After 10 years in Music Education, we have learnt that an inspiring curriculum backed up by expert training has been the key to great music across our 85 Primary Schools
2014. The year Sia released “Chandelier,” Bruno Mars made us dance to “Uptown Funk,” and Psy’s “Gangnam Style” hit 2 billion YouTube views! But while the world was grooving, Sing Education was starting its own rhythm—a mission to bring the power of music into primary schools across the UK.
From our humble start with just a few London schools, we’ve grown to impact thousands of students across the country. A decade later, our mission remains the same: to enable children to experience the joy and transformative power of music, by singing and making music together at school.
Music education is a game-changer. It not only boosts a school’s academic standing but also enriches other learning areas, fosters creativity, and nurtures the emotional well-being of students who might be battling social isolation, low self-esteem, or anxiety.
One of our passionate teachers shared, “I absolutely love seeing the children’s confidence grow when they are singing and making music, and you can see the difference between where they started and where they are now.”
Music has been scientifically proven to play a crucial role in brain development. “Learning about music and having the opportunity to play musical instruments and make music together is a vital part of a rich and rounded education. It has also been proven that music plays a key role in brain development. This is because it helps with the nurturing of language, motor skills, emotional intelligence, and collaboration skills.” GOV2. The ripple effects are real: a solid music education unlocks not only musical talent but boosts pupils’ well-being, math skills, and love for learning.
We’re incredibly proud of the impact we’ve had. This past year alone, 25,000 children experienced music every week in our partner schools. Across our 85 partner schools, we held 106 music clubs and choirs, giving kids more ways to express themselves. And with the debut of our updated curriculum (1,896 lessons, no less!), children from Reception to Year 6 are learning Percussion, Glockenspiel, Recorder and Ukulele — engaging with music in a hands-on, joyful way.
And the stories we hear? Priceless. In June, the team shared some of their highlights from the year. One teacher shared how a “non-verbal nursery student is now singing with enthusiasm,” while another saw an “amazing transformation in behavior and attitude” in their class. That’s the power of music in action!
So, what’s our secret sauce? It’s simple: Curriculum + Training = Music that transforms lives.
At Sing Education, we’ve developed a curriculum that’s not only fun but full of skill-building activities designed to help children grow as musicians. Our curriculum spans Early Years to Year 6, fully aligned with the Model Music Curriculum and Development Matters. We build pupils’ musical skills incrementally, ensuring they’re ready for KS3 and beyond.
One teacher told us, “I like how interactive [the curriculum] is. I like how we’re using instruments…the kids are so eager to play together and to feel more part of the music class.”
To bring this curriculum to life, we don’t just rely on the occasional “unicorn” teacher with a music degree. As The Headteacher magazine put it, “If you can attract a qualified teacher with a music subject specialism, then that is one thing, but these unicorns are few and far between..” THT. So what do we do? We create them! Every year, our teachers receive over 70 hours of training, and our Teaching and Training Managers are always pushing them to reach new heights—both in their teaching and in their musicianship.
“My mission,” says Anna Parrish, our Teaching and Training Manager, “is to support teachers with their teaching and their work with the children in schools, but also to flourish as musicians and performers and how that can come out in their teaching and inspire the children as well.”
Music doesn’t just stay within the walls of the music room. It often spills over into all areas of a child’s life. We regularly hear from headteachers, SENDCo’s, and class teachers that students who struggle elsewhere in school find a special connection with music.
For children who face challenges in engaging or communicating, music can be a safe and creative outlet. Our singing assemblies and music lessons provide every child the opportunity to contribute, collaborate, and create something truly magical.
With our ever-expanding knowledge of school environments, we’ve honed our ability to engage all learners, including those with special educational needs (SEND). Our Kodály-inspired curriculum ensures every lesson is packed with active music-making, tailored to meet the diverse needs of all students.
We’ve now conducted over 8 Ofsted music deep dives, all earning outstanding or good judgements. Our comprehensive Music Curriculum Pack ensures that school leaders, music leads, teachers, and even Ofsted have a clear roadmap for our pedagogy and children’s progression in our music curriculum.
Plus, we’ve developed a handy Ofsted inspection guide to support our teachers to talk confidently about music in their school and demonstrate how music has made an impact.
Even if you’re not one of our Sing Education partner schools yet, you can still tap into our resources! From our NPME summary to fun warm-up activities, we’ve got something for everyone. Many schools have already used our Music Development Plan template to streamline their music planning and save precious time.
Our resource library is ever-growing, and we’re thrilled to announce a major new resource launching in September 2025. We can’t share all the details just yet, but it’s going to provide even more support for teachers delivering world-class music education.
Looking ahead to the next decade, our goal remains unchanged: to make high-quality music education accessible to every child, no matter their background or ability. With exciting expansion plans and new resources in the works, we can’t wait to see what’s next for Sing Education—and for the thousands of students whose lives will be touched by the music we share.
To learn more about Sing Education, including how our curricular provision, 1:1 and small group instrumental lessons plus at home music learning resources contribute to a well-rounded music programme, please visit www.singeducation.co.uk/schools
Founded in 2014 and serving more than 16,000 children each week, Sing Education is a first class provider of primary school music education. Focusing on high-quality, singing-led tuition, we deliver a complete solution for schools which includes teacher recruitment, training and management, bespoke curricular resources and educational consultancy services.
Through music lessons, singing assemblies, choirs, after school clubs and instrumental tuition, Sing Education works with students from Nursery right through to Year 6. Our core philosophy is that “Every Child Has A Voice,” and, as educators active in the classroom, our directors and teachers know firsthand how much young learners benefit from exciting, rewarding music education.
Sing Education currently partners with schools throughout Greater London and Kent, as well as Yorkshire and the Humber.
Not yet on the list? Please enquire about our expansion plans for additional areas we will serve during the 2023-24 academic year.
#SingEducation #HubsAndSpokes #InsideMusicEd
Music national curriculum 2023 – why it’s important, benefits and activity ideas for teachers TeachWire TW
