WITH schools across the country having to make big savings, music is often one of the first casualties.

But one Bradford primary school has recently spent a whole month celebrating music.

St Francis Catholic Primary’s Music in May event involved pupils, parents, staff and professional musicians, and saw brass band concerts, string quartets and choirs entertaining pupils.

Anne Duckworth, Teacher and Music Leader, organised the musical extravaganza, which lasted from May 1 until the school’s half term break. It was the first time such an event has been held in the school.

The month started with a song, with the school choir providing the first performance of the month with a concert for pupils and parents of choir members on May 1.

The choir has become increasingly popular in the last few months, and its members members recently sang alongside thousands of other pupils at the Young Voices event in Manchester Arena.

To give pupils a flavour of different kinds of music, the school organised a brass band concert and a string trio concert in the school hall, with the musicians wowing pupils and staff alike.

During the month, there were extra Lunchtime Music Clubs to give the children a taste of different sorts of music and instruments.

To add to their experience, every week, pupils got to meet a professional musician at a Live for 5 video event at which the musician will explained their specialism for five minutes.

There was a trumpet session with the visiting trumpet teacher, and pupils were shown how to use Garageband, an online application which allows them to compose their own music.

There was also a mass “Hymnathon” and a child-led hymn practice.

In addition, Anne Duckworth taught the children playground games accompanied by music played by pupils in Years 5 and 6.

Towards the end of the month parents were invited to a May Children’s Concert.

Mrs Duckworth said: “At St Francis we teach music using the National Curriculum and some pupils have 1-1 lessons in various instruments.

“I wanted more of a whole school approach.

“I am passionate about every child being given the chance to experience music in many different ways.

“I have seen the significant difference music and singing has made to the lives of children and adults.”

Andrea Haines, Head of St Francis, said the event had led to an increased interest in music and singing among pupils.

A short Ofsted inspection earlier this year led to St Francis maintaining its “good” rating. The result came five years on from the school receiving its first “good” rating in 2013.

Inspectors praised the school’s positive approach, saying staff had “embraced recent changes enthusiastically”, thereby demonstrating “teachers’ desire for continual improvement”.

Schools across the UK have had to tighten their purse strings in recent years due to what staff and unions argue are real term funding cuts.

It has led to fears that many schools may abandon creative subjects like music classes and the arts.