Singing in schools - why does it stop in secondary?

[Scarydinosaurs]

Heard this on the BBC today:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c157de198k1o

Half of secondary school state students never sing in school - but private schools and primary schools manage it.

I definitely remember singing in secondary school, but just asked my secondary school aged child and she says they never do, not even in music lessons.

I actually am an awful singer, but I really enjoy a good sing, and think it’s sad we don’t have this anymore. Singing together is something I think British people are really good at (thinking about festivals and concerts etc). But if we don’t practice it and it’s dropped from schools we’ll just lose it. Singing shouldn’t just be for faith schools/private schools.

Oh boy, you should move to Wales, if you are in an eisteddfod type school it never ends. NEVER!

Lose what? If people have a particular desire to sing they will seek out the opportunity. No need to force pupils to do so.

Urghh I hated singing in school. I can't see that a secondary school child would get much education out of singing really, there are far more urgent things to be taught.

Music's definitely a lot more theoretical at DS's secondary school than I remember it being - that said they have an optional choir the kids can join as an elective choice and some of the kids who were preparing for a Christmas concert this year also formed a chamber choir - I suspect a lot depends on the background and skills of the teachers at the school and who's happy to step in and lead extracurricular stuff.

When I started secondary school we were supposed to sing in assemblies but the cool children didn't sing, they just sat there, close mouthed while the rest of us mumbled our way through Kumbayah.

By about the third or fourth assembly we all cottoned on to the fact that singing in assemblies was deeply uncool and absolutely no one sang.

The less brave of us opened and shut our mouths vaguely in time to the music so any teachers watching would think we were singing.

We did sing in music lessons sometimes. Mostly Beatles songs.

When my dad and I read the news story online this morning we both said the same thing: "Come to Wales!" even in a non-Welsh medium school there is plenty of singing! It was only about two thirds down the page when the article started to specify 'England' which was a bit daft given that education is a devolved issued. But same goes for the Laura Kuessenberg article earlier in the month entitled '2025 was a crazy year in politics. But 2026 could be wild.' Did it mention the Senedd elections which could be completely seismic for Wales and have knock on effects the other side of the border. No, not once!

No thanks. I’d rather do double maths followed by PE than be forced to sing.

Need to bring back the assembly Jesus bangers

I'm pretty sure the only singing mine have done has been in the school Musical.

I don't remember singing at Secondary outside of Music.

We sang hymns in assembly at my secondary school. The music teacher used to tear his hair out, because the acoustics in the hall were dreadful, a lot of the boys' voices were breaking of course, and most of them didn't try to sing properly in any case. But I'm still glad to have learned all the traditional hymns. I still know all the words many years later.

A good rousing sing song would be a good way to start the day. Good for posture and breathing if done properly, as well as mood enhancing.

Most Secondary schools don't have room for a whole school Assembly, which is where I remember doing most singing at High school.

There aren't enough qualified music teachers available to schools - most of them work for a separate 'Music Service' which has to be bought in by schools, teaching pupils to play musical.instruments.
Then there's the curriculum, which is overcrowded leaving little if any, time for music.