Soundbops: Blackfriars Primary School Case Study

In this case study, find out how children from as young as 5 years old started their musical journey with Soundbops. 

A new approach to teaching primary music

Blackfriars Primary School is a council-run school in the southside of Glasgow, Scotland. Blackfriars runs a programme called ‘Baby Strings’, a hands-off, external expert-led course that introduces children in early years settings to violins and sheet music.

Due to the pandemic, progress in this course has not been as consistent as previous years have been. Soundbops was trialled for an afternoon in a P2 and P3 class (Y1 and Y2 in England and Wales) to see how teachers and children responded to working with the instruments and the educational resources.

After being introduced to the instrument, children were allowed to work through songs and try out different tasks from the ‘Soundbops on Safari’ project. These projects are included in the Soundbops publications. The first book comes free with each instrument, and other Soundbops books are available for purchase from Warwick Music Publishing. 

Blackfriars Primary School class teacher Mrs Macmillan felt that Soundbops and its resources offered a “great introduction to music, the fact that all the notes are there, and they can be playing all the notes, and they can put them into different orders, I think that’s a great idea.”

Music education for all, delivered by all teachers

Mrs MacMillan found that Soundbops acted as an accessible way for the pupils to engage in music.

Children in both classes were drawn to the tactile pieces and bright, simplified notation that Soundbops brings.

“The kids were really engaged, especially the ASN children, and children who actually have difficulty reading, I could see that they were following the musical notes in the book.” She felt that across the board “they got a lot out of it today, really enjoyed it.”

As for accessibility for teachers, Mrs MacMillan felt that the resources were more than competent for educational use.

“Having had a quick look through the workbooks and things, it certainly is very comprehensive.” She remarked that she “wasn’t a musical teacher” adding that “I think it’s very easy for a non-musical teacher to pick up and run with.”

• Want to find out more about Soundbops? Check out the Soundbops product page for more information and where to buy.
• Soundbops certainly got the nod of approval in Glasgow...but if you're still unsure how Soundbops can help children start music smarter, check out this article. 
• Although Soundbops is an accessible, affordable option for the classroom, it's great to use at home too. Read our Soundbops parent review to find out more.