Charanga Cymru: a music education platform for Wales
Transforming music education across Wales
In 2021, the Welsh Government launched its National Plan for Music Education with the ambition to:
- Provide every child in Wales with the opportunity to learn a musical instrument.
- Support teachers in adopting a new curriculum for music and expressive arts.
- Connect national providers with teachers and students in schools and at home.
Building the Charanga Cymru platform
Charanga consulted on the project and was commissioned to create a bespoke digital platform supporting the Plan's aims. The fully bilingual Charanga Cymru platform was launched in 2022 and is available free to all Welsh schools.
Working with music educators and national Welsh arts organisations, we created comprehensive content to support music teachers and students across the country. The entire platform – its tools and content – is bilingual, with users able to switch seamlessly between English and Welsh.
Supporting teachers and students at every level
Charanga Cymru provides resources across three key areas:
- Instrumental teaching: Dedicated resources that support instrumental teaching and learning, and help instrumental teachers deliver high-quality lessons.
- Curriculum for Wales: Comprehensive materials and music technology for students aged 5–16. Teachers can also use our curriculum-building tool to collaborate with schools and develop bespoke curricula tailored to local settings.
- National partnerships: Enabling national partners to champion the Welsh Government's priorities, from Welsh singing traditions and support for young bands and orchestras, to Wales' music and creative industries, the National Eisteddfod, arts qualifications, and resources from local communities.
A national platform
The platform has been adopted by more than 90% of schools in Wales and has become the centre of digital engagement with music and the arts for a generation of students across the country.
Mari Lloyd Pritchard, Co-Ordinator of the National Music Service for Wales, emphasised that the platform is ‘special to us in Wales’ and ‘not simply a translation of a version widely used in England and Scotland. ‘There is content here that is completely Welsh, and that shows the wealth of experience and fresh talents we have here. Not everyone has the confidence and musical expertise to teach music in class, but Charanga Cymru is suitable for everyone. Our hope is that this, coupled with the invaluable support of local music services, will become an integral part of a school’s musical life.’