The cost depends on who teaches the lessons and the support your school needs. A curriculum subscription gives your staff resources. A staffed service also provides teaching time.
Start with the music you want children to experience each week. Then compare the cost of delivering it, including the work your own staff will retain.
| Option | Price or budgeting basis | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum for your staff | Sing Education Classroom: full curriculum from £35 a month for a small school, billed annually; see our pricing page | Confirm the package; budget for staff teaching time and instruments |
| Singing and curriculum subscription | Sparkyard: £180 to £360 plus VAT | Pupil band and staff-user allowance |
| Other curriculum subscriptions | Kapow: current membership selector. Charanga: school-specific pricing. Music Express: request digital-subscription pricing | Compare the exact package and current renewal terms |
| Directly employed teacher | Salary at the agreed contract fraction, plus employer costs | Teacher pay and pension arrangements; preparation and management time |
| Self-employed music teacher | Request a quote for the timetable and role | Preparation, assessment and absence arrangements |
| Music hub or local music service | Local quotation | Teaching format, subsidy eligibility and instrument hire |
| Managed specialist service | School-specific proposal from Sing Education | Teaching allocation and the full service included |
| Individual or small-group tuition | Request current fees for your school | Lesson format and charging interval; help with fees |
A subscription can suit schools where class teachers will lead music. Sing Education Classroom’s full curriculum starts from £35 a month for a small school, billed annually. See all packages and prices on our pricing page.
Other providers have different packages. Sparkyard publishes school-size bands. Kapow uses a membership selector, while Charanga provides school-specific pricing. Request a current Music Express digital-subscription quote.
Allow for instruments and staff time as well as the subscription.
Direct employment gives the school responsibility for the role. Budget for employer costs as well as salary, and agree the time needed for preparation and assessment.
The published 2026 teacher pay document gives these full-time ranges from 1 September 2026. They apply to maintained schools in England; academy arrangements can differ. Allowances are additional.
| Area | Main pay range | Upper pay range |
|---|---|---|
| England outside the London area | £34,069 to £46,940 | £49,134 to £52,835 |
| London fringe | £35,602 to £48,479 | £50,625 to £54,328 |
| Outer London | £39,196 to £52,241 | £54,047 to £58,120 |
| Inner London | £41,729 to £54,131 | £59,650 to £64,684 |
For a part-time appointment, ask payroll to calculate the contract fraction and employer costs. A day on site does not describe all the duties in the role.
Ask for a quote against your actual timetable. An hourly fee may cover only teaching, or include preparation and other work. Confirm what happens if the teacher is absent.
Your music hub or service may offer whole-class instrumental programmes and local support. Check which activities qualify for subsidy and how long that support lasts.
Sing Education Specialist provides an in-school teacher, with a curriculum and ongoing management from our team. We recruit and train the teacher, with support and quality assurance.
Tell us which classes need teaching and how music fits your week. We’ll prepare a proposal showing the teaching allocation and what’s included. Enquire at our contact page or explore our Specialist page.
Give each provider the same timetable and number of teaching weeks. State whether you want assemblies or clubs as well as curriculum lessons. That makes the quotes easier to compare.
Check who plans and assesses the learning. Ask about instrument costs and absence arrangements, with VAT shown clearly. A lower headline fee may leave more work with school staff.
If you employ someone directly, budget for recruitment and ongoing support. With a subscription, allow staff time to prepare. With a managed service, agree how the school and provider will review the teaching.
Follow current Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance, including references and the appropriate safeguarding checks. Confirm DBS and barred-list requirements for the role.
Maintained schools have qualification rules and specified exceptions. Academies may have different requirements, including funding-agreement conditions. Ask HR to check the appointment.
Ask the candidate to explain a lesson. Listen for how they would model the music and help everyone take part. Musical skill matters, alongside the ability to teach a primary class.
Treat curriculum music as part of the school’s core provision. Use additional funding only where its conditions allow.
Pupil premium can support appropriate enrichment linked to disadvantaged pupils’ identified needs and the school’s strategy. It is not a general music budget. Your hub may also offer support for particular activities or pupils.
Parent-requested instrumental or vocal tuition can be chargeable within the rules. Ordinary curriculum music cannot simply be relabelled as optional tuition. DfE guidance also protects first-access provision and looked-after children.
Voluntary contributions must be voluntary, with no child excluded because a family cannot or will not pay. Check the school’s charging and remissions policy. PE and sport premium should not fund ordinary music provision or PPA staffing.
Before agreeing a programme, check renewal terms and what happens when any subsidy ends. The aim is music your school can sustain.
Discuss curriculum support at our Classroom page, specialist teaching at our Specialist page or additional tuition at our Tuition page.
There is no single national price. Direct employment involves salary and employer costs. A freelance or managed-service quote depends on the work included. Compare offers against your own timetable, with preparation and absence arrangements stated.
A subscription has a lower purchase price because your staff teach the lessons. A staffed service also buys teaching time. Compare the total school cost and the support you need, including the time your own staff will spend delivering the programme.
Some optional instrumental or vocal tuition can be charged for, subject to the rules and the school’s policy. That does not permit charging for ordinary curriculum music. Explain the format and help with fees before families register.
It can support eligible activity that addresses disadvantaged pupils’ identified needs. Link the spending to your strategy and current funding conditions. Set out what you expect it to achieve and how you will review it; do not assume every music activity qualifies.
The teaching allocation and number of weeks should be clear. Check preparation, assessment and absence arrangements, with instrument costs and additional charges stated. Ask whether VAT is included and use the same specification when comparing providers.
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