A Choir in Every School: Helping Children Sing

From singing along to music in the car, to joining in during an assembly, to football chants – you don’t have to be able to hold a note to have fun with a song. Singing comes easy to everyone, as it’s free and accessible. It’s a fantastic way to bring people together and create a community of enjoyment! So why don’t we see more choirs in schools?

Here at Rayburn Tours, we love to see school, youth, and adult groups come together to have fun and let their talents shine, and we are passionate about arming teachers and leaders with the resources to lead a successful music group. This is something that ‘A Choir in Every School’ hope to achieve.

What is a Choir in every school?

A Choir in Every School is an inspiring movement spearheaded by Music Teachers Association (MTA) President James Manwaring MBE, with the simple aim to provide every young person in the UK with access to a choir in their school. The word ‘Choir’ is often thought to be linked to hymns and faith, however it is simply a term for a group of people singing together – which is what James is aiming to create on mass across the UK!

Research found that there is a shortage of singing taking place in schools – especially secondary schools- despite the positive impact that singing had on young people, including their confidence, wellbeing, community, and musical development. A Choir in Every School wants to change this. To achieve their goal, they aim to support teachers and adults who want to create and lead choirs. By providing guidance and resources, teachers and adults will feel more confident and be equipped with a strong starting point.

How do they aim to achieve this?

ACIES focuses on 3 principal areas: Start, Support, Sustain.

Start a choir if there is not one! Find a choir leader and arm them with the tools and confidence to kick it off. Support choir leaders and schools by providing resources, encouragement, and guidance to establish singing as part of their culture. Sustain these choirs by helping them thrive, grow, and diversify by giving them opportunities to progress and develop their repertoire.

These resources will include webinars lead by experts and professionals, networking opportunities, and partnerships with organisations to support and help these choirs grow.

What is the overall goal of A Choir in Every School?

Ensuring teachers and leaders are equipped to lead a choir so every young person has access to a singing group is just the beginning. James wants to do more than just support children’s mental health, sense of community, and confidence. He wants to engage students and inspire them to take their musical enthusiasm forward into their GCSE’s, A-levels, and other higher levels of education – even creating more music teachers and choir leaders to carry on the choir cycle.

How can I get involved?

Starting a new choir is easier than you think, all you need is a room and a group of students wanting to join in! Resources are available for free on the Music Teachers Association website, where you can find out more and sign up for their newsletter. We are excited to see what this initiative can do for young people!