🎻 Baby Strings
Inspiring the youngest musicians across Glasgow.
Baby Strings is a pioneering music education programme run by CREATE, designed to give primary-aged pupils across Glasgow a joyful, high-quality introduction to string playing.
Launched in 2017 with just four schools in the Eastbank Learning Community, Baby Strings now reaches over 2,000 children each week across 10 schools, with more joining each year. The programme employs a growing team of skilled string tutors who deliver weekly whole-class violin, viola and cello lessons—laying the foundations for a lifelong love of music.
🌱 What Makes Baby Strings Unique?
🎵 Start Early, Start Strong
In Primary 1, children are introduced to key musical concepts through Kodály-based learning, using singing, rhythm and movement. From Primary 2 onwards, pupils begin learning real instruments—violins, violas and cellos—in a nurturing whole-class setting.
👨👩👧👦 Family Involvement is Key
Parents and carers play an active role in the journey. From making cardboard instruments together to attending “Meet the Teacher” sessions, “Show and Tell” lessons and school performances, families build confidence and connection through shared musical experiences.
“I love to see my child learn musical instruments and learn new skills”
Parent
“It’s an incredible opportunity and we are grateful for that”.
Parent
🏫 Whole-School Impact
Classroom teachers receive ongoing professional development (CPD) and use co-developed lesson plans to support musical learning even when the string instructor isn’t present—making the project sustainable and embedded in school culture.
“The introduction of Baby Strings has been a very important addition to our school community. The benefits are tremendous and has provided children and staff with so many new skills and confidence”
Headteacher
“Baby Strings has had a significant impact on our school. Children from our area
Headteacher
have very few opportunities to be involved in projects like this and it is quite literally
changing lives through these opportunities.”
🚀 Pathways and Progression
As pupils move beyond P3, many continue their musical development by joining CREATE’s city-wide ensembles such as the Saturday morning City Music Groups at City Halls, ensuring strong progression into Glasgow’s wider Instrumental Music Service.
📈 Proven Impact
The schools involved in CREATE Baby Strings initiatives have clear procedures in place to evaluate the impact of the programme on wider attainment, achievement and wellbeing. In a recent survey, 79% of classroom teachers involved in the Baby Strings project had observed positive effects on learning and engagement in other areas of the curriculum, such as; Numeracy & Mathematics, Literacy & English, Health & Wellbeing, Social Studies, Technologies, Sciences, Modern Languages & Expressive Arts.
🎼 In Partnership With The Glasgow Barons
We are proud to have The Glasgow Barons—a celebrated community orchestra based in Govan—as the Official Orchestra in Residence for Baby Strings.
Known for their inclusive and boundary-breaking approach to community music, The Glasgow Barons regularly visit our Baby Strings schools, bringing professional musicianship and inspiring live performance into classrooms. Their involvement helps young learners see the wider world of music and performance, and brings communities together in celebration.
➡️ Learn more about their work: glasgowbarons.com
💡 For Headteachers: Why Join Baby Strings?
Baby Strings offers a unique opportunity to:
- Raise attainment and engagement across the curriculum
- Embed music into your school’s ethos
- Empower your staff with CPD and co-teaching opportunities
- Build stronger relationships with families
- Access a structured, fully resourced programme led by expert tutors
- Join a growing city-wide network committed to creative excellence
📄 Evidence of Impact
You can read our full evaluation in the
which includes performance data, feedback from pupils and families, and real examples of the impact Baby Strings is having across Glasgow.
