Music Partnership with St Martin's Garden Primary School
In Summer 2025, King Edward’s School (KES), in partnership with Bath Philharmonia’s Creative Learning Team and St Martin’s Garden Primary School (SMGP), delivered an impactful Community Music Outreach Project. This initiative aimed to bring live music-making opportunities to young people, particularly those in a nearby state primary schools where, due to a number of factors, music education has diminished in recent years. The project also included an emotionally engaging collaboration with the Margaret Coates Centre Resource Base, supporting pupils with a diagnosis of an Autistic Spectrum Condition.
Aims
The Community Music Outreach Project aimed to:
- Broaden access to high-quality live music experiences for local primary pupils
- Reignite engagement with music in a context where provision has declined
- Provide inclusive, therapeutic musical opportunities for pupils with additional needs
- Develop leadership, empathy and mentoring skills among KES senior pupils
- Strengthen partnerships between independent education, state schools and professional arts organisations
Background
Delivered in Summer 2025, this project built on the success of a 2023 outreach programme and was developed in partnership with Bath Philharmonia’s Creative Learning Team and St Martin’s Garden Primary School (SMGP).
The initiative focused on Rebecca Dale’s There Will Come as a creative stimulus and introduced a range of tuned and percussion instruments to deepen engagement.
A key component was collaboration with the Margaret Coates Centre Resource Base, supporting pupils with a diagnosis of an Autistic Spectrum Condition, including non-verbal learners.
The programme unfolded across four stages, including digital music creation, an orchestral rehearsal experience at The Forum, and a full-day workshop culminating in a live performance by 60 SMGP pupils.
Resources
The project combined expertise, facilities and creative input from multiple partners:
Bath Philharmonia Creative Learning Team: provided specialist music leaders, therapeutic expertise and programme design
KES staff and senior pupils: supported delivery, mentoring and facilitation
Professional musicians: including an orchestral rehearsal featuring cellist Laura van der Heijden
Instruments and equipment: djembes, violins, keyboards, samba kit, ukuleles and digital audio tools
School settings: The Forum, Bath, and on-site delivery at SMGP
This collaborative model enabled a rich, immersive musical experience supported by both educational and professional expertise.
Impact
The project delivered clear educational, social and emotional impact:
Increased musical awareness and aspiration: Many SMGP pupils encountered a live orchestra for the first time; prior to the project, few could define what an orchestra was
Enhanced engagement in music-making: Pupils actively participated in workshops and performance, demonstrating enthusiasm and creativity
Inclusive access to expression: Pupils from the Margaret Coates Centre engaged in music through therapeutic approaches, with non-verbal pupils able to communicate through sound
Professional inspiration: Exposure to live rehearsal and performance broadened pupils’ understanding of musical pathways
Legacy impact: SMGP staff reported plans to increase ongoing music provision following the project
As one teacher noted, the workshops “filled our children with joy and inspiration”, while Bath Philharmonia highlighted the project as an example of a powerful “ecosystem of collaboration”.
Pupil Involvement
Pupils were central to every stage of the project. SMGP pupils (Year 5 and 6) participated in hands-on workshops, instrument learning and a final live performance for parents.
Margaret Coates Centre pupils, including non-verbal learners, engaged in digital and therapeutic music-making, contributing creatively to the project.
KES senior pupils played an active mentoring role, supporting younger pupils, facilitating sessions and developing leadership and empathy
Frequency
This is the second such workshop to take place.
