Music resources

Licences, instruments and library

Inspiring Music supports schools across Central Bedfordshire by providing access to high-quality music licences, instrument hire, purchasing support and a comprehensive music library. These resources are designed to strengthen music provision, support curriculum delivery and increase access to musical opportunities for all pupils.

Licences

Instrument Hire

The Music Library

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Licences

Charanga Musical School

(for Primary and Special Schools)

Charanga Musical School is a multi-award-winning programme and the curriculum of choice for primary schools in England. It is suitable for music specialists and non-specialists, offering the resources, training and ongoing support needed to embed music into everyday school life.

Charanga Musical School includes:

  • schemes of work to support day-to-day music teaching in any context, including the Creative Music Scheme shaped by teacher feedback

  • a customisable library of songs, creative tools and interactive teaching resources

  • ready-made assembly packs

  • first steps into music technology with YuStudio, Charanga’s digital audio workstation for schools

  • unlimited access for every teacher and student at the school

  • free CPD, training and one-to-one support from a named Charanga contact

More information is available at: www.charanga.com/site/musical-school

Charanga Musical School licence costs (2026–27)

As a Premier Partner of Charanga, licences purchased through the Music Education Hub for the 2026–27 academic year are subsidised as follows.
Please note that any price increase applied by the supplier will be passed on to the purchaser.

  • schools with up to 19 pupils on roll

    • published price: £95.00

    • cost to schools: £80.00

    • booking code: CHAR1

  • schools with 20 to 99 pupils on roll

    • published price: £135.00

    • cost to schools: £115.00

    • booking code: CHAR2

  • schools with 100 to 299 pupils on roll

    • published price: £225.00

    • cost to schools: £190.00

    • booking code: CHAR3

  • schools with 300 to 449 pupils on roll

    • published price: £345.00

    • cost to schools: £295.00

    • booking code: CHAR4

  • schools with 450+ pupils on roll

    • published price: £395.00

    • cost to schools: £335.00

    • booking code: CHAR5

Charanga Secondary

(for Middle, Secondary and Upper Schools)

Create. Record. Inspire.

YuStudio®, a brilliantly intuitive digital audio workstation, is integral to the Charanga Secondary programme. Its design, ready-made projects and video composition features inspire the next generation of music creators.

Charanga Secondary includes:

  • a full-featured DAW and resource suite

  • a rich library of interactive curriculum resources

  • tools to set, submit and assess work online

  • everything located in one integrated platform

Sparking creativity

YuStudio has been enhanced with:

  • a new interface

  • fresh sounds and artist packs

  • an expanded loop and FX library

  • automated key transposition

Charanga Secondary features:

  • YuStudio, a cloud-based DAW for education

  • compatibility with tablets, laptops and Chromebooks

  • support for USB MIDI controllers

  • ready-made projects and tutorials

  • no seat limits or per-user fees

  • a mobile app coming soon

More information is available at: www.charanga.com/site/secondary

Charanga Secondary licence costs (2026–27)

Please note that any price increase applied by the supplier will be passed on to the purchaser.

  • schools with up to 19 pupils on roll

    • published price: £114.00

    • cost to schools: £97.00

    • booking code: CHARYS1

  • schools with 20 to 99 pupils on roll

    • published price: £162.00

    • cost to schools: £138.00

    • booking code: CHARYS2

  • schools with 100 to 299 pupils on roll

    • published price: £270.00

    • cost to schools: £230.00

    • booking code: CHARYS3

  • schools with 300 to 449 pupils (DfE capacity)

    • published price: £414.00

    • cost to schools: £352.00

    • booking code: CHARYS4

  • schools with 450 to 999 pupils (DfE capacity)

    • published price: £474.00

    • cost to schools: £403.00

    • booking code: CHARYS5

  • schools with 1000+ pupils (DfE capacity)

    • published price: £544.00

    • cost to schools: £462.00

    • booking code: CHARYS6

The Secondary Music Suite

The Secondary Music Suite from Charanga and MusicFirst brings together five industry-leading secondary music platforms in one comprehensive package with no seat limits.

The suite includes:

  • Charanga Secondary with YuStudio

  • Focus on Sound, a comprehensive multimedia music encyclopedia

  • Auralia and Musition for aural skills and music theory

  • OgenPlus for creativity and composition

Benefits include:

  • easy to use

  • curriculum-focused

  • built for real classrooms

The discounted cost is:

  • £500 + VAT per school, per year

  • published price: £625.00

More information is available at: www.secondarymusicsuite.com
To arrange a free trial, contact Richard Payne at richard@musicfirst.com

Sing Up

Sing Up provides a comprehensive resource library supporting high-quality music education, pupil wellbeing and social development.

Sing Up membership includes:

  • a complete primary music curriculum

  • clear planning and progression

  • resources aligned to the National and Model Music Curricula

  • ukulele, recorder and percussion resources

  • CPD training

  • a student login area

  • over 1,000 songs including pop, classical, Disney and folk music

  • unlimited downloads (subject to fair usage policy)

Secondary schools have access to KS3–4 classroom resources and choir arrangements, with a limit of 40 downloads per licence.

Schools purchasing through Inspiring Music receive a 20% subsidised discount.

Sing Up licence costs

  • lower/primary/middle schools with 1–100 pupils

    • published price: £170.00

    • subsidised cost: £136.00

    • booking code: SU-P1

  • lower/primary/middle schools with 101–250 pupils

    • published price: £250.00

    • subsidised cost: £200.00

    • booking code: SU-P2

  • lower/primary/middle schools with 251–360 pupils

    • published price: £300.00

    • subsidised cost: £240.00

    • booking code: SU-P3

  • lower/primary/middle schools with 361–480 pupils

    • published price: £315.00

    • subsidised cost: £252.00

    • booking code: SU-P4

  • lower/primary/middle schools with 481+ pupils

    • published price: £325.00

    • subsidised cost: £260.00

    • booking code: SU-P5

  • secondary schools (40 downloads)

    • published price: £150.00

    • cost to schools: £160.00

    • booking code: SU-SEC

  • settings teaching KS1–KS5

    • published price: £315.00

    • subsidised cost: £252.00

    • booking code: SU-KS1-5

Sparkyard

Out of the Ark Sparkyard is an award-winning subscription service designed to place singing at the heart of school life.

Sparkyard provides:

  • nearly 1,000 songs

  • curriculum and wellbeing resources

  • support for assemblies, classrooms and playgrounds

  • a skills-based primary music curriculum

Inspiring Music offers primary and lower schools a 30% discount on Sparkyard subscriptions.

To order, add the selected option to the order form. A unique discount code will be provided for checkout.

Sparkyard licence costs

  • schools with 1–124 pupils

    • published price: £180.00

    • subsidised cost: £126.00

    • booking code: SY1

  • schools with 125–224 pupils

    • published price: £240.00

    • subsidised cost: £168.00

    • booking code: SY2

  • schools with 225–424 pupils

    • published price: £300.00

    • subsidised cost: £210.00

    • booking code: SY3

  • schools with 425+ pupils

    • published price: £360.00

    • subsidised cost: £252.00

    • booking code: SY4

Instrument hire

Inspiring Music hires instruments to schools and local music groups, subject to availability.

Delivery costs, including mileage and vehicle hire, will be charged as required. Free collection can be arranged from a designated Central Bedfordshire Council building.

Hire levels

Level 1

Cost per term

  • £17.35 per term

Instruments available

  • small Set (2–8 instruments): Boomwhackers, Handbells (2 sets of 1 octave), Practice Drum Pads, Small Handheld Percussion set

Booking codes

  • 1 Term: HIRE 1-1T

  • 2 Terms: HIRE 1-2T

  • 3 Terms: HIRE 1-3T

Level 2

Cost per term

  • £28.50 per term

Instruments available

  • class Set (33 per class set): Recorders, Ocarinas, Hand-held Percussion, Handbells (includes 5 sets of 1 octave)

  • single Item: Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Amp, plus a range of beginner/intermediate standard Woodwind, Strings, Brass instruments

Booking codes

  • 1 Term: HIRE 2-1T

  • 2 Terms: HIRE 2-2T

  • 3 Terms: HIRE 2-3T

Level 3

Cost per term

  • £58.15 per term

Instruments available

  • class Set (33 per class set): Clarineos, jSax, pBuzz, Guitars, Fifes, Ukuleles

  • small Set (2–8 instruments): Soprano, Alto & Bass Xylophones; Large Glockenspiels

  • single Item: 1 set of Handchimes

Booking codes

  • 1 Term: HIRE 3-1T

  • 2 Terms: HIRE 3-2T

  • 3 Terms: HIRE 3-3T

Level 4

Cost per term

  • £116.30 per term

Instruments available

  • class Set (33 per class set): Trumpets, Violins, Djembe, Samba, pBone, Cellos, Educational/Classroom Glockenspiels, Steelpans

  • single Item: Drum Kit, Digital Piano, Marimba, Orchestral Xylophone, Soundbeam (Big Band 6), Timpani set, plus a range of professional/advanced standard Woodwind, Strings & Brass instruments (including auxiliary instruments such as Piccolo, Alto Flute, Bass Clarinet, Soprano Cornet, etc.)

Booking codes

  • 1 Term: HIRE 4-1T

  • 2 Terms: HIRE 4-2T

  • 3 Terms: HIRE 4-3T

Purchasing instruments

Inspiring Music has signed a trade agreement offering education pricing to Central Bedfordshire schools.

The brands below are keen to support music education in our area and can offer your school special education pricing and support:

Stentor Music Co Ltd

  • Stentor Orchestral Stringed Instruments

  • Mahalo Ukuleles

  • Jupiter Brass & Woodwind

  • Valencia Guitars

  • J.Michael Brass & Woodwind

  • P&H Bows

  • Dogal and Astrea Strings

  • stands and cases

Roland and Boss

  • electronic drums kits

  • DJ equipment

  • pianos and keyboards

  • PA & amplifications

  • loops stations

  • samplers

  • guitar & bass amps

  • digital wind instruments

  • digital wind instruments

  • headphones

Mackie

  • studio recording

  • PA equipment

  • monitoring speakers

  • microphones

  • headphones

  • audio interfaces

  • mixers

  • liverstreaming & podcasting

Casio

  • premium grand hybird pianos

  • classroom keyboards

  • PX digital pianos

  • pro stage pianos

  • mini keyboards

  • accessories

For enquiries, contact Ross Abbott at Educating Music:
educatingmusic@icloud.com

The Music Library

Based at the Inspiring Music Office within Flitwick Library, the Music Library is free to all Central Bedfordshire schools.

The library includes:

  • vocal scores

  • ensemble sets for strings, wind bands and orchestras

Loans:

  • are free

  • range from one week to six months

  • catalogue available online

To arrange a visit, contact David Hunt at:
David.Hunt@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

Know what you’d like to book? Download the form below, follow the instructions, complete it, and return it to us.

Download booking form