Save the Orchestra at Over Primary School

Save the Orchestra at Over Primary School

Unfortunately the much loved orchestra at Over Primary school run by Mrs Street have this week had their funding removed, as a consequence of the extreme financial pressure the school is under. The Orchestra is an incredible asset to the school, benefitting the children who attend on Friday mornings but also the wider school community through their wonderful concerts and assemblies.

At a time when educational authorities beyond the school unfortunately deem music 'non essential' and arts budgets have been systematically slashed, we are fighting to save the orchestra because we know that music in education is in fact vital. Research shows that music is THE most important subject for children when it comes to improving learning outcomes in ALL other areas.

The huge benefits of music education for children and the research behind it are summarised briefly here:

1. Music enhances core academic learning.

Research has consistently shown that music education supports language development, reading skills, and mathematical ability. Children who study music show improved verbal memory, literacy, and even IQ (Schellenberg, 2004). Studies such as those by Forgeard et al. (2008) and Tierney & Kraus (2013) demonstrate strong links between musical training and improved auditory processing, which is essential for phonics and language learning.

2. Music fosters executive function and focus.

Playing an instrument in an orchestra requires sustained attention, memory, discipline, and coordination—skills that are transferable to every other subject.

3. Music nurtures emotional wellbeing and social development.

Group music-making provides children with a powerful emotional outlet and a sense of belonging. It builds self-esteem, resilience, and empathy. Children involved in musical ensembles report higher levels of life satisfaction and emotional regulation (Rickard et al., 2013; Hallam, 2010).

4. Music supports inclusive, holistic education.

An orchestra is one of the few learning environments where children of diverse abilities, backgrounds, and learning styles can collaborate as equals. It encourages teamwork, listening, patience, and leadership—skills not always explicitly taught elsewhere in the curriculum.

Maintaining our orchestra would be one of the most powerful things we could do to make sure we are nurturing engaged, capable, and well-rounded young learners. The orchestra is one of the things our school is most proud of, and so we are working together to find a way to keep it running for the benefit of both current and future students at Over Primary.

We are seeking to raise £5,000 by the end of term so the Orchestra can carry on for the new academic year (2025/26). Longer term, we are hoping to create a fund to secure a sustainable future for the Orchestra.