The new Chair of Trustees at a Birmingham education charity has praised the organisation’s work saying it is enabling the city’s children to enjoy the best possible life chances and that it is acting as a role model for other learning institutions in the rest of the UK.

Martin Hall has been appointed Chair of Trustees at Services For Education – the specialist education and training charity that brings music and learning to life. He succeeds Sarah Smith – who steps down after three years in the role having first become a trustee in 2015 and who will retire as a trustee in Spring 2025 after ten-years’ service.

Martin, who is also chair of governors at a West Midlands dual entry primary school and an enterprise adviser to secondary schools, has 35 years’ experience in the corporate insurance broking sector and now runs a consultancy working directly with clients to leverage their broker/insurer relationships. He also sits on the board of small tech-based businesses.

“I am looking forward to supporting the senior leadership team in this award-winning charity as it continues to use the power of learning to create and build confidence, resilience and wellbeing amongst the children, young people, adults and communities of Birmingham and beyond,” said Martin who became a trustee of Services For Education in July 2022.

“Having worked with and supported Services For Education, I am hugely impressed by its work. It is a unique Birmingham asset with its untiring support for the city’s schools, teachers and governors that has helped improve educational standards as well as enabling 32,000 children each week to enjoy playing music together. Its award-winning work has also inspired others across the UK,” he said.

“I have been a passionate supporter of education and career development for over a decade.  Running my own business, I can devote time and effort to assist education settings to build and develop their provision – utilising my career experience in the private sector and from my work as a school governor.

“I am now keen to assist Services For Education as it builds on its work with primary and secondary schools, multi-academy trusts and other educational settings to improve practice and school leadership as well as promoting the role of music education that allows children to experience the joy of learning and playing music together and giving them memories that will last a lifetime,” he said.

Sharon Bell, Chief Executive of Services For Education, paid tribute to the leadership and work of out-going chair, Sarah Smith.

“Sarah has provided inspirational leadership and guidance during the past three-years – as we have supported schools, staff and children to overcome the challenges resulting from the impact of the pandemic. My colleagues in the senior leadership team and our trustees have been inspired to achieve greater things.

“I am delighted that Martin has accepted the role and have no doubt that his enthusiasm for schools, education and learning, together with his private sector expertise and experience as a school governor, will be of great value as we continue to use the power of learning and of music to create and build confidence amongst children, young people, adults and communities across the city of Birmingham and further afield,” said Sharon.

Services For Education has an annual income of around £7m and is supported by The Arts Council, charitable donations and its commercial operations.

ENDS

About Services For Education:

An education and training charity based in Birmingham, Services For Education brings music and learning to life. Services For Education employs more than 200 staff delivering music tuition to children, and expert training and development to teaching and school support staff. It has annual income of £6.9m (Y/E August 2023). Part-funded by the Arts Council, England it also has its own fundraising and subsidised commercial operations.

• Services For Education’s Music Service, one of the largest in the country, works with 98% of Birmingham schools and each year teaches music to nearly 32,000 children – as well as running 113 free ensembles. It provides 27,000 musical instruments free-of-charge so all children have access to playing and enjoying music together and its Youth Proms at Symphony Hall give 4,000 young musicians the opportunity to perform to an audience of more than 10,000. It also runs music schools, has a world music department, provides private music tuition to all ages as well as working with partners to deliver music and choral opportunities to disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. Its award-winning Online Music Educational Resource was completed and launched free to schools in 2021 to appeal to a young IT-connected audience attracted to learning online and to complement traditional tuition.
• Services For Education’s School Support Service provides expert training and development to teaching and support staff in nearly 600 schools in the West Midlands and increasingly across England, to improve practice and ensure teachers are best equipped to respond to developments in curriculum and policy. As a leading provider of safeguarding education, Services For Education works with 400 schools delivering training in-person and on-line. It also delivers innovative programmes to support the physical and emotional health of children and young people through Health for Life and other community-based activity. servicesforeducation.co.uk

For further information:

Public and media relations for Services For Education:
David Clarke
E: david-c@clarke-associates.co.uk;
M: 07808 735255

Issued on behalf of:

Services For Education
Unit 3 Holt Court
Holt Street
Birmingham Science Park
Aston
Birmingham B7 4AX