Which is the best fit for your school?
Not all band programmes are created equal.
Both Rocksteady and SoMi use bands as a vehicle to deliver immersive music making, but the approach and outcomes can look really quite different. This post examines why schools are starting to move towards SoMi as a Rocksteady alternative.
🌍 Why North West schools are choosing SoMi
-
🏫 Local partner, local impact: We’re proudly founded and based in the North-West, and not a national chain. Quick support, real relationships, and a provider that understands your day-to-day challenges.
-
💷 Lower cost for families: Parents pay £35/month (10 months a year) with SoMi vs £42+ with Rocksteady (11 months a year). That saving widens access.
-
📚 Curriculum + co-curricular: SoMi connects classroom teaching, band rehearsals, and home learning. Rocksteady delivers sessions but does not offer a progressive classroom scheme of work or progressive CPD for teachers.
-
🎸 Home learning that works: Every child gets a take-home ukulele, online resources, and a gamified app (launching 2026). Rocksteady has no structured home practice offer.
-
⭐ Better fit for Ofsted & Pupil Premium: We help evidence progress in all areas of musical development as well as teamwork, confidence, and resilience – not just performances.
📊 At a glance: Rocksteady vs SoMi
🗣️ Headteachers say it best
“I’ve seen incredible transformations in children who arrived shy, quiet or lacking confidence. Within weeks, they were playing in bands, performing to peers, and working as a team. The SoMi approach doesn’t just teach music, it nurtures creativity, resilience and expression. It’s a modern, inspiring way to engage young people.”
– Tony Houghton, Headteacher, Our Lady of Compassion Primary
“SoMi Academy have developed the music curriculum at LIPA School since 2014, initially through delivering Kodaly-based classroom music sessions, and then developing a bespoke CPD package to make music sustainable. The integration of the classroom and instrumental music lessons has made LIPA School a beacon for good practice in music and the performing arts.” – Greg Parker, Greg Parker Educational Associates Ltd
🎁 What’s included with SoMi
🎸 A parent-paid weekly group music provision which supports school outcomes on mental health, wellness, confidence & resilience
🎯 Evidence of targeted impact for individual pupils in receipt of Pupil Premium funding
📋 A 1 hour consultation to develop a strategic music improvement plan, with our consultant executive headteacher
🧑🏫 A yearly 1 hour full school staff meeting with our lead teacher trainer
💻 Access to our fully featured online music resource and video CPD
📖 About the approach
SoMi’s approach is led by a robust pedagogical approach to holistic musical development, the growing societal need for children’s soft skills development, wellbeing and authentic human connection.
🤓 Read more about SoMi’s approach to Dual Coding & Cognitive Load Theory
🔖 Read SoMi’s 2025 white paper ‘The Indispensable Role of Soft Skills in the Future of Education’
🚀 Ready to rethink music at your school?
Some pupils find their voice through a mic, not a worksheet. Give them the chance to belong, shine, and thrive.
Let’s explore your current offer, your aspirations, and how SoMi can help ignite your school’s music culture.
🎧 Book Your Free 30-Minute SoundCheck Call
⚖️ Fair note
Rocksteady is a well-known provider with engaging band sessions and strong pupil appeal. But if your school wants a unified approach to curriculum & co-curricular, lower costs for parents, access to a home instrument for every pupil, and a local partner, SoMi is the smarter choice.