ISM Trust launches free resource on breaking down barriers to singing

The Independent Society of Musicians Trust (ISM Trust) has announced a new online resource aimed at helping teachers to understand and overcome barriers to singing for children and young people.

Developed in partnership with Voices Foundation and supported by the Schools Music Association (SMA), ‘Breaking the Singing Barrier’ is designed for classroom teachers working in early years settings, primary, and secondary schools across the UK.

The free resource will be made up of four webinars, taking place in April and May 2024, and 20 short videos, which will be released between February and June 2024.

Featuring experts from across the sector, the resource will explore SEND barriers to singing, cultural barriers to singing, differing barriers between primary and secondary singing, and the psychological and personal barriers to singing.

ISM chief executive Deborah Annetts said: ‘The ISM has long advocated for a singing to be at the heart of the school. We called for a focus on singing in the refreshed National Plan for Music Education for England, and were pleased that the Plan recognised that singing should be a “core element of musical learning” in both primary and secondary schools.

‘Singing has many educational benefits. However, children and young people often do not have the chance to fully experience the joy of singing due to a variety of barriers, from changing voices and performance anxiety to cultural expectations and accessibility.’

The resource is designed to complement the ISM Trust’s free ‘Primary Music Toolkit’, supported by the SMA, and free ‘Primary Singing Toolkit’, produced in partnership with Voices Foundation and supported by the SMA.

Manvinder Rattan, chief executive of Voices Foundation, said: ‘I am delighted that the ISM has collaborated again with the Voices Foundation team to create this invaluable resource for teachers to help them overcome the multifarious barriers that prevent children from enjoying singing, with the all the benefits we know that brings.  

‘What I'm particularly delighted by is that this resource does not only recognise these barriers but also offers achievable solutions to make singing more accessible, and allows teachers to make the difference our children so richly deserve.’

The ISM Trust is the sister charity of the ISM, offering a range of professional development to those working in music.

Access ‘Breaking the Singing Barrier’ and register for the webinars at ism.org/btsb