Sheffield Schools – Join us for our One Voice Christmas 2026 Singing Festival!
Sheffield Schools, we are thrilled to invite you to take part in our One Voice Christmas singing festival, a singing celebration organised by Sheffield Music Hub for KS2 classes and choirs! Schools can bring as many classes as they wish, or participate with their choir or singing club.
One Voice Christmas is back at Victoria Hall and will take place over two days! The choir is going to sound amazing in Victoria Hall's brilliant acoustics!
When asked about the project, Kate Shipway, One Voice director, said, “One Voice is an important part of our work at Sheffield Music Hub. It empowers teachers to lead their classes in singing and provides children with the fantastic opportunity to come together with hundreds of other children from across Sheffield for an inspiring performance. It is also an incredible opportunity for the children to sing alongside a professional, live band!”
Dates & Times
- In-Person CPD Session (for all participating teachers)
Date: Thursday 1 October, 4 - 6pm
Location: The Foundry Studios, 3 Brown Street, Sheffield S1 2BS
- Live Online Singing Sessions (for all participating pupils)
11th November 10:30am – 11:15am
18th November 10:30am – 11:15am
- Performance Day(s)
Monday 30 November, 10:00am – 2:30pm
Tuesday 1 December, 10:00am – 2:30pm
Location: The Victoria Hall, Sheffield
Schools will attend one of the days. Please select your preference on the booking form.
Festival Overview
The project begins with an in-person CPD session led by Kate Shipway, our expert Vocal Music Leader. This fun and supportive session will guide teachers through the festival songs at The Foundry Studios.
Teachers will then lead their classes in rehearsing the songs using the provided resources, including sheet music, lyrics, rehearsal tracks, and backing tracks.
In the weeks leading up to the performance, Kate will host two live YouTube sessions to support schools with their preparations. These can be watched live or on demand. Times for the live sessions will be confirmed closer to the event.
On performance day, schools will gather at The Victoria Hall for a morning rehearsal, followed by an afternoon performance.
Why you should sign your school up to One Voice
One Voice is an experience that boosts confidence, builds musical skills, and creates lasting memories for children, teachers and families across Sheffield.
100% of teachers said that One Voice improved their class's singing and increased their confidence in leading singing.
One teacher shared:
“One Voice was great, we loved the intimate venue and the children really enjoyed getting to be so close to the live band.”
Pupils are hugely positive, with many saying they “love singing.”
Parents also saw the impact:
“It’s improved her enjoyment of music. She’s disappointed it’s stopping, she wants to carry on.”
We are thrilled to continue our partnership with The Linking Network, giving participating schools the opportunity to connect and collaborate as part of the One Voice Festival. School Linking enhances the experience for children, encouraging new friendships, shared experiences and a greater sense of belonging.
What is 'Linking'? Linking involves sharing time and experiences with people from different backgrounds, such as socioeconomic status, nationality, faith, age, or other characteristics. To reduce prejudice and challenge stereotypes, effective linking requires careful thought and preparation. Rooted in research around intergroup contact, linking provides opportunities for meaningful positive social contact. The Linking Network inspires and equips schools to support children and young people in building meaningful connections with children from other schools and backgrounds.
As part of One Voice, The Linking Network will facilitate opportunities for linking, such as practising songs with other schools or engaging in collaborative games on the One Voice performance day.
Cost
- £300 per class (up to 34 students)
- £250 for each additional class (£50 discount)
Travel Bursary
If travel cost is an issue, please get in touch with MusicHubProjects@sheffield.gov.uk. The Linking Network have offered to provide bursaries to help with travel costs.
How to Apply
To apply, please fill out this application form. Note the Booking Terms and Conditions and the section on photo/video permissions. Performances will be photographed and filmed, requiring relevant permissions for all participants.
The deadline for applications is 30 September 5pm (or before if all places are filled).
We look forward to another amazing One Voice festival. If you have any questions, please contact Kate at kate.shipway@sheffield.gov.uk.
