Singing
Using our voice is the most natural and enjoyable ways to be involved in music-making. With the support of our partners, SoundStorm programmes a diverse offer for schools to enhance and support all kinds of singing from Key Stage 1 through Key Stage 5.
Early Years and Infants Work
In these early years of development in our member settings, singing is embedded in everything children do. Our tailored support for Infant Schools includes the delivery of Musicianship Workshops by a specialist practitioner as part of their membership package, with singing underpinning these sessions. Our Early Years work also recognises the importance of singing and is a large feature of our work within EYFS settings. Our recent work in partnership with Take Art and subsequent projects offered the opportunity for various member schools to host early childhood music practitioners for facilitation and modelling of activities and reflection, as well as CPD sessions for our wider network and the option to sign up for a 6-week online course.
Singing at Primary
Our member Primary, Junior and First schools all have an assigned Coordinator from the SoundStorm team who will meet and speak regularly with the school’s Music Lead to discuss the school’s curriculum and extra-curricular provision. Our support can then be tailored to, but not limited to, singing support from a specialist practitioner to develop a choir or support with running singing assemblies. The schools all have access to Charanga as part of their membership package, a resource with extensive singing content, as well as access to our CPD Skills Days which frequently involve integrated and/or discreet content on singing.
Outside of their school settings, our schools are offered frequent opportunities to become involved with singing in the wider Hub, including projects such as the Massed Junior Contemporary Choir which involved six schools learning and contributing ideas to six schools composed by Doug Gould; the choir then came together to rehearse as a group of 100+ young singers before a stunning performance at The Lighthouse on 4th July 2024. Our offer for the academic year 2024-25 includes an afternoon workshop with the renowned VOCES8 Foundation as well as a new partnership with St Peter’s Church in Bournemouth, starting the school year as we mean to go on with workshops at the Church in September. It is our hope to develop this partnership as well as promote the Progression opportunities the St Peter’s Church Choral Foundation offer to singers in BCP.
It is our hope to develop this partnership as well as promote the Progression opportunities the St Peter’s Church Choral Foundation offer to singers in BCP: Home – St Peter’s Choral Foundation
Singing at Secondary
The transition from Primary to Secondary phase can be a time when young people, for all sorts of reasons, lessen their involvement in musical activities. To try to help our schools in combatting this, SoundStorm launched a transition form sent out to all member schools with a Year 6 cohort in early Summer 2024 through which parents/guardians could opt to share information with their child’s Secondary School Music Department about their musical experiences and interests. Additionally, we offer Secondaries an array of additional opportunities suitable as Progression from those in Primary. For example, our partnership with VOCES8 sees singers of the highest calibre working in-school with young people. We can also offer singing support to schools who need this provision.
Key Stage 2 Singing Day in partnership with Lighthouse Poole
Following the success of March 2026’s event, we are thrilled to be bringing over 20 schools together in March 2027 for a day of singing. Hosted by our partner organisation Lighthouse Poole, this workshop day will be led once again by Emily Barden with a live house band and will feature individual schools performing on stage as well as a massed performance of over 600 voices at the end of the afternoon.
If you are a school signed up to this event, click here to access our event webpage (password protected).
Live & Inspired
As part of our Live & Inspired programme every member school receives one performance input in school each academic year. Many of these celebrate and inspire with singing and vocal work.
BandStorm
A real highlight of SoundStorm’s annual programme, BandStorm 2026 lived up to the excitement and high standards of previous years. The array of talented local youngsters was huge, leaving our team with the difficult job of whittling bands down to two full days of Heats at Absolute Music – and even more of a challenge for our judging panel at the final itself, held at Bournemouth’s Old Firestation. Please keep an eye on our website and social media channels for announcements
The Music Club
Singers and instrumentalists alike, the door is open for you at The Music Club if you are aged 12-17.
