A spectacular launch to the programme to increase singing opportunities for primary school children

On Wednesday 21 November, Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, announced a £332 million investment in music for Schools, choirs, orchestras, new instruments, performance and free music lessons.

Part of this announcement included Sing Up, the new Government funded national singing programme which aims to increase opportunities for primary school-aged children to enjoy singing as part of their everyday lives in school, the home and in the wider community. 

Sing Up launched on the same day with official spokesperson and singing star Jamelia appearing on BBC Breakfast and Radio Five Live, followed by a host of radio interviews where she was joined by Singing Ambassador, Howard Goodall.  Next stop was Tower Hamlets School Hall for a photocall with Ex Cathdra singing groups and a vocal warm up in preparation for the Sing Up day-long bus tour. 

At Archbishop Sumner School in Lambeth, the bus’ final stop, our singers joined forces with the school children to take part in a workshop.  It culminated in a fantastic performance for our special guests Ed Balls and Lord Andrew Adonis who were joined by Youth Music CEO Christina Coker, Howard Goodall and Jamelia.

All in all a fantastic day and a great kick-start to the campaign.

The Sing Up programme will provide resources to help teachers and parents to put singing back at the heart of children’s lives and its aim is to put singing at the heart of every primary school in England by 2011. The response to the Sing Up initiative has been fantastic and in the first week the Sing Up website has attracted over 17,000 visitors.

www.singup.org is a national singing resource including an online songbook of new and traditional songs and all the resources that teachers need to integrate singing in their classroom activities. The website is supported by a magazine with CD materials available free of charge to all primary schools. 

According to the Music Manifesto Report ‘Every Child Matters’, singing provides a universal route into participative music making for every child and builds community involvement at all ages. 

For more information visit www.singup.org