendered":"Royal Academy of Music launch new funding scheme for state-educated students only"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"main\">\n<div class=\"hydrate-root sc-1ihz57b-0\" data-component=\"Newsletter\" data-loading=\"lazy\" data-theme-name=\"independent\">\n<div data-theme-wrapper=\"independent\" style=\"display:contents\">\n<aside class=\"sc-y4bm30-0 jwWhkK newsletter-component sc-1ge0fwe-0\" data-newsletter-key=\"receiveMusic\">\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-2 kcLSBk\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-1 inRDZn\">\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-3\">\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-4 hfveGa\">\n<p><h3 class=\"sc-y4bm30-5 sc-y4bm30-6 fvoxRM cLEJmn\">Get the inside track from Roisin O&#8217;Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This<\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"sc-y4bm30-5 sc-y4bm30-8 fvoxRM iTZFOX\">Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This<\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"sc-y4bm30-5 sc-y4bm30-7 fvoxRM iGYpOF\">Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p><svg class=\"sc-eaj12q-0 hKcUSR sc-culv3z-0 eifaJK sc-1ix0cah-0 PYnPb sc-y4bm30-10 fUEDPX\"><use href=\"#600f53465147d717\"\/><\/svg><\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-2 kcLSBk sc-y4bm30-9 iQYNfz\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletters\/nowHearThis1_2.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Roisin O\u2019Connor\u2019s\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Royal Academy of Music has announced a new funding scheme aimed at \u201cwidening access to world-class music education\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The project, which will fund a foundation year study course for disadvantaged <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/uk\/home-news\/private-state-schools-ai-divide-b2789474.html\">state-educated<\/a> students, has provoked criticism from private school figures as no privately educated candidates \u2013 including those who attended independent schools through bursary schemes \u2013 will be considered for the new scheme. <\/p>\n<p>The RAM has stated that the programme will \u201cprovide a targeted pathway to conservatoire training for talented young musicians who have previously faced significant obstacles to advanced musical training\u201d. <\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-awdjp1-2 cbpRGD sc-awdjp1-3 image align-center\">\n<figure class=\"sc-1cbdeug-0 cXcwgU\">\n<div data-gallery-length=\"2\" class=\"sc-awdjp1-0 etHyHM\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/02\/27\/00\/bad9b4fbeae649c3e516c7e7a567cff2Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzcyMTg3MTk2-2.78278639.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/02\/27\/00\/bad9b4fbeae649c3e516c7e7a567cff2Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzcyMTg3MTk2-2.78278639.jpg?quality=75&amp;width=320&amp;auto=webp 320w, https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/02\/27\/00\/bad9b4fbeae649c3e516c7e7a567cff2Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzcyMTg3MTk2-2.78278639.jpg?quality=75&amp;width=640&amp;auto=webp 640w\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Elton John attended the Royal Academy of Music\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-1cbdeug-1 sc-1cbdeug-3 jDRgUf hgzWpY\">Elton John attended the Royal Academy of Music<span class=\"sc-1cbdeug-7 gjqsiM\"> <!-- -->(<!-- -->PA Archive<!-- -->)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>They added: \u201cThe Academy will be undertaking a focused recruitment effort to find talented, state\u2011educated musicians aged 18 to 20 who\u2019ve experienced financial or other barriers to opportunity, with at least 50 per cent to be recruited from outside London.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This detail has been met with pushback from private school bosses. Philip Britton, chair of the Heads\u2019 Conference, a collective of independent schools, told <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thetimes.com\/uk\/education\/article\/private-school-pupils-banned-from-conservatoire-course-nxr09pspg\"><em>The Times<\/em><\/a>: \u201cThere are plenty of less well-off people in independent schools and plenty of privileged people in state schools.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[It is] time to cut across this idea independent school pupils can be discriminated against as a group,\u201d he continued. \u201cAll sorts of people feel it is fine to join the lazy bandwagon.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The RAM is the UK\u2019s oldest conservatoire, and counts among its alumni a number of world-famous musicians, including Annie Lennox and Sir Elton John.<\/p>\n<p>A number of Britain\u2019s most successful musicians have been educated privately, including Charli XCX, Ed Sheeran, and Lily Allen.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-0 ijrISW\">\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-9\">\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-3 bnPMtb\">\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-4 hqeEpq\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/mobile-stores\/Amazon_Music.png\" width=\"129\" height=\"36\" alt=\"Amazon Music logo\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-5 erkCqL\">\n<p class=\"sc-118zqaw-6 ITEVB\">Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-118zqaw-7 bSAfrS\">Sign up now for a 30-day free trial. Terms apply.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"sc-1aus1tj-1 kCODJP sc-118zqaw-2\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/32gdyhr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Try for free<svg class=\"sc-eaj12q-0 kjmIzh sc-culv3z-0 eifaJK sc-1aus1tj-2 cChEZI\"><use href=\"#baddbaa17d236bd5\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/div>\n<p class=\"sc-118zqaw-8 bvmDWa\">ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission.<span class=\"disclaimer-break\"> This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-1 bfZJxf\">\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-9\">\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-3 bnPMtb\">\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-4 hqeEpq\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/mobile-stores\/Amazon_Music.png\" width=\"129\" height=\"36\" alt=\"Amazon Music logo\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-5 erkCqL\">\n<p class=\"sc-118zqaw-6 ITEVB\">Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-118zqaw-7 bSAfrS\">Sign up now for a 30-day free trial. Terms apply.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"sc-1aus1tj-1 kCODJP sc-118zqaw-2\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/32gdyhr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Try for free<svg class=\"sc-eaj12q-0 kjmIzh sc-culv3z-0 eifaJK sc-1aus1tj-2 cChEZI\"><use href=\"#baddbaa17d236bd5\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/div>\n<p class=\"sc-118zqaw-8 bvmDWa\">ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission.<span class=\"disclaimer-break\"> This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Pop artist FKA Twigs attended private school on a scholarship, describing herself as a \u201cbursary kid\u201d, before going on to study at the prestigious Brit School.<\/p>\n<p>Singer-songwriter Ella Eyre also attended Somerset\u2019s Millfield School, a private institution, on a swimming scholarship, and went on to study at the Brit School.<\/p>\n<p>Academy principal Jonathan Freeman-Attwood said that the new RAM programme, which begins in July, is designed to help \u201cthose who desperately need and deserve it\u201d. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe academy has been growing its widening participation work with increasing energy, investment and output in the last decade,\u201d he told <em>The Times<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA focused foundation year gives us the chance to do what we always dreamt: to identify talented and committed young musicians for whom a shortage of access to teaching and opportunity has left them on the cusp of what is needed for pre-professional programmes.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.independent.co.uk \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Get the inside track from Roisin O&#8217;Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This The Royal Academy of Music has announced a new funding scheme aimed at \u201cwidening access to world-class music education\u201d. The project, which will [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2381175,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25179],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2381174","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Royal-Academy-of-Music-launch-new-funding-scheme-for-state-educated-scaled.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2381174","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2381174"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2381174\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2381176,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2381174\/revisions\/2381176"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2381175"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2381174"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2381174"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2381174"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}