Instruments and resources

All Devon & Torbay maintained schools and academies benefit from 100% subsidised access to instruments and resources to support the delivery of Whole Class Ensemble Tuition (WCET) and projects – over 15,000 instruments have been loaned to schools over the last year allowing thousands of children and young people to take the first steps in their musical journey. A wide range of digital resources to support WCET can be accessed using Charanga Music School, which is provided on a 100% subsidised basis to all Devon & Torbay maintained primary and special schools and academies. Additional support can often be provided by the Music Development Lead for your area and the Hub provides regular CPD opportunities for instrumental and curriculum practitioners.

Booking your WCET instruments

Devon and Torbay maintained schools and academies can borrow one instrument class set (WCET) each term free of charge. Additional sets are charged at £100 (plus VAT for academies and Torbay maintained schools). Instruments can be booked for longer periods by arrangement. Delivery and collection of instrument class sets is provided.

Private schools and those from other Local Authority areas can also borrow instrument class sets, and these are also charged at £100 (plus VAT for LA schools), but delivery and collection is not included.

All bookings are subject to availability of stock.

View WCET full catalogue   Apply for WCET instrument class set loan

WCET Instrument class set maintenance guides

Our team work really hard to prepare each instrument class set, ensuring that it is clean, well-maintained and provided with everything you need.

Please look after our instruments while they are at your school and return them to us in the condition that they were provided – any damage, missing instruments or accessories may incur a charge.

To assist you, we have put together a series of WCET maintenance guides with helpful information about each instrument class set.

View maintenance guides

Bespoke loans

Additional to the Whole Class sets available for booking, we do offer and prepare requests for smaller collections of instruments for specific uses. Schools, Ensembles, Hub supported activities, music educators and more, have found this to be a useful way to promote instrumental uptake, or as a solution when you have that special event, and you need to borrow something specific for a short time.

Examples often include the below, and we are happy to discuss any request not listed on receipt of a Bespoke Loan form.

  • Small set (suggested up to 10 (quantity can be discussed) of orchestral instruments (Strings, Brass and Woodwind)
  • First access set (subject to availability) for use in a short-term event or project
  • A collection of Orchestral Percussion for an event or school show (See specialist list for more details)
  • Specialist Brass and Woodwind instruments for a performance, event, or school show (see Specialist list for more details)
  • Electrical equipment such as Stage Pianos, Amps Microphones and PA
  • Music Stands
  • We also have a music library with sheet music for Orchestra, Jazz, Vocal, Strings, and Wind Band ensembles and more. We also have a range of the very popular Flex-Band music to suit any combination of instruments. Contact us for a catalogue (this is being updated continuously).

Many can be offered free of charge or for a small fee, for an agreed period to support local organisations such as schools, Hub supported activities, performance venues and individual music educators.

View specialist instrumentsApply for bespoke loan

Early Years Music instruments and equipment

Devon Music Education Hub are offering a new range of specialist early years musical instruments and equipment, available to loan on termly basis, free of charge to schools, settings and Hub partner organisations. Each set has been specially curated to enable younger children to explore sound and music. While every care has been taken to ensure the suitability of all equipment, we recommend that younger children are always appropriately supervised.

View Early Years Music SetsApply for Early Years Music Set loan