A Mental Health Week Project: Writing & Producing The School Anthem
I was delighted to kick off 2026 with an exciting new school-wide project: writing and producing the school anthem. This started off as a creative project during Mental Health week in February. The theme of the week was, ‘This is my place’, where the children could celebrate the feeling of belonging that comes as part of a thriving school community.
I had 3 experiential goals in the early stages of this project:
1. Personally meaningful experiences: To write a song that felt personal and meaningful for students of all ages at Forest Bridge
2. Shared communal experiences: To get children singing together, offering a mood-boost and develop singing and listening skills
3. Unique and memorable experiences: To set up a pop-up recording studio at school on the last day of Mental Health Week, letting children access their inner pop-star and sing into professional mics
During the weeks leading up to Mental Health Week, I invited staff and students in all classrooms to send me words / phrases that they associate with school. These would become the lyrics! The SLT put forward 5 classes (from early-years through to secondary) to be our singers.
Challenge: write the song… in a day!
A week later, all lyric submissions were in. I set myself the challenge to make them into a song - that day. I also booked teaching slots in the 5 selected classrooms, starting with my next day in the school. The pressure was on! But by the end of the day the song was ready. I planned to teach different sections according to age-group:
Early years: chorus
Primary: verse and chorus
Secondary: bridge and chorus
From classroom to studio
I booked 2 sessions with each participating classroom, to teach and sing the song with them, and I provided recordings to the staff for use outside of these times. The children picked up the song really well - and even liked it! (Phew!)
Then came the main event: recording studio day!
On the last day of Mental Health Week, I rigged up a pop-up recording studio in an unused room, and gave each class a 30 min slot to record their part (with parental consent). Some recorded as an entire class, some in small groups / pairs, and we even had a few extra keen ones who wanted to sing by themselves. I then spent some time editing the recordings and stitching the song together.
Mental Health Week, and phase 1 of the song were complete.
Wider representation
Opportunity was spotted for this music project to be more than a song just for singing. It felt right to extend the song beyond the initial scope of a project for Mental Health Week, and include additional cohorts, so that our children who are less verbal / non-verbal and who use AAC devices could also be represented. The SLT agreed on 3 additional cohorts to be included, and so began phase 2!
I used a range of different approaches - from teaching smaller sections, recording line-by-line, recording free instrumental play and using makaton to help teach spoken elements. In this phase I recorded extra singing, speaking, instrumental playing, body-percussion and use of an AAC device.
After this second phase of production, the song was deemed ‘complete’.
Jump, jump, jump for joy!
With the song now completed, there has been so much to be celebrated along the way. The project opened up avenues for children to try new things, recognise musical strengths and communally share their musical experiences.
Collaboration within the MDT was key: SLT, teachers, therapists, middle-leaders, the reception office and even the site team all helped in various ways, and I’m so very grateful to the students and staff at Forest Bridge for all they gave to this piece.
Watch The Video Here!
Written by Rachel W, Music Therapist at Connect Music Therapy