Following research that music education improves academic attainment, every Year 7 pupil at Rossall School will learn to play a wind instrument.
A wealth of scientific research over the last decade is proving that music education is a powerful tool for improving children’s attainment. At Rossall School, they have purchased an extensive array of brass and woodwind instruments so that every pupil in Year 7 can benefit from playing. Alongside the practical work, the Year 7 pupils will also be learning the theory.
Outside of lesson time the pupils are encouraged to join the brass and woodwind school ensembles that meet at lunchtime and after school.
Music study requires a high degree of precision in auditory processing; this means that musically trained children are better able to distinguish subtle details of speech, leading to improved reading, better comprehension, and also a greater ability to interpret what other people, both children and adults, are really saying.
Proven results show that at the end of the academic year the pupils will have:
• Enhanced their speech and reading skills
• Focused attention for sustained periods
• Increased their sense of empathy for others
• Learned to read and perform music
Director of Music, Mrs Margaret Young, who is spearheading the project, stated: “A primary school in Yorkshire trialled the same scheme and saw their SAT results increase by 20% in 2015. I truly believe the cultural enrichment provided by this programme will have a direct impact on the positive learning culture and subsequently contribute towards improved results. This is a really exciting time for Rossall.”
The results of the Rossall Programme will be reviewed at the end of the year, when it is hoped that the initiative can be rolled out to the Year 8 and 9 pupils.
