4,000 Bristol primary school pupils to benefit from unique £1 million+ music education programme

This month, we’re spotlighting something truly special. The Earthsong Programme – a pioneering partnership between Bristol Beacon and the Earthsong Foundation has already transformed music education for thousands of young people across the city. Now, it’s about to go even further.

Thanks to a new £680,000 grant, Earthsong is entering its second phase; a five-year journey that will bring weekly, high-quality music lessons to every child in 11 primary schools across Bristol. This follows an initial award of £500,000 to establish the programme.

With a focus on creativity, confidence, and connection, this isn’t just about learning instruments, it’s about unlocking potential, developing skills, raising aspirations, and making sure that every child can experience the joy of music.

The Earthsong Programme is the only one of its kind in the UK – the result of a partnership between the Earthsong Foundation and Bristol Beacon. Its first phase, which ran from 2019-24, reached 3,150 children, provided 5,670 music lessons and loaned over 500 instruments to children across 13 Bristol primary schools, with a focus on those located in areas of multiple deprivation.

Earthsong offers weekly, whole-class music education lessons led by specialist teachers. This is made possible through an innovative model, which combines philanthropic funding from the Earthsong Foundation with government investment, delivered by Bristol Beacon in our role as the regional Music Hub lead.

A recent study by specialist educational assessors to understand the impact of the five-year programme on young people who would not otherwise have had access to specialist music education, has revealed cross-curricular benefits for the pupils. Alongside the musical skills, they demonstrated improved confidence and self esteem; greater listening skills, attention and engagement in school activity; better mental health and wellbeing; and improved social skills.

The programme will continue in a second phase, this time reaching every child in 11 primary schools. Following on from teaching the foundational musical principles of pitch, rhythm and tempo through singing games and learning instruments, the programme is now expanding to teach every child how to compose music.

Suze Pole, co-founder of the Earthsong Foundation said: “Our ambition is to get music education back in the classroom, giving every child the opportunity for life-long participation in music. Earthsong schools offer all children equal access to music learning, regardless of background or ability, improving their mental health, confidence, lifeskills and friendships.”

Adam Kent, Director of Creative Learning and Engagement at Bristol Beacon, said: “We are delighted to have found a partner in the Earthsong Foundation who understands the importance of music education. Through models like Earthsong, which combines philanthropy with funding we receive as the region’s Music Hub lead from Department for Education, we can ensure that music education and the next generation of musicians do not disappear from this country. We want to put Bristol on the map for young people’s music-making; use this evidence to influence government understanding of the impact of music education and reverse cuts to funding and deprioritisation in the curriculum.”

Kirsten Cunningham, Assistant Head at Horfield CE Primary school, part of the Earthsong programme since its inception, said: “What I love about the programme is it is opening doors for all the children. Alongside music education, we’ve seen positive effects on students’ listening skills, attention span and oracy, as well as on progression and overall engagement in school. In the words of our children, ‘music is everything’.”

The 11 Bristol schools participating in the Earthsong Programme are Ashley Down Primary School, Brunel Field Primary School, Cabot Primary School, Evergreen Primary Academy, Fonthill Primary Academy and Horfield Church of England Primary School.

Also included are Minerva Primary Academy, Parson Street Primary School, St Mary Redcliffe Church of England Primary School, Stoke Park Primary School and St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School.