School pupils to perform at folk-rock festival

The school's head teacher Will Reeves said the children had been "missing an opportunity" by not learning about folk music

Primary school pupils are preparing to perform at an annual folk-rock festival.

Oxfordshire County Council's music service is helping the pupils of Cropredy Church of England Primary School in Oxfordshire to learn about local history through music connections ahead of a performance at the Fairport's Cropredy Convention.

Preparing for the event, which takes place 7-9 August, part of head teacher Will Reeves's plan to give the school's curriculum a musical theme.

Mr Reeves said the pupils had been "missing an opportunity" by not learning about folk music and he "was determined to change that".

The council said pupils had been learning about local history through subtle music connections, such as Red and Gold by British folk-rock band Fairport Convention.

The lyrics are about the Battle of Cropredy Bridge in 1644, during the English Civil War, when parliamentary soldiers failed in their attempt to capture King Charles I.

The humanities have been transformed too, with children learning about the canal system that flows through the village.

"Our young people were missing an opportunity by not learning about folk music, which is a huge part of the Cropredy community. I was determined to change that," Mr Reeves said

"Supported by the county council's brilliant peripatetic folk teacher and singer, Katie Harris, I shared my dream of the school's children playing at a major event."

He added that thanks to their contacts and shared vision, some of their pupils would be performing in front of more than 6,000 people at the festival.

Sean Gaul, the council's cabinet member for children and young people, said the school had taken music education "to another level".

"Here music is central to the whole learning and development experience," he said.

"I congratulate the head teacher and his team for having the foresight and determination to turn a vision into reality for the benefit of young people."