Talented young singers from Clutton C of E Primary School descended on the Ellesmere Port Civic Hall in June to take part in the 3rd annual Ignite Music Festival. Our school choir joined 17 other schools from across Cheshire, including our fellow Samara Trust schools Upton Heath C of E Primary School and Little Sutton C of E Primary School.

The theme for the festival was Songs of Hope with schools choosing their own songs to perform across the two nights of the singing event. The culmination of the festival was each school singing Together We Can Change The World as one to reflect their belief that children have the power to action change.

Mrs Baines leads the choir at Clutton and commented: “The Clutton C of E Primary School choir performed I Am The Earth, a song with a powerful dialogue between the earth and the children of the world and A Million Dreams which also speaks of the need for hope and belief in ourselves.”

Clutton C of E Primary School is a small, OFSTED outstanding primary school in Clutton, near Tattenhall. We formed The Samara Trust alongside Little Sutton C of E and Upton Heath C of E in March 2018. With around 70 children on roll at Clutton C of E, each pupil’s voice is essential in building a strong choir says Mrs. Baines:

“Our small but enthusiastic choir consists of children from years 2, 3 and 4 with a shared love of singing and a sense of unity. The choir have performed at our local church St. Mary’s in Coddington and have delighted in raising the roof at the Young Voices concerts in Manchester. The Ignite Music Festival was a positive, wonderful experience for our children.”

The Ignite TSA is a collaborative of 41 primary schools that launched in March 2014 and organises a variety of events and projects for schools such as the Ignite Music Festival and a recent Adrift refugee project. St. Bernard’s RC Primary School in Ellesmere Port is the lead school for The Ignite TSA. Assistant headteacher of St. Bernard’s, Emily Reid said:

“We wanted to create an opportunity for Ignite schools to share their love of music. We know that creativity in the curriculum is of paramount importance and has to be kept current in the hearts and minds of our children and schools.”