Music Teacher - Creating a music-centred school

Music teachers often find that their subject is at the bottom of the pecking order in schools. But headteacher Eiron Bailey demonstrates that taking a positive and proactive attitude can change both perceptions and practice, and bring music to the heart of the school’s life.

Trinity Academy’s choirs and orchestra perform at the Bristol Beacon - Courtesy Trinity Academy

As music teachers, we long to bring the power of music to the fore in our schools, knowing that music amplifies outcomes well beyond its own curriculum borders; that it can be the glue that binds a school community; and that it enriches individual lives in a unique and powerful way. I have worked in six schools in my career, ranging from one with a barely existing music department to others with performing arts specialisms. In 2019 I opened a new school, Trinity Academy, on a very deprived estate in Bristol, with a specialism in music. Through these experiences, I have learned a number of things about making music a key part of the life of a school and motivating young people to get involved and stay involved.