Children don't usually like things that are good for them - but music is an exception to the rule, writes LISA SALMON As well as being enjoyable to listen to, learning music - be it through playing an instrument or singing - has a whole host of benefits, ranging from boosting intelligence and developing reading and listening skills, to helping build discipline, self-confidence and social development through playing or singing in groups.

It is also a means of self-expression, which is particularly valuable to children who find it difficult to communicate through speech. In addition, learning an instrument helps to enhance motor skills, and reading notes while playing helps foster hand-eye co-ordination.

This array of benefits is behind the Government's recent announcement that it plans to spend £332m over the next three years on school music.

As well as a financial boost for school choirs, orchestras and performances, the funding includes £82m a year to pay for a year's free music tuition for every early years primary school child.

There is also £40m to buy new musical instruments, and another £40m will fund the Sing Up programme, to provide a national song bank and training to put singing back into the classroom.

The new funding comes on the back of the Wider Opportunities programme, which aims to give all Key Stage 2 pupils access to tuition in singing or a musical instrument. And as the funding was announced, a new survey revealed that increasing numbers of pupils are involved in the programme. It also found that, as in a similar 2005 survey, the most common instruments learned were violin (19.2 per cent) and acoustic guitar (18.3 per cent).

The survey's author, Professor Susan Hallam, of London University's Institute of Education, said: "Children get a lot of enjoyment out of learning music. But as well as that, it can stimulate them intellectually, it can help them with teamwork, playing an instrument can help with physical co-ordination, and they can use music to express their feelings."

Welcoming the investment in music in schools, Prof Hallam points out that more staff are being trained to teach musical instruments in schools, adding: "The main barrier to children learning instruments in the past has been cost, because although there has been a huge demand from parents for their children to learn an instrument, they have had to pay for lessons."

She stresses that children should be encouraged to continue their musical education after their free lessons finish - and parents need only look to the work of Professor Glenn Schellenberg, of the University of Toronto, to grasp the value of music lessons. Schellenberg's research has found that the IQ scores of six-year-olds who took keyboard or voice lessons were, on average, three points higher than normal.

He said: "If the child is interested in music, then take them for lessons. I'm not a cheerleader for music lessons, but my advice to parents is if they're free or you can afford them, they're definitely a good thing."

In Oxford, the Christ Church Cathedral Choristers have embarked this year on an ambitious programme, supported by DFCS, to kickstart singing in some of the county's primary schools by taking small groups of choristers into school to work with children and teachers, learning, sharing and making music together.

Ten schools in total are involved this year and this term they have been singing with East Oxford, Orchard Meadow, Rose Hill and Windale Primary Schools.

The term's work culminated in an afternoon concert in Christ Church Cathedral in December. For the first time all the participating children from the various schools met together.

They had all tried out the music in their own schools, but this was something different - a performance in one of the city's oldest and grandest buildings, conducted by the cathedral organist, Dr Stephen Darlington, and in front of a large audience of parents and friends.

"Anybody witnessing the concentration and enjoyment on all the performers' faces could not fail to be impressed.

Martin Bruce, headmaster of Christ Church Cathedral School, said: "We have thoroughly enjoyed sharing our love of singing with other children and eagerly look forward to working with more schools in the next two terms."

11:47am Monday 14th January 2008

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