Children's experiences of choral singing: evaluating reflexive choir journals with primary school pupils

This article explores the lived experiences of primary-aged children participating in the Liverpool Cathedral Schools Singing Programme (SSP), a choral outreach initiative delivered in schools across the Liverpool City Region. Based on 288 reflexive choir journals completed over ten weeks in Spring 2023 (April–July), including tick-box responses, written prompts and drawings, the study examines how children reflect on their educational, cultural, social and emotional engagement with choral singing. Through thematic analysis, four key domains of experience are identified: musical learning and skill development, aesthetic encounter, social connectedness, and emotional expression and regulation. The findings are situated within broader debates on pupil voice, reflective pedagogy and children’s musical agency, arguing that reflexive journalling constitutes a valuable method for accessing children’s musical subjectivities and the meanings they attach to their choral participation. The study offers new insights into how choral participation supports children’s cognitive, cultural, interpersonal and affective development, and contributes to interdisciplinary scholarship on music education, wellbeing and children’s flourishing. The article also informs policy and practice by demonstrating how inclusive, reflective music education can support children’s holistic development.