ON THE COVER
The National Parent Survey 2025 found that school unhappiness doubles between primary and secondary, underlining how important early confidence and social foundations are for what comes next.
that taking part in music can foster skills such as self-awareness, self-management and co- operation – which in turn lay the foundations for stronger engagement and learning across the curriculum.
This pattern shows up clearly in schools using structured, group-based music approaches. In 2025, Rocksteady’s Amplifying Children’s Voices project – one of the largest studies into primary music education ever conducted in the UK – gathered responses from 9,681 children, educators and parents, exploring the specific impact of its band-based programme on children’s experience of school, passion for music and holistic outcomes.
In that study, 88% of teachers reported that band-based music – rooted in peer-led, child- centred learning – supports pupils’ academic progress in other lessons, with over 60% seeing improvements in concentration and listening skills outside of band lessons. Pupils themselves reflected this, with 92% reporting greater confidence and self-belief from being on the programme, and 50% saying that learning music in a band with their peers helps them feel happier and more relaxed at school.
These findings point to something teachers often observe but less often see evidenced at scale: that the qualities children develop through group-led music making – listening, collaboration, self-expression and teamwork – carry directly into how they engage with learning across the rest of the curriculum.
Finding your people: music, inclusion and belonging
Belonging is increasingly recognised as a key part of a high-quality school experience, but it’s not something every child feels equally. The National Parent Survey 2025 found that over two million children report feeling unhappy at school – and for those with additional needs, the picture is even more acute. Research from the #BeeWell programme published in 2025 found that children with SEND are among those least likely to feel they belong, reporting significantly lower levels of school connection than their peers. This is precisely where the power of music becomes most relevant. Music has always been the place where young people find their tribe – but that doesn’t happen passively. It happens when children are given the space, the
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instruments and the encouragement to make something together. They stop being individuals in a room and become a collective. In inclusive, accessible, group-based programmes such as Rocksteady’s, this has been seen clearly: 98% of teachers reported that participation positively impacts pupils with SEND and social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH), and 79% of pupils said it helps them fit in – not by changing who they are, but by giving them the confidence to be themselves. For children with SEND, the impact on how they feel about coming to school is especially striking. Only 34% reported feeling excited to attend school on a normal day, compared to 64% of children without SEND – yet this rises to 96% on Rocksteady band lesson days, almost matching their peers at 97%. This change also shows up in attendance: 40% of teachers report improved attendance among Rocksteady pupils with attendance challenges.
A foundation for life: music beyond primary school
The benefits of group-based music making don’t stop when children leave primary school. The transition from primary to secondary can be one of the most significant – and unsettling – moments in a child’s education.
Making music in a group builds exactly the kinds of skills that help young people navigate new environments – the ability to listen, collaborate, perform in front of others and form friendships through shared experience. According to Rocksteady’s research, 37% of alumni parents said their child’s experience on the programme helped them transition to secondary school more easily, with 95% saying it supported their child’s confidence performing in front of an audience. When children discover a passion for music in primary school, they tend to carry it with them. It becomes part of how they see themselves. 66% of former Rocksteady pupils are still playing an instrument in secondary school, with 81% of those still playing the instrument they first learned in their band. Music becomes part of who they are – and it stays that way.
This is what it means to give children music for a new generation – not just a lesson on the timetable, but an experience that shapes identity, builds belonging and travels with them long after the school bell rings. For schools navigating the demands of enrichment, inclusion, attendance and personal development, the evidence is clear: helping children succeed together through music may be one of the most powerful interventions available.
Rocksteady Music School is the UK’s leading provider of contemporary, band-based music programmes in primary schools. Refined through nearly two decades of teaching, this curriculum- aligned approach to teaching music is accessible for all children – regardless of experience or background – and is designed to advance schools’ wellbeing, inclusion and pupil development priorities.
Discover why Rocksteady is the trusted musical enrichment partner for more than 4,000 schools: u
pages.rocksteadymusicschool.com/ education-today
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