ON THE COVER
Music Education for a New Generation: Transforming Learning Through Music
F
or generations, music has been one of the most powerful places young people find self-expression, build identity and discover their ‘people’. But in 2026, as children navigate a world where isolation and disconnection are growing concerns, that need feels more urgent than ever. The question facing schools is not simply whether music belongs on the timetable – but whether we can help children come together, find their place and thrive through the joy of making music with others.
For school leaders and teachers, the priorities are clear: raise attainment, improve attendance, support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and build a culture where every child feels they belong. Group music making is often seen as a nice to have rather than a tool that can move the needle on the things schools care most about. Academic research, and a major new study from Rocksteady Music School, tell a different story.
When children make music together – in a collaborative, peer-led setting – something shifts. Social barriers soften. Children who find it harder to engage elsewhere often find their place. Self- belief builds, and with it a greater willingness to take part in the wider school life. These are not incidental side effects of a creative subject; they are documented outcomes that speak directly to what schools are working hardest to achieve. The National Plan for Music Education sets the expectation that all children should have opportunities to sing, learn an instrument and make music together – recognising that this
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www.education-today.co.uk April 2026
kind of participation belongs in a high-quality education, not in addition to it. Alongside this, the government’s current education agenda, as laid out in the 2026 Schools White Paper, and Ofsted’s revised inspection framework, place increasing emphasis on enrichment, inclusion and pupils’ sense of belonging – and group music making is well placed to contribute to all three.
When music moves children: engagement, emotion and attainment
Music has a strong, well-evidenced relationship with emotional development: taking part in music is linked to better mood, relaxation
and more confident expression of feelings (Hallam, 2010). A systematic review of music in 3-12-year-olds found that educational music activities are associated with improvements in children’s emotional intelligence, including better recognition of feelings and, in some cases, enhanced regulation of emotions (Blasco- Magraner et al., 2021).
Beyond individual experiences, group music making also builds social-emotional skills. When children keep a shared tempo, come in at the right moment and read cues from each other, they are practising listening, turn-taking and self- control. A 2022 review by Judit Váradi concludes
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