A good music scheme helps teachers lead lessons that children want to join. It also gives the learning somewhere to go, from finding a steady beat to holding a part in an ensemble.
There is no single best choice for every school. Start with the support your teachers need, then try the resources with a real class.
A scheme of work sets out what children will learn and how lessons build on one another. Look beyond the themes and song titles. Ask what pupils will be able to hear or do more securely by the end of a unit.
Read a plan as if you were teaching it tomorrow. Can you hear how the activity should sound? Does the guidance help you lead it and respond when children need more time?
Check the instruments needed and how assessment works. If you teach mixed-age classes or are changing schemes, ask where to start.
The Model Music Curriculum is non-statutory guidance for England. Ask to see how a provider uses it in practice. For schools elsewhere in the UK, check the relevant national curriculum.
| Programme and coverage | Teacher support and progression | Curriculum position | Annual price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kapow Primary EYFS to Year 6 | Teacher videos and pupil resources; progression documents and assessment support | Provider states National Curriculum and Model Music Curriculum alignment | Use the current school-size and membership selector; excludes VAT |
| Charanga Musical School KS1 and KS2 | Schemes and interactive tools; CPD and assessment support | Includes an English Model Music Curriculum Scheme | School-specific pricing |
| Sparkyard Reception to Year 6 | Song resources; termly steps and skills-progression documents | Provider states National Curriculum coverage and addresses the Model Music Curriculum | £180 to £360 plus VAT; pupil bands and user limits apply |
| Collins Music Express Early Years to age 11 | Plans and audio resources; assessment sheets | Publishes year-by-year Model Music Curriculum guidance | Request current digital-subscription pricing |
| Oak National Academy Years 1 to 6 | Free sequenced units with lesson resources | National Curriculum aligned | Free |
| BBC Ten Pieces Primary resources include KS2 | Piece-based lesson plans for listening and creative work | Use within your wider curriculum plan | Free resources |
| Sing Education Classroom EYFS to Year 6 | On-screen specialists; built-in training and sequenced practical learning | Designed to align with the Model Music Curriculum | Full curriculum from £35 a month for a small school, billed annually; see our pricing page |
Kapow offers EYFS-to-Year-6 music with teacher training videos and progression documents. It is worth exploring if your school wants music within a wider subject membership. Use its current pricing selector: older single-subject price lists may no longer apply.
Charanga provides several music schemes, including an English Model Music Curriculum Scheme, alongside interactive tools and teacher CPD. It is worth exploring if you want a choice of pathways. Ask which scheme is being demonstrated and obtain a price for your school.
Sparkyard combines Out of the Ark songs with a Reception-to-Year-6 curriculum. It offers progressive steps and skills documents, with singing resources for wider school life. Published school prices range from £180 to £360 plus VAT annually. Check the pupil band and user allowance.
Music Express remains available digitally and in print, covering Early Years to age 11. Its digital subscription includes assessment sheets and audio resources. It is worth exploring if staff prefer a planning and resource-led approach. Request a current subscription quote; a book price is a different purchase.
Oak National Academy offers a free sequenced primary music curriculum for Years 1 to 6. BBC Ten Pieces provides piece-based resources, including a KS2 sequence for Judith Weir’s ‘Magic’ from Storm. Check how any resources you choose fit your whole-school plan.
Sing Education Classroom helps class teachers lead music with on-screen support from our specialists. Lessons come with plans and interactive slides, with training built into the programme.
Singing is central to our approach, with children actively making music throughout the lesson. The sequence helps them develop practical skills and understand how music works, supported by clear modelling from our specialists.
Explore Classroom if your teachers want specialist modelling while leading their own classes. If you need a teacher working in school, ask about Sing Education Specialist.
Shortlist a few options and involve the staff who will teach them. Use the same questions for each trial.
Teach a sample lesson, then discuss what children learned and where the teacher needed help. Ask to see how the next lesson builds on it. Check the assessment guidance against what you heard in the room.
Before buying, compare the full cost, including staff time and instruments. Agree when teachers will learn to use the resources and who will answer questions once teaching begins.
Download a free Sing Education Classroom sample at our Classroom page, or talk to us about your school at our contact page.
The best fit depends on your children and the support teachers need. Compare a lesson and its progression information, then try the resources. Involve the people who will teach the programme, as well as the music lead.
Look for a clear teaching sequence and practical lesson materials, with support for the teacher. Check how the scheme develops children’s musical skills across the years and helps staff assess their learning. The resources should fit your school’s timetable and instruments.
Many programmes support teachers with a range of musical experience. Try the training as well as the pupil resources. The useful test is whether your staff can understand the activity and feel equipped to lead it with their class.
Yes. Oak provides a sequenced primary programme, and piece-based resources can add useful material. The school still needs to consider progression and coverage across the years, with suitable support for staff. Free access does not remove the need for a teaching plan.
Yes, provided their roles and planning fit together. Agree who teaches each part and how information is shared. Sing Education Classroom supports school staff, while Sing Education Specialist provides in-school teaching. We can discuss a combination that suits your school.
A full lesson with on-screen specialist video, a step-by-step lesson plan and an interactive slide deck, sent straight to your inbox.