Music provides a non-verbal route to expression and achievement that does not depend on English fluency. For children experiencing trauma, anxiety, or disengagement the structure and community of weekly music offers exactly the consistent, joyful experience that supports emotional regulation and re-engagement with school.  State schools educate 93% of UK children but lack the resources to provide meaningful musical interventions.  Hence, the majority of those who go on to study music at a higher level come from private schools.

Cotswolds Arts Through Schools (CATS) is a partnership of local arts organisations delivering professional arts education — visual arts, music, drama, dance, opera, and oracy — to children in state primary schools across Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire. CATS places professional musicians, artists, and performers directly into schools, train teachers, provide instruments, and fund transport to performances.

William Morris Primary School in Banbury currently has no music provision —  no specialist teacher, no singing programme, very few instruments and no choir. Its 234 children begin and end each week with no musical experience whatsoever. The school serves one of Banbury’s most deprived communities: 28% of the children receive Free School Mealsand 35% have English as an Additional Language. Banbury’s deprivation is hidden behind an affluent county postcode. Families here can rarely afford music lessons; many children have never heard a professional musician play.

This grant will fund a professional musician with primary school experience to work at William Morris for one full day each week throughout the academic year. All 234 children will receive: weekly whole-school singing; class instrument teaching; access to the school choir; at least two public performances including the St Mary’s multi-school concert; starter instruments for the school to keep; and teacher CPD via Charanga, Sing Up, and Aurora. Every child will participate — there is no selection by ability, background, or language.

Based on experience of other music-rich schools, outcomes will include better attendance, improved behaviour, higher engagement and significant wellbeing benefits amongst participants.