Bryson Tarbet explores the Five Domains of Accessibility 18. JOINTHECLUB
Andrew Davies explores the power and potential of extra-curricular music
Susan Young shares some practical advice MUSICINANDOUTOF
Sheila Allen explores the benefits of linking school and community music-making
Joseph Walton shares the story of a brand new commission
CLASSICALMUSIC
Jennifer Redmond details the latest update to BBC Ten Pieces. 26. PERCUSSION
Susan Young explores the music governor role
F R O M T H E E D I T O R
Welcome to our Autumn 2024 issue which, as always, is jam-packed with features written by teachers just like you!
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Leading music as a non-specialist
First of all, a confession, I am not totally without the musical knowledge the title of this piece suggests – I scraped a C at GCSE in 1997 and had undertaken some piano lessons, but after failing my grade 3 piano and my teacher shrugging her shoulders and saying very gently ‘shall we knock these exams on the head - I’m not sure they are worth the trouble,’ my musical journey came to an end; or so I thought!
You may think based on this information I am therefore not worthy of writing an article with this title. You may feel this even more strongly when I tell you that purely by accident I attended a school renowned nationally for their music
Sarah Marshall shares her experience of developing her role across a threeschool partnership
department and choir. However, being a non-musician taking a music GCSE amongst people who have gone on to play professionally at the highest level does nothing for the self-esteem. As a music lead having been surrounded by such talent in my formative years has left me with the feeling that no matter what situation I am in regarding my role I am the elephant in the room, the one who cannot play a multitude of instruments, who struggles with the terminology. I am the child who played jingle bells at their summer school leavers concert in year 6 (true story!), that performance of Jingle Bells was followed by my best friend’s solo performance of Bohemian Rhapsody (all 10 minutes) just to put all this into context!
I have been music lead for our partnership for 4 years and took on the role in our first year of what was initially a two school partnership, so I have had the experience of being part of this process from the start. In 2023 we were joined by another local school. The pupils from all our three schools are from an area with significantly higher number of free school meals than the national average. There are very few children within our schools who would get the opportunity to experience playing an instrument or listen to a wide range of musical genres without our curriculum delivering this. This knowledge, coupled with my excruciating experience of music at secondary school meant that my main focus of our curriculum was to empower our children with a strong, fundamental understanding of music and basic musical skills so that when they reached secondary school they felt that they have a place at the musical table, that they could enter the music department feeling that this was a place they might want to be and could belong to. Our music policy that covers the three schools in our partnership sets out an aspirational intent for what our children will have attained by the end of Year Six with the intention of achieving this.
When I took over leading music, I was paired with another teacher and together we reviewed the curriculum. The outcome of our review identified that the majority of the instruments chosen by teachers to use in lessons were percussion based ones. We decided that rather than leaving the
instrument choice to the class teacher, we allocate an instrument to a year group that they use for the whole year, a progressive set of instruments that build on skills year on year and this became our starting point. Having had this idea approved by our Head of Schools, one of my first jobs in leading music across two schools was to tell our partner school that they needed to spend money on instruments in order to make sure we were using the same instruments and that each child had their own to play during the session. Thankfully, our partner school welcomed this and the instruments were quickly established.
At the start of our journey, our two schools travelled along the road together implementing the new curriculum and establishing the new lesson structure of a single instrument per year group. Planning shared across both schools has made it easier to monitor curriculum coverage and reduce staff workload. In September 2023, when we welcomed the third school into our partnership who were new to the journey, having previously followed a music program purchased by the school, they very quickly had to adapt to our curriculum structure and planning.
In order to make subject leadership on such a large and complex scale a success, our Head of School facilitates subject leadership across our partnership giving a timetable of quality assurance activities across the year clearly detailing the
expectations of each action. They are proactive in adapting and making this process as clear and simple as possible in order for subject leaders to complete their work effectively. This guidance has made the process much more streamlined. Subject leaders are allocated non-contact time each term to conduct QA activities in each of the schools and directed time is allocated in place of staff meetings for subject leadership paperwork to be completed.
Our partnership schools work closely together, meeting weekly as a whole staff or phase groups. Many staff move across schools to gain opportunities and experience in different roles and year groups. This means that positive working relationships are established across the partnership. This close, joint working enables subject specialists to visit partner schools confidently making them familiar with the staff and school site and it makes it easier to conduct the work needed.
Staff voice has been a useful tool in identifying where staff feel they need support. Initially, staff confidence in teaching the subject was low, but this has increased consecutively over the last four years. Whilst I feel that our approach to music of using one instrument per year is right for our pupils, it makes it hard to provide targeted whole staff CPD, and I lack the musical skills myself to deliver the type of training that they require (unless that be a questionable rendition of ‘Jingle Bells’ on the piano). I have highlighted staff CPD as
a development area for this year and am considering having this support delivered to phase groups rather than the whole staff, in order for it to meet their individual year group needs more closely.
Not being confident with my own musical knowledge has and still does make me sometimes doubt what I know and have implemented; being responsible for this across not just one school, but three can weigh heavy. Therefore, in order to support the growth of my own subject knowledge I have attended termly ‘music hub meetings’ these are a form of subject network meetings that are run by the lead music school in the area (ironically my previous secondary school!). Music leads attend the sessions from primary schools across the area. Many of them are very talented musicians leading to GCSE music horror flash backs for me, but there are also others who attend who are in a similar situation to myself. The first meeting was quite intimidating – they are very practical sessions that require singing, improvisation, group performances and sometimes even dancing and I often wonder if the leads of subjects such as history and science have to endure such activities! However, I have a rule that I shouldn’t expect the children I teach to do something I would not be willing to do myself so I decided to embrace that element of it and get stuck into the activities. I have found the sessions supportive and it has boosted my confidence in my subject knowledge and in making sure that
our music curriculum is heading in the right direction. It is a great source of support in terms of ideas for lessons, passing on the latest information regarding the subject and I would recommend that if you are in a similar situation to me, you seek out this sort of support through your music hub. It has also been great to meet other music leads who have none or little musical knowledge and experience like myself. Music is a unique and challenging subject to lead, even more so when you are not a musician – a bit like sailing a ship when you can’t read a map, so when attending the hub with people in similar situations to yourself, it is helpful to know that you are not navigating it alone.
Being at different stages in our musical journeys over the last year has been challenging, but following the release and reviewing of The Power of Music National Plan for Music Education document, during the summer term the music curriculum was adapted and some major changes brought in. We moved to a weekly music lesson model. This enabled me to strip back the curriculum to the very basics – what would I need to know about music if I had my chance all over again?
I was able to launch our new curriculum by delivering a partnership staff meeting meaning that as we go into the new school year all three schools are all at the same place on the starting line of this particular journey which will make the teaching and from my
perspective, the monitoring of the subject simpler.
In order to bring in our new curriculum, over the summer term I have adapted and rewritten the current music curriculum to include an appraising music session at the start of each lesson, moved instruments around in year groups including the introduction of ukuleles in year 6, djembe drums in Year One and boomwhackers in Year Two. Music is now 40 minutes once a week, supported by a music assembly that builds on the children’s theoretical knowledge, knowledge of music genres and also incorporates singing (the assemblies were crafted by our lovely head of school, who I am very fortunate is a great supporter of music), we attend Young Voices each year with our 40+ Year Four pupils to support aspects of our singing curriculum. This is repeated across the partnership. Our staff surveys are showing that staff confidence in delivering music is growing, and that
with the weekly lessons, the children should be able to embed the skills needed to competently play a range of instruments.
As I reflect on the experience I have had in my role, I think my advice to a non-music specialist stepping in to this position would be to embrace your fear of the unknown, use your lack of knowledge of the subject as a starting point – what would you need to know yourself to become an aspiring musician and build from there. Appreciate the power that you have to give your children the opportunity to develop a lifelong love of a truly unique set of skills, and be open to seeking help, support and guidance from those who were talented enough to play the full 10 minutes of Bohemian Rhapsody at their leavers concert.
Sarah Marshall is Music Lead for The Blidworth and Rainworth Primary Partnership.
Understanding Access
Bryson Tarbet explores the Five Domains of Accessibility
I didn’t fully understand that I was disabled until I became a teacher. I was diagnosed with ADHD as a kid, but I never really thought about how it affected me until I started teaching. After all, lots of people have ADHD. But as I spent more time in the classroom I began to realize how my own neurodiversity had shaped my education and life experiences.
I often think back on my own time in school. To put it bluntly, I was a hot mess. I struggled with emotional regulation, lacked many executive functioning skills and found myself daydreaming or hyper-fixating on something completely unrelated to the lesson. Looking back now I realize what may have seemed like emotional dysregulation was probably sensory dysregulation.
Some sounds have always bothered me. White noise has always sounded like nails on a chalkboard to me. The high pitched ringing from old CRT TVs? That would distract me so much I couldn’t focus on anything else. When I think back to the times I felt most anxious I realize many of those moments coincided with increased ambient noise. The cafeteria at lunch, large crowds at a football game, the hallways between classes—those were always the times I felt most off my game.
As I started teaching I realized there were kids just like me in my classroom. This is probably why I always had a soft spot for the sensory-seeking kids. Were they often
louder than most? Moving around more than the rest of the class? Absolutely. But once I learned how to support them as a teacher I saw these students engage more and achieve more in my music classroom.
Like many people with ADHD, once I started exploring differentiation and inclusion I went all in as I began my newest hyper-fixation. But this time I started seeing immediate results in classroom management, student engagement and most importantly classroom accessibility. I quickly discovered Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and that’s when my journey of identifying and removing barriers to the curriculum in my classroom began.
What Really Is Accessibility?
The term “accessibility” is often used in ways that don’t quite mean what it should. It’s often used to mean availability when I’d argue it should mean full participation and learning. Accessibility, in the true sense, goes beyond mere presence or availability. It embodies the concept of full and equitable participation, ensuring that every student can engage meaningfully in the learning process. I want to be clear: identifying and removing barriers to access shouldn’t be limited to students with IEPs, 504s, or any other formal documentation or diagnosis. Accessibility should be considered for every student we serve. The best part about this journey is that removing barriers for one student often benefits others too.
Five Domains of Accessibility
As I started identifying barriers in my classroom, as well as through conversations with other teachers I was coaching, I noticed these barriers fell into different categories. Over time I grouped them into what I now call the Domains of Accessibility:
Sensory Accessibility involves creating a classroom environment that considers the sensory needs of students so they can participate comfortably. For example, students with auditory sensitivities can use noise cancelling headphones or earplugs. Offering fidget toys or stress balls can help students selfregulate. A sensory friendly classroom might include adjustable lighting, quiet areas and varied seating options.
Language Accessibility is important for supporting English language learners (ELLs) and students with speech and language processing disorders. These students may struggle to understand or respond to instructions. To improve language accessibility teachers can use visual aids, images, and written supports alongside spoken language. Using consistent language, giving extra processing time, and providing bilingual materials or sign language where appropriate can also help.
Physical Accessibility addresses the needs of students with physical disabilities. This includes designing a space that allows for free movement and easy access to instruments and
materials. Some students may need adaptive instruments or modified movement activities. Physical accessibility also includes structural changes like ramps and modifying rules of games to include all students.
Cognitive Accessibility is about supporting students with cognitive or learning disorders such as ADHD, dyslexia, and more. Teachers can help these students by having consistent routines, breaking tasks into smaller steps, giving clear instructions, and using visual aids. Hands-on techniques and kinesthetic activities can also help learning in this domain.
Social/Emotional Accessibility is about creating a positive classroom environment where all students feel safe, valued and respected. This includes establishing strong routines, building community and allowing students to express themselves through music. Strategies like peer buddy systems, social stories and positive reinforcement can help create a supportive environment.
How Do We Get Started?
Start by evaluating your classroom practices across all the Domains of Accessibility—sensory, language, physical, cognitive and social/emotional. Use checklists or reflective questions like: “Are there quiet zones?” “Do I use visual aids for language support?” “Is my classroom layout accessible?” “How do I already create an inclusive social
environment?” These questions will help you identify areas to improve.
Implement accessibility strategies gradually. Start with small changes that have a big impact like rearranging the classroom for better mobility access or adding visual supports. Over time introduce more strategies like noise cancelling headphones for sensory needs or peer buddy systems for social inclusion. Focus on making sustainable changes that build an inclusive environment.
Reflection is key. Ask yourself: “What’s working well?” and “What could be improved?” Get feedback from students and colleagues to gain insight. This ongoing reflection will ensure your classroom remains an accessible and welcoming space for all students.
The Benefits of an Accessible Classroom
An accessible classroom leads to better student outcomes by catering to diverse needs, resulting in higher engagement, increased confidence, and better academic and socialemotional development. When students feel supported and included they will participate more, take risks, and achieve their potential. Accessibility creates an environment where every student can succeed due to awareness and thoughtful planning for their individual challenges.
Reflecting on my own journey, I see how much more I could have achieved if I had been in a classroom designed with these principles in mind. By making our classrooms more accessible, we give every student the chance to thrive in ways that might have been unimaginable before.
Beyond individual student success an accessible classroom benefits the whole classroom community. Inclusivity creates a sense of belonging among students, encourages empathy, cooperation, and mutual respect. Research shows when students experience a supportive inclusive environment classroom dynamics improve and relationships get stronger and the community becomes more cohesive (Cerna, 2021). By prioritising accessibility, teachers build a classroom where every student feels valued and connected.
Accessibility in the elementary music classroom is an ongoing and essential process that benefits all students. By creating an inclusive environment, teachers help each student reach their full potential while creating a positive classroom community. Remember that improving accessibility is a journey that requires reflection, adaptation and commitment.
To help you on this journey I’d like to offer my free ebook, Music Without Barriers: A Guide For Inclusive Teaching. This comprehensive guide is packed with practical tips and strategies to make your music classroom more accessible. Download Your Free Ebook Here.
Try one new accessibility strategy in your classroom today. Reflect on what you’re doing now and make small changes that will have a big impact. Share with colleagues to inspire each other and contribute to a more inclusive education community. Together we can create classrooms where every student feels valued and supported.
Bryson Tarbet is an elementary music teacher and founder of That Music Teacher, LLC. He is based in Ohio, USA.
Join the Club!
Andrew Davies explores the power and potential of extra-curricular music
At the end of the summer term, I asked my pupils to draw their favourite musical moment from the past year. In truth, perhaps my motive was to generate some inspiring artwork for the music display in the school hall, but if I’d been hoping for drawings of their class playing ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ on the ukulele or lustily singing ‘Harvest Samba’ in assembly, I was cruelly disappointed.
Instead, with increasing regularity, the children presented me with pictures of things that they hadn’t done in actual lessons at all. ‘Singing in choir at the O2’; ‘playing drums in the band’; ‘singing my solo at the summer fair’ and ‘acting on stage in drama club’: these were the musical memories from the past year they treasured most. As I looked around my Music Room at the photographs of smiling children on the walls, I
realised that, unconsciously, I’d decorated the walls with largely the same events the children had drawn. We love our Music lessons and sing our hearts out in singing assemblies, yet what had really stuck most in the children’s hearts and minds - and was stuck quite literally to my wallswas neither: it was instead what the children had done in extra-curricular activities or clubs.
Clubs are exciting for pupils and for teachers. Exciting for children, since they aren’t there because they have to be, but because they want to be; and exciting for teachers, as we aren’t strapped to the National Curriculum, but are free to plan whatever works for our pupils and our setting. Clubs provide children with new experiences and friendships that often aren’t possible in lessons, and in a child’s world of lessons, lessons and more lessons, clubs give children the memories that stay in their hearts forever and schools the sparkle that makes their website and offer stand out from the crowd. I even applied for my current role because of the clubs I’d have the opportunity to run! You may well be a club convert like me and your school may have an exciting extra-curricular musical schedule already; but just in case it doesn’t, I hope I can persuade you of the joy music clubs can offer you and your pupils: a joy too often squeezed out of our time-pressured and objective-filled curriculum.
Research
It’s fine to be enthusiastic, I hear you say, but perhaps I need to provide a little evidence of the value of extracurricular music. And if you ever need to convince a school leader how valuable music clubs can be, some research is always a great resource to have up your sleeve. The DfE’s National Plan for Music Education (2022) cites Hampshire County Council’s 2013 model for school music, one of the 3 key symbiotic elements being musical events and opportunities. It argues school choirs and instrumental ensembles are ‘key features of high-quality school music provision’, quoting a case study associating music clubs with an increased uptake of pupils later choosing to study Music at GCSE, A Level and beyond. Children may give up musical activities due to lack of opportunity outside whole class lessons (Hallam, Creech and MacQueen 2018); parents not being able to fund expensive private tuition (Garnett 2013); children not meeting professional musicians or taking part in musical events beyond the classroom (Varvarigou, Creech and Hallam 2014); or pupils not being given a say in selection of repertoire or musical styles studied (Andrews 2012): yet music clubs can address all these potential pitfalls. Ofsted’s 2023 research document Striking the Right Note identifies the ‘critical role’ clubs play in complementing the
curriculum, developing pupils’ talents, providing opportunities to perform and including children with SEND. If it is not the child themselves who represents the barrier, but the limiting environment that surrounds them (Bell 2014), then clubs can play a pivotal role in removing those obstacles so that every child can make vital, positive formative musical experiences at primary school which will help them embrace music into adulthood and for their whole lives long.
Practicalities
Enough research; time to get down to the practicalities! I expect your school already offers music and drama clubs, and every setting is unique and its practitioners know it best. Hopefully however, what follows might offer some ideas that open up new avenues to your pupils: after all, every child who enjoys a musical club is another future adult with skills, experience and enthusiasm to share with the world in the years to come!
Time of Day
Clubs can run before school, after it or at lunchtime, depending on when you or colleagues have space in your hectic schedule. All three options have their challenges and will be setting-dependent: before and after school rely on parents being willing and able to drop off and collect (although if your setting has wraparound childcare already, you may have a captive audience of children in the school grounds).
Lunchtimes by contrast can prove a battle against the lure of the playground, especially in the warmer months.
Location
Space is often at a premium in primary schools; music is noisy and instruments are space-hungry, which doesn’t help. Singers and actors need a clear space without tables in the way, although if you need to clear/replace furniture or set up instruments, children will always be keen to do this for you, especially if you set a musical timer or reward with house points. School halls are perfect for larger groups and rehearsing in the venue where you may well perform; for smaller groups a classroom may offer more structure, control and a less cavernlike acoustic! Class teachers are often happy to let you borrow their room: I particularly like running a club in the classroom where I will be teaching immediately afterwards or beforehand.
Registration
Hopefully your school office will be able to use an automated system to enable parents to book children’s attendance at clubs; either way it’s important a register is kept so that you know which children are in the building! A register also keeps track of who is attending regularly and any year groups with low membership who could be targeted; it’s also really helpful for providing pupil numbers and name lists for external events when organisers ask for them!
Scheduling
Try to choose a time for a club that doesn’t immediately clash with another activity for the same age or set of interests. For example, I’ll schedule a KS1 music club on the evening when my school’s KS2 dance club runs, so that pupils don’t have to choose between two activities they like and my club doesn’t lose members as a result!
Advertising
Try to advertise early: before the end of the preceding term if possible, so that families don’t book up other activities first. Flyers need to give the vital information without too much text, but at the same time make the activity sound exciting. Colourful photos are great, especially featuring pupils themselves in uniform at major performances, and if there is a cost associated with the club, try to avoid it becoming so high that parents become unwilling to sign children up. Schools may be able to subsidise PPG pupils attending a fee-charging club, too. Children often attend clubs in friendship groups: encourage children to bring friends and it doesn’t hurt to give a reminder of your club to pupils and parents who might be interested, but whose busy schedule might get in the way of them signing up.
Performing opportunities
This is probably the most important one of all. A music club will always get a greater attendance if you’re working towards a performance, especially a large one beyond the school gates. Use the performing
opportunity as a carrot to tempt pupils in by starting to rehearse for your biggest event at the beginning of the year, then put it on ice for Christmas and return to it later in the year. That way, it isn’t over early enough for children to decide to ‘quit’ and cease attending afterwards.
Routines and Respect
Finally, a club may not be a lesson, but as any practitioner knows, musical performance is teamwork and children need to respect the club and its leaders. Giving pupils a say in repertoire or setting up, or even asking older pupils to help run the activity, can often play a huge part in children working to support the club and feeling a sense of belonging and loyalty towards it Rewards at the end of the year recognising sustained commitment may prove helpful if you can afford them, and my children know the soloists - and Year 6 Music Prefect appointments - will go to pupils who support clubs with the greatest longevity. If you quit through personal choice, you won’t get your moment at the microphone!
Ideas
So what clubs can you run: what activities can the children actually do in a music club? The options are far wider than might be imagined - I ran 14 clubs across two schools last year! While I’m probably over-enthusiastic and not a great model to follow for work-life balance, it does hopefully illustrate the scope available.
Choirs
Most schools have a choir and alongside all the health benefits of regular group singing, it’s a great way for pupils to represent your school musically in the local community. Get the children to announce or introduce their own songs, and set up some simple but powerful choreography to make the performance visually stand out.If you’re a primary school, separate KS2 and KS1 choirs usually enable you to target your repertoire to children’s ages and vocal ranges better. You may have enough children for an additional auditioned choir in UKS2; this could be for part-singing, soloists or more advanced choreography. Sign up to national or locallyorganised singing festivals if budget, transport and time will allow - this provides ready-made child-friendly repertoire and usually pre-prepared backing tracks, saving you from choosing and preparing music yourself. Do sing yourself to model the melodies and conduct the choir for a high level of coordination and vocal technique. Selecting repertoire is a whole separate article in itself but a good starting point includes an
appropriate pitch range for young voices, family-friendly lyrics and songs which children are familiar with or in a style they’ll enjoy.
Instrumental Ensembles
If you have enough pupils taking individual instrumental lessons, whether in school or outside it, you may be able to build a mixed orchestra or band. Ask your school office for lists of all pupils taking private instrumental tuition in school and approach them directly; although mixed ensembles will require writing or resourcing multiple parts, it does allow different levels of attainment to be catered for. One or two pieces a term is more than enough and try to get pupils’ private instrumental tutors on board so that children can practise their parts at home and in their private lessons.
If you have a WCET (Whole Class Ensemble instrumental Tuition) scheme in your school, you could offer a single instrument ensemble to children in older years who have completed the scheme. This is a great way to achieve instrumental progression beyond a year-group WCET where the curriculum itself doesn’t allow room for it. Of course, doing this may incur an additional cost in requiring additional instruments beyond the curriculum set, although children could be encouraged to purchase their own instrument if the cost is cheap: for example, recorders can be purchased for under £5 each from educational providers if purchased in bulk and then sold on to parents by the school.
It may be worth asking colleagues in school if any of them play an instrument. Music clubs are often viewed as the territory of specialists but they may be up for running one, especially if you can provide the resources they need. My discovery of a guitarist amongst the school support staff led to a new guitar club starting after school for pupils. Instruments for a club such as this can be hired from a local music hub. Alternatively, your local music hub may be willing to come into school to offer an instrumental club, especially if they are already providing curricular music teaching to a year group in school on the same day. If there’s an ensemble you cannot logistically cater for in school, then local music hubs are bound to run something similar locally outside school which you could promote to your pupils instead.
Drumming
Drumming can be a universally accessible instrumental club for children who don’t play any other instrument. A class set of djembes can take on a new life if additionally used in a club, and even if no instruments are available, a set of orange B&Q buckets make versatile and enduring percussion. Drumsticks can be purchased cheaply or cardboard rolls from greaseproof paper/foil/etc. or rolled-up newspaper will also suffice. Many videos online offer bucket drumming routines to copy or why not use a speaker to play a song on YouTube and design your own drumming accompaniment to play alongside it.
Piano or Keyboard
As a young pianist, I often felt left out from school instrumental ensembles, as the piano just isn’t a traditional orchestral instrument and there’s usually only one piano in the school hall. Conversely, the instrument often played by the most children in primary school is the piano! With a few digital keyboards and an extension lead however, you can easily run a piano club (I call mine ‘Keys to Success’!) Design your own simple group warm ups or scales, maybe with a drumbeat behind them, then teach the children a simple pop melody and they can play it alongside a karaoke track instead of singing! It’s possible to differentiate for levels of experience with right-hand, chords or both hands, creating a very mixed multiple-part ensemble that uses some of the strongest musicians amongst your pupils, then you can take them to your school fairs or community performances to provide entertainment in between choirs or perform a set entirely by themselves.
Songwriting
Unless you write your own songs already, this might seem quite daunting as a club, but it really isn’t! Composing is the element of music education that usually proves trickiest to implement in the general classroom, so fostering a group of children confident to come up with their own ideas and perform them in front of others can prove hugely helpful. Composing is all about experimentation - effectively improvising but trying out multiple options and writing the best one
down - and as such it’s a really inclusive activity where no-one can ‘get it wrong’. I normally encourage children to come up with a snappy set of words or phrase and then pick some notes out to fit it. Repeat it a few times and add variations and you have a song!
Other Options
There are plenty of further alternatives:
• If your main choir is predominantly female, a boys’ choir may well encourage a greater number of male singers
• Steel pan ensembles are popular at secondary schools if you have the budget or instruments
• An instrument-making club using junk modelling - either following templates or just free creation - can prove very rewarding, especially if children work on joint creations over several weeks
• A club playing music of a particular genre can be a good approach for mixed singing and instrumental ensembles, such as Gospel, Reggae or Calypso
• A choreographed pop group can be a great way to combine singing and dance and tempt in children who like one of the two disciplines but wouldn’t attend a club that solely offered the other.
• A curriculum-linked club - you could run a Maths club consisting of counting and times-table songs and choreography; a creative writing club that creates play scripts the children subsequently act; an art club creating scenery for shows or an ICT club designing programmes for performances and flyers for clubs... the potential is only bounded by our own imaginations!
I started by discussing children’s favourite memories of music in school, so I thought I’d finish by coming full circle back to my own. We choose to work in education for a variety of reasons, but at the heart of them all is often a desire to make a difference to children’s lives and improve their life chances. Of course we achieve that in a thousand ways, but whether through gaining cultural capital, growing confidence or discovering new ambitions, I feel sure the extra-curricular clubs and opportunities we provide to children plays a crucial part. That smile of a child performing on stage believing in themselves and knowing they belong in the ensemble, environment and community they are performing in isn’t just an unforgettable moment for them themselves: it’s an unforgettable moment for us all.
Andrew Davies is Music Lead at Claygate and Knollmead Primary Schools.
Percussion Instruments in the Early Years
I’ve just returned from a music education conference in Finland that was held in a jazz and pop music department of a university. There, in the entrance hall, in pride of place was a large kantele, the traditional stringed instrument of Finland which is a bit like a zither. But this was no ordinary kantele, it was a contemporary bass version with amplification, looking a bit like a tall oval, wooden coffee table, strung horizontally on its flat surface. We may have been a bunch of seasoned music educators but we were all drawn to twanging the bass strings as we passed the kantele in the hall. It was irresistible. The sound was amazingly deep and resonant. It was an important reminder to me that sound on its own – just beautiful quality sounds - can be so captivating. Bells that jingle and jangle, the dry tock of a wood block, clacking gourd rattles, the shimmering clang of a cymbal –drawing us in, just to listen and enjoy.
During that same conference, one of the presenters described a project in which children had been listening to sounds through headphones in a structured activity. The aim of the activity had been to match the sounds to visual symbols. But what had interested this researcher had
Susan Young shares some practical advice
been the way the children listened when they were truly focussed on the sound alone. They stared into space, sitting very still, with an absorbed attention. When did you last listen, I mean really listen, to the quality of sound from an instrument, without distraction? Just to the sound itself. You won’t have a bass amplified kantele in your hallway, but maybe you’ve something close at hand that you know will make a good sound if you tap it, or twang it, or gently shake it. Listen.
Now for a more down-to-earth question. When did you last sort out the musical instrument trolley/box/shelves? I know life is busy. I know there are 101 things on your ‘to do’ list. As part of my freelance work I am fortunate to visit quite a few early years settings and primary schools in different parts of the country and I always take a sneak-peak at where instruments are stored. All too often the musical instruments are chucked in a large plastic box, or carelessly arranged on a trolley, looking unloved and uncared for. Often, too, they are an odd collection of instruments that
Learning Purposes:
have been gradually accumulated and may not be the most suitable or the most valuable in terms of children’s music learning. And there may be old instruments that are well past their best, or worse, that are broken.
In this next section I want to turn your attention to the learning purposes that underpin using instruments with young children, because that then guides what instruments you provide and offer to young children - and how to give them opportunities to experience playing instruments and to learn.
How to listen attentively to a variety of sounds and to sound patterns
How to handle instruments and to produce sound from instruments: the skills of playing
How to change the sounds that instruments make e.g. to change the dynamics, to change the quality of the timbre
How to create short patterns in sounds, or longer structures such as repeats or repeats with changes, or question and answer
How to play with others – to take turns or to synchronise
How to improvise longer structures – either individually, or with others
How to remember music they have made with instruments – so that they can play it again and compare and make decisions about the music they make
How to name, describe and talk about the music they are making with instruments so that they can communicate their musical ideas
Developing Listening Skills
As I have already mentioned, listening is a particular way of attending to sound – more than simply hearing it, it is a focussed, concentrated, absorbed listening. This kind of focussed listening needs to be supported by the use of quality instruments that make a good sound, used in quiet surroundings without other sounds to distract – near impossible in busy classrooms, I realise, but there can be quieter places and quiet moments. Adults can support by modelling and commenting. In addition to providing children with a model of focussed listening, it is also good pedagogical practice to listen attentively to children and their music-making. Comments can be simple and affirming such as ‘we’re listening’, or directing attention – ‘listen to this very low, rumbling on the drum’. It might be a comment that describes the sound ‘it’s a long, ringing sound’ and its quality – ‘it’s a beautiful, quiet hum’ or the excitement and response ‘oh, what a big loud sound, that surprised me’.
Babies and very young children have extremely good aural perception.They can hear very fine differences in sound. Clever research studies have been designed that have demonstrated the acute aural perception babies possess from birth. What babies and very young children do not yet have, obviously, is a language to
communicate what they are hearing. So by all means ask young children to differentiate between sounds –the sound of a woodblock or a triangle, say, but know that what you are asking of them is to learn the names of instruments, it is not an aural differentiation challenge.
Sometimes it’s important for the adult to play an instrument for the children to listen to. It could be a one-to-one moment, or a group. I recently observed a colleague taking her cello out of its case to play for a waiting group of 4 year-olds. The anticipation was palpable as they waited for that first moment when her bow drew across the strings. The thrill, the vibration of the string rippled through the children as they listened, completely rapt in the single sound. It was the same pleasure we as adults experienced as we sidled towards the kantele on our way out of the building, forefinger curling around a thick metal string to give it a firm twang.
Creating a moment of stillness and concentrated listening so that the sound drops into the pool of silence may not always be easy in noisy school environments, but encouraging focussed listening is important. And, OK, if we do need to convince the headteacher or governors of the wider value of music work, then these listening skills bring all round benefits to children in terms of attentiveness for learning.
Developing Playing Skills
All instruments sound best if played with good technique and this applies as much to a shaky egg in the hands of a two-year-old as it does to a concert grand piano by a professional musician. Modelling by adults to demonstrate how to hold, how to shake or strike is helpful. And I would certainly give older children brief instructions, with demonstrations. This is not about snatching the instrument from a child’s hands as soon as they pick it up, intruding on their ability to explore and play freely with instruments or firmly gripping their hands to show them how to hold the beater. But a well-judged brief intervention, a small piece of guidance, modelled or spoken, can make all the difference. Some children, for example, do not realise that to bounce the beater on the keys of a xylophone (or similar instrument) will allow the sound to resonate. Similarly, to strike a bongo with a good, flat-fingered slap produces a satisfying sound.
If instruments are well selected, there are few that can be damaged by playing incorrectly, but children may occasionally do something with an instrument that requires a quick reaction to prevent damage. I remember the time a child was attempting to crack open a maraca to see what was inside by stamping on it. However young children will often incorporate instruments into free play in ways that have little to
do with musical explorations. A small drum becomes a bowl for carrying stones. A two-tone woodblock is tucked up in shoe box with a blanket as baby along with a row of dolls. However, one of the reasons I think children often use instruments for other play purposes is because the instruments don’t have enough intrinsic musical interest. I’ll return to that point a little later.
Dealing with noise
Yes, instruments make a noise; sometimes a lot of noise. I’ve thought about this quite a lot over the years. I’ve watched children revel in making huge waves of exuberant sound. There is something thrilling about making a very loud sound. We only have to think of the uplifting excitement of deafening rock concerts, marching bands, or a cathedral organ on full throttle to appreciate this. What interests me too, in visiting a lot of schools and early years settings, is that they vary in how tolerant they are of noise and boisterousness. Some places are placid, calm, the children kept quite restrained and quiet, whereas in others exuberance is not only tolerated, but enjoyed. Of course, the type of accommodation and numbers of children is a big factor here, I do realise. But it’s worth asking yourself about how ‘noise’ is accommodated in your school or your setting. Children ‘being noisy’ is often associated with misbehaviour and effectiveness as a teacher is often judged on having a ‘quiet,
settled class’. So teachers can be very wary of children making any kind of noise and that wariness can implicitly spread over into being nervous of noise even when it’s part of a music activity. Going outside for free play instrumental music activities can be one answer. I was shown a video clip of a group of fiveyear-olds who had made their own band outside with several drums and were singing and drumming ‘we will rock you’ on full volume. If noise needs to be reduced, simple strategies such as providing softheaded beaters instead of wooden beaters, reducing the number of instruments being played at any one time, regulating to one or children at a time and so on. These are all basic classroom management techniques which you know already.
Resourcing your classroom
It is often thought that there needs to be enough of one instrument – or similar instruments - for children to have ‘one each’ in group activities. So, for reasons of economy, this can result in a lot of small, cheap, plastic instruments. But even if you want to include an activity with instruments as part of a circle time with a whole class, it is rarely sensible for each child to have one each. It takes time to hand them out and then gather them in again, it’s difficult for children to keep the instrument silent while they wait and the sound of massed maracas or jingly bells or a hotchpotch of mixed percussion instruments is, frankly, rarely very
purposeful in music learning terms. It’s easier and preferable to have just a few instruments, or even just one, that are handed on around the group. The ‘handing on’ can become part of the activity - woven into a game or accompanied by a chant or song such as ‘pass the drum along’.
Plastic of course is sensible –because it is sturdy, inert and wipeable – and is certainly practical for any children who may put things in their mouths. But perhaps for reasons of sustainability we should be trying to reduce the amount of small, cheap plastic items and opt for natural materials (wood, gourds, seed pods etc) or fewer, good quality instruments made of recycled plastics and which will last for years. But bear in mind that if any children are still of an age where they like to explore by sucking on them, natural materials are probably not wise, unless varnished. Some of the instruments with metal bells that are often attached with metal staples are also not so practical with babies and toddlers.
In most early years settings, or lower primary classrooms, children are given access to musical instruments for free play. This needs some thought. Ideally the instrument setup is changed quite frequently, part of a regular planning decision. One week a xylophone with beaters may be set out on a table, and all other instruments put away. Another week, varied percussion instruments are arranged along a child-height shelf.
During a Summer week, a range of drums are positioned in the outdoor play area. Another week Montessori bells are placed on a table with a member of staff ready to work with children as they explore the pitches and line them up pitch-wise. Another week maybe there are no instruments made accessible, but a listening to recorded music activity with headphones is the focus. All too often the central tables in an early years setting are preserved for certain types of activities – paper and pencil, making and modellingand other types of activity always relegated to the margins. Children quickly learn which types of activities receive more adult attention than others and all too often play with musical instruments remains a marginalised activity. Good, then, to sometimes bring a musical instrument activity to a table with adult attention.
Babies and toddlers will be fascinated and intrigued by a basket of items that make an interesting variety of sounds produced by different ways of playing with them. They need to be able to grasp the items, obviously, and to shake, crinkle, scrunch and tap together. Larger, solid instruments that sit on the floor such as a gathering drum or a tongue drum are very good because babies and toddlers can pull themselves to standing position and lean on it, as well as gather round to tap.
In selecting instruments, the first
question is does it make a good sound? Ask yourself - do you like the sound? Does it interest you? Can you produce a good sound with a relatively simple technique? Can you change how it sounds to produce variety?
The second question is, what musical play potential does it have? A maraca or a jingle bell, for example, can only be shaken, there’s not a lot you can do with it. In contrast, consider bongos – the two headed drum, which can be played in all kinds of ways – one hand, two hands, hands alternate, hands together, and each drum head has a different pitch. The musical play potential is far greater than a maraca.Tongue drums, both the wooden and metal type are a great example of a robust instrument which has a lot of intrinsic musical interest.
Will your selected instruments offer a range of sounds? Do you have instruments that make: wooden, dry sounds; ringing, metal sounds; scratchy, rasping sounds; resonant, drum sounds; pitched sounds? And do you have instruments that produce a lower, more resonant pitch? A lot of instruments for young children are small in size, so therefore make a high pitched, thin sound. Aim to buy some larger, deeper pitched instruments. There are, for example, some large, single wooden xylophone bars on a resonance box, that make a wonderful sound or some big, deep resonant drums.
Barred instruments provide children with that all important experience of starting to discriminate between pitches and to explore melody A first reaction when playing a xylophone is for children to play randomly, but this is often quickly followed by playing each note in turn from the bottom to the top. Chime bars enable children to play with fewer, selected pitch notes.Personally I’ve never liked the sound of chime bars and they must be played with rubber beaters, and not wooden, or the sound is harsh. A wooden xylophone – ideally an alto diatonic xylophone - is an expensive, but worthwhile investment. That the keys can be lifted off the pins can be a nuisance, as children become distracted by the fun of taking them off and on again. A balafon, a traditional instrument from West Africa region, has keys which are held in place by lacing which makes a very good alternative to a xylophone and has a beautiful sound. Barred instruments with metal keys which resonate, such as metallophone, are less useful as the resonance blurs the pitches.
Thinking momentarily beyond percussion instruments - blown instruments are obviously a liability because of sucking and germs, but I bought some small ocarinas that are on a string that children can wear around their necks, like a lanyard. The children could ask for one to wear for a morning, and then return to a ‘used’ basket so that they could be washed in hot water, or, if you prefer, dipped in a dilute sterilizing
liquid. The sound of ocarinas is not shrill and the finger holes easy to use in order to change the pitch. Tin whistles (yes, a more piercing sound I realise) or even mouth organs can be alternatives. I only ever brought out the blown instruments occasionally, because of the faff of cleaning them, but the opportunities for children to explore melody, quietly on their own, made the trouble of them worthwhile in my opinion.
Essential Resources:
Egg shakers
Gathering Drum Bongos
Tall djembe
Alto xylophone
Metal bells of various types
Ghungroo - Indian anklet bells;
Seed pod rattles and gourd rattles
Two-tone Wood block
Small-sized cabasa
Shekere
Tongue Drum – ideally a wooden one and a metal one
Gather together a selection of beaters from small wooden headed ones, through rubber of different densities, to hard felt and soft felt. They can be stored upright in a large tin. An interesting activity is to listen to the effect of striking an instrument with different types of beater.
Instruments to avoid
In my sneak-peaks at instrument collections when I visit schools I almost always see certain instruments that I think are not so suitable and I am going to discuss some examples – not to be negative, but to prompt careful thinking in selecting instruments. Often I see small metal glockenspiels, the type that often have coloured metal keys and are played with a pair of small wooden beaters. They are little more than lightweight toys. Unless they have thick metal keys, the sound is thin and tinny.
Tambourines are very tricky to play. They need to be held in one hand on the rim which is often too wide for young children to grip and require a strong wrist action. Usually they are too big and heavy for children to hold and play well. I once had a very small tambourine with bright, lightsounding jingles that young children could hold easily and if you can find small versions, they may be worthwhile including in your instrument resources.
Maracas come in pairs, and each one has a very slightly different pitch and requires a quick jerking action of the wrist to play. There are small plastic ones which are ideal as shakers for very small children or some nice gourd and wooden ones which might be suitable for older children. However, the main reservation I have with maracas is that they have very little musical play potential.
Activity Idea
This is a group activity with instruments. Imagine a group of ten 5-year-olds sitting in a circle.In the middle of the circle is a large plastic box of varied, carefully chosen handheld percussion instruments.The teacher whizzes around the circle and places an instrument in front of every other child on the floor – five different instruments: a two-tone woodblock, a heavy Chinese bell, a small tambour, a small guiro and a small cabasa. She then asks the children if they think the instruments can be picked up silently? Which instruments are difficult to pick up, to hold and keep silent? Her aim is to begin with silence and attentive listening.She then asks the children to find one tiny sound they can make with an instrument – each in turn, passing them on.What I have found is that the children watch one another intently as each tries to produce one small sound. Sometimes the instrument doesn’t sound, or it makes an unexpected sound. Remember that children can learn as much by watching others do something, as by attempting it themselves. Restricting how much they play in a group activity may seem to be very controlling – but it is not depriving them of a hands-on learning experience. To just bishbash-bosh instruments freely in a group is not very productive in learning terms and can become frustrating for everyone.The teacher then invites them to make one loud sound each in turn around the circle.
They will become excited by the loud sounds but hand-held instruments can rarely make such a loud sound that any children sensitive to loud sounds are upset. The teacher asks the children which instrument(s) could make the loudest sound, and which are less easy to play loudly. She models ways to hold and play certain instruments and uses the names of instruments, and introduces some of the vocabulary for playing actions and the qualities of sound.
Next she introduces a simple rhyme – ‘I was walking in the jungle (or forest if you prefer) and I heard a strange sound’ with a 4 beat gap after the rhyme. First the children practise chanting the rhyme and feeling the 4 beat gap. Then they take it in turns to improvise with an instrument in the gap. As they repeat the rhyme – several times so that the children become secure with the rhythmic patterning and become more adventurous with their improvising - she starts to vary the tempo and the dynamics, so that the children pick up these musical changes in their improvisations.
The teacher made sure the children swapped instruments several times during the session so that they are not just playing the same instrument all the time. Returning the instruments to the box also become a game. Can you dance and play, jump and play, do a funny walk and play – to bring your instrument back to the box?
Susan Young is a former Education lecturer, and author of Music in Early Childhood (Routledge)
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Music in and out of schools
Sheila Allen explores how bringing community music and mainstream education closer together can transform livess
Education is always in the news. In the last couple of years, strikes, funding shortfalls, the recruitment and retention of appropriately qualified teachers, the propriety of Ofsted and, now a new government and another new Education Secretary, are, to name but a few, issues which are at the forefront of the British education system in 2024. Over a similar period we were constantly reminded of the importance of an engaging and robust music education by seeing poignant national events that demonstrated a small portion of what Britain's finest performers can do to enhance state celebrations. Many of
those taking part learned to play their instruments as children, with their first steps being taken at school or in a community band or community orchestra.
The following story is an example of what it can be like, for a child and their family, negotiating their way through a musical education.
Olivia started school at the age of four in 2008 in Lancashire. A bright, happy but quiet child, she enjoyed school and enjoyed taking part in things, albeit on the periphery, content for others to be in the limelight.
At the age of eight, in Year 4, she was introduced to the Wider Opportunities Scheme. This wellestablished and now commonplace initiative was prompted by David Blunkett’s (Secretary of State for Education) pledge in 2001 that “over time, every primary school child that wants to, should have the opportunity of learning a musical instrument”. ‘Wider Opps’ has developed its scope over the years, but its overall success does rely on school staff being invested in it too, which is sometimes not the case.
Through this scheme, Olivia was introduced to the cornet - a member of the brass family - small enough for little hands, not too heavy and perfectly matched to a Year 4 physique.
She loved it. At the age of eight, Olivia found her ‘happy place’ as we like to call it. But after 19 weeks, the “Wider Opportunity” came to an abrupt end. She and her friend appeared to be the only children in the year group who wanted to continue and there was no apparent progression in curricular music and no succession in curricular teaching. Indeed, it appeared that the school relied solely on whole class tuition and the school choir to tick the box that was music provision.
Olivia took up the offer of countyprovided lunchtime lessons and was given an instrument. Two years on, as she approached the end of year six, it was obvious that Olivia had made lots of progress. Her secondary
school, however, didn’t offer brass lessons so the instrument had to be given back. Mum started researching how this obvious gap in her child’s musical education could be plugged. She googled ‘brass bands’ and found The Balderstone Brass Band. It was the most local choice that had a training programme giving Olivia and her younger brother the opportunity, for the first time, to play in a band. In addition, there was a local fundraising initiative where a peripatetic teacher offered to teach the siblings for an hour in exchange for a £10 donation to their church. This was a game changer and where the musical route through school took an oblique turn, diverting but progressing Olivia and her brother’s playing through to Grade 6. Brass bands, and a series of flukes meant that eventually, both Olivia and her brother became members of the Lancashire Youth Brass Band and the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain.
But, to be able to make something of herself in the musical world, Olivia needed qualifications. A Key Stage 3 ‘carousel’ system (now strongly discouraged by Ofsted) predictably diluted the uptake to GCSE at her secondary school, immediately turning GCSE Music into a twilight class of three students. Like so many students, the pandemic provided Olivia with a music GCSE grade that reflected the results of the previous year’s cohort, not a reflection of her own output. For the ensemble component of the GCSE performance paper, the Lancashire Youth Brass
Band provided the ensemble and a band member (who played piano) accompanied her solo performance. Other than at Christmas, this was the first time that Olivia had performed in that school. She achieved a high enough grade overall to go on to take A level.
A levels were comparatively uneventful but for the final hurdlethat of getting onto a university course. A series of administrative blunders involving a withdrawn course meant she wasn’t able to access a course that suited her skillset. The Lancashire Youth Brass Band’s leaders rallied to the call and managed to secure Olivia a late audition at an alternative institution, but with only a day’s notice to complete an application and a week’s notice to learn a whole concerto for a practical audition.
Now in her second year on a course at the Royal Northern College of Music, Olivia is working hard at what she loves, including leading a training band herself, giving back to the ‘system’ that has given her so much. And she hasn’t achieved this through our education system as one might expect; she has achieved it all despite it.
Let’s just take a moment to explore Olivia’s tale of triumph over adversity. Community musical organisations - brass bands in this case - made up for a lack of musical activity and development in her schools. The quality of these opportunities must not be
underestimated, but they do, inevitably, have their limits. Community bands cannot provide GCSEs or A Levels - that is a given. But, this lifeline into the community is not necessarily borne from an existing network of affiliate partnerships as could be the case. Schools are often unaware of the community organisations that surround them as teaching and support staff don't live locally. Regrettably, there is also still a reluctance from some hubs to ‘share’ their young musicians with community bands for fear of losing valuable fees - understandable - but as a sector still in crisis, surely we can no longer accommodate this outdated and restrictive approach to musical outcomes for young people. Rather, we should be uniting our efforts to work together to benefit from this often untapped resource. The Warwickshire and Coventry Youth Brass Course is a fine example of how collaboration can work in this area as The Heart of England hub, Brass Bands England and volunteers from local brass bands have proven.
Carousels in Key Stage 3 and twilight sessions for GCSE classes have marginalised creative students into the fringes of mainstream schools, forcing those who have access (geographical, financial or those with relevant contacts) out of the school responsibility. It highlights how little that those with creative talents are valued in education. Whilst hubs can capture the practical side of musicmaking, this can come at a monetary cost that can be prohibitive to many.
Let’s take a look at the Key Stage 2 experience. One would hope that in the last eight or nine years, since Olivia left her primary school, that music provision has had to improve. The Model Music Curriculum, the Ofsted Music Subject Research Review (2021), followed, in 2022 by the National Plan for Music Education briefly threw music, as a foundation subject, into the frontline of curricular development. On paper, this was great news. The NPME2 clearly spells out what a music department in a state primary or secondary school should look like but it also makes it crystal clear that community music should be a valued part of this music education ecosystem too.
A few phone calls to Initial Teacher Training providers recently produced some very guarded responses when asked about the amount of music subject coaching on their PGCE courses. There’s clearly an issue in equipping our Early Career Teachers with enough subject knowledge to survive the rigours of a teaching career. In teacher forums across social media, the fear is tangible among new teachers who are asked to lead a subject in which they may have had less than a day’s ‘official’ training for (specific Research in 2019 by the Birmingham City University Music Education Research Group Music Teaching Provision in Primary Schools shared some truly unsettling data on this subject).
It is overwhelmingly clear that teaching our teachers to teach music
is where the repair needs to begin. But until we can instigate a wholesale shift away from our current and damaging hierarchy of subjects this isn’t going to happen any time soon. Community musicians, however, can be involved in the process by sharing their musical experience in schools. The NPME2 still wants this to happen, in fact, as a reminder, primary school music leads were advised thus:
‘Primary music leads should think about opportunities to invite performances from local secondary pupils or local ensembles (Hub ensembles or broader community groups), to help build links and provide role models for younger pupils. Teachers will want to consider how such opportunities can be linked into their curriculum delivery, so that they build on the pupils’ learning, and how they can reflect and build on pupils’ own musical interests and passions.’
Brass Bands England (BBE) has an effective initiative running currently which supports the spirit of the NPME2. Proms in the Playground encourages its member brass bands (and others) to offer their musical services to their local schools, to make themselves known to them by offering to play a free, short concert in their playground during the first three weeks of July. This is proving popular among schools, some of which are actively seeking out their local brass bands to take part, and among the bands themselves, which see an opportunity to engage with the prospective future of their own
organisations. This relationshipbuilding musical activity improves children’s experiences of music in the short-term, but also creates valuable connections in the long-term.
So, where does all this leave children and young people like Olivia in the here and now? While brass bands and similar organisations continue to supply solutions, this stark landscape leaves too many of our young people starved of a musical future and it will take far beyond their school career to make good.
In the meantime, we have the NPME2 - an already 2 year old document, full of ideals to strive for, but even more promising and immediately available is our very rich and capable national network of community music-makers.
This network can be tapped into readily and effectively and used to influence musical engagement and progression in education.
It only takes a small amount of effort and it doesn’t eat into precarious school budgets. Organisations like Brass Bands England, through its Brass Foundations programme (funded by Arts Council England), are making real progress in this area, making those introductions, working and partnering with music hubs, schools and community brass bands, connecting them for the benefit of our children’s musical futures. It’s an easy dialogue to have and its rewards actually do have the power to transform lives - not when all the systemic issues are finally fixed, but right now.
Sheila Allen is Learning Manager for Brass Bands England
The Monmouth Nativity
Joseph Walton shares the story of a brand new commission
It is easy to underestimate the lifelong impact that high-quality musical and artistic experiences can have on young lives. The centre for Music Education Research in Early Years Childhood, describes how, ‘young children have the right to musical experiences which are of the highest possible quality, experiences that are developmentally appropriate and child-centred’.
In his film, ‘Moonrise Kingdom’, director Wes Anderson’s vivid childhood memories of performing in Benjamin Britten’s ‘Noyes Fludde’, are recalled in touching fashion – his formative musical encounter living on as a powerful creative force in his
adult life. Anderson states, ‘[Britten's] music is something I’ve always remembered, it made a very strong impression on me. It’s the colour of the movie in a way.’
We are excited that the newly commissioned ‘The Monmouth Nativity’ will have a lifelong impact on our children and beyond this, the staff and families of Haberdashers’ Monmouth School. We are also hopeful that significant numbers of primary school children up and down the country will get to access this beautiful adaptation of the nativity story after its first performance.
Meeting and getting to know
composer Russell Hepplewhite made this project happen. Russell has such a natural ability to write for children’s voices. Our inspiring and musically minded nursery practitioner, Vicks Taylor describes how, ‘the intervals are effortless for them to sing and the songs are so memorable’. Russell’s music is always beautifully crafted in this manner. Depth, humour and colour are consistently present, always in service of the text. It is striking how children of all ages engage immediately with both the sincerity and the playfulness of his musical voice.
Russell visited Haberdashers’ Monmouth Prep School in the summer of 2023, primarily to lead song writing workshops with our year six children. On a walk along the River Wye, he floated the idea of composing something for our children to perform. We were heading for a vocal workshop at the infant school (Pre Prep) and this must have influenced my train of thought. I immediately felt that Russell, a former primary school teacher, with his obvious gift for writing songs for young voices, was the perfect composer to create a new nativity for our school.
Throughout the composing process Russell made it clear that this was a partnership between him and the school. His flexible adaptations of the songs (including descants added for older students, scope for extra instruments and improvisation and composing work) means that in our music lessons, we can extract
maximum potential and value from his creative input.
Russell explained how, “Composing becomes a much more enjoyable process when those who have commissioned the piece are genuinely involved in gently helping shape it, and this was an excellent example of that sort of journey. I've always believed that works for children are the ones that can have the greatest impact, so after Haberdashers’ Monmouth Prep School have brought it to life for the first time, I am hopeful that it goes on to find a place long-term among the existing nativity repertoire for very young children.”
Russell suggested asking Jamila Gavin to write the play script and provide the text for the songs. I was familiar with Jamila’s work through the National Theatre adaptation of her book, ‘Coram Boy’ and was excited that we might engage such a significant children’s author and playwright to do this.
When Jamila, Russell and I first met to flesh out the idea, Jamila already had a vision of a show that would in some ways lean gently toward’s Britten’s ‘Noye’s Fludde’ concept. Her nativity ideas were structured around sung processionals – these processions would start, end and link scenes, in which any number of children could be used.
Jamila outlined how ‘There could be at least two if not three characteristics of the processionals
including: the people, the shepherds and kings, angels and animals! They would process round the auditorium singing commentaries on the scenes. Eg: the announcement that everyone must go to Bethlehem to pay their taxes, or Herod’s chant – Find that baby... follow the star’.
Jamila’s adaptation moves us away from a more traditional, passive retelling, towards something that is embodied and immersive, where children are physically and creatively engaged in the delivery of the story.
She describes how "All children are naturally creative and imaginative; often the Nativity at Christmas is the only opportunity to get involved in theatre and music, so I really wanted The Monmouth Nativity to be as inclusive as possible - and relevant to today."
There is, therefore, a wonderful scope in this production for children to bring their own instinctive and imaginative insights to the piece. Vicks Taylor recalls how, ‘from the first time we played the processional gifting song, ‘Hush Hush’ for the children, they wanted to respond in a physical and lyrical manner. Their movement immediately lifted the soul, and they decided that the use of scarves as gifts would be an appropriate and beautiful addition to the melody.’
It is Jamila’s sincere belief that stories are an essential part of growing up and helping us to become
members of our community. The Monmouth Nativity starts with Herod and the threat to his power and ends with the exile of the Holy Family. Jamila states how, ‘it should and could resonate with all refugees fleeing from danger and looking for safety’. It is a story, notably highlighted through this retelling, that remains strikingly relevant to the world which we inhabit today.
From 2025, through partnership with Charanga Music, every primary school in Wales will have free access (and many more subscribing schools across the UK) to this powerful, beautiful and evocative recollection of the story of Jesus’s birth. We are thrilled at Haberdashers’ Monmouth School, that both Russell and Jamila have helped us to thread a new and powerful story both for our school community and for many wider communities beyond.
I am extremely thankful to have the support of the Friends of the School and Haberdashers’ Monmouth School Music Department in bringing this exciting new work for young children to life. Their commitment, both financially and in their hands-on involvement, truly makes a difference, and we can’t wait to see the impact it has.
Joseph Walton is Music Co-ordinator at Haberdashers’ Monmouth Prep School.
Get Creative with Classical Music
Jennifer Redmond reveals how the BBC Ten Pieces project continues to inspire children across the UK.
Since the launch of BBC Ten Pieces in 2014, the BBC Orchestras and Choirs have been making it easy for teachers to access inspiring, beautiful films and other resources that bring classical music to life for a young audience in the classroom. BBC Ten Pieces has a life beyond the classroom too. For 10 years, the BBC’s five orchestras and its choirs have been delivering a programme of live concerts and workshops around the UK.
The aim of BBC Ten Pieces is a simple one: to inspire children to get creative with classical music. At the age of 7, children rarely have the preconceptions that teenagers or adults often have about classical music being boring or not for them. It’s the perfect age to introduce them to the huge variety of sound worlds that exist in the classical music genre.
The breadth of music available across the 50 BBC Ten Pieces composers is
astonishing; from a concerto for orchestra and turntables; to a piece that uses just the body to make the music; and a piece commissioned from one of the world’s leading film composers especially for BBC Ten Pieces. There is something for everyone.
The jewel in the crown of BBC Ten Pieces is the collection of films: beautifully shot performances of each piece of music, and an accompanying presenter-led film that explains the story behind the composer or the piece.
Many teachers tell us that they use only the films – and that’s okay – but there are so many other resources available too. Each piece of music has at least one lesson plan that guides teachers (including those with little or no musical training) step-by-step through creative activities. They can lead to a unique composition, or sometimes another artform such as poetry or art which can be performed or shared. The resources all link with the curricula of England, Scotland, Wales and Northen Ireland and are written by experts with hands-on experience of classroom musicmaking.
BBC Ten pieces also provides simplified arrangements of the pieces for school or youth orchestras. This will make accessible music that would normally be too difficult to tackle for beginner or intermediate instrumentalists. The pieces have been rearranged according to ability. So, if you have a complete beginner
flute player in your ensemble, alongside a Grade 8 cellist, there are parts to suit everyone!
The most recent set of BBC Ten Pieces is particularly important in making under-represented composers accessible to young people. The music is written exclusively by women composers, and significantly, the performance films are conducted by a woman, Ellie Slorach.
BBC Ten Pieces Fast Facts:
Over 100 films music by 50 composers covering nearly 1,000 years of composition more than 100 simplified arrangements for school orchestras and choirs nearly 100 lesson plans.
I recently attended a music education conference and in a session on composing at Key Stage 2 (KS2), all the musical inspiration examples that the speaker used in their classes were exclusively by men. It reaffirmed the urgent need to provide teachers with good quality content. This means pupils can be exposed to music by a wide variety of composers. It will enable children to have the opportunity to see themselves and know that music is for everyone.
Also new in 2024 is an expanded offer for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The BBC Ten pieces team has worked hard to foster a series of fantastic partnerships. Two of the pieces –Judith Weir’s Magic and Laura Shigihara’s Grasswalk – have been arranged for open ensembles. Both have parts for a variety of adaptive and accessible musical instruments, including Clarion, Soundbeam, CMPSR and Thumbjam. They include accessible notation from Drake Music Scotland who have created Figurenotes parts, and Digit Music who have created Arrownotes parts. Sounds files are available on the BBC Ten Pieces website or within the instrument itself as in the case of the Clarion. It has recently become available to buy and is likely to be a big hit in SEND settings and inclusive classrooms. Pupils will be able to play the music on their own, or as part of a flexible ensemble, depending on the setting and the individual needs of the child.
The films are also a fantastic way to explore or expand on other parts of the curriculum as the music crosses over with so many topics that are covered at KS2: Rosa Parks and the American civil rights movement, Shakespeare’s The Tempest, the seasons, geography and many more. The films can be used to inspire creative writing projects, dance, art, even making your own computer game and a soundtrack for it.
Many of the BBC Ten Pieces composers and pieces feature in the Model Music Curriculum. Teachers that find this model for teaching music helpful will find that there is plenty of content available.
If you are keen to find opportunities for performing or getting creative with BBC Ten Pieces, or even CPD, be sure to get in touch with your local Music Service or Music Education Hub, many of whom are registered as BBC Ten Pieces Champions. This means they work in schools and local communities to build on the children’s interest and excitement stimulated by the BBC Ten Pieces films. But most importantly, don’t miss the incredible films and resources on the BBC Teach website: bbc.co.uk/tenpieces
Jennifer
Redmond is Producer of BBC Ten Pieces.
Who’s the Governor?
I’m a governor at my local primary school – a small village school. As the governor with responsibility for music, I constantly pipe up to ensure that ‘my’ curriculum area receives its fair share of attention, particularly when the budget is being allocated or policies reviewed. I find I frequently have to remind staff and governors of music’s value and, importantly, that it should be embedded in the curriculum and not an occasional add-on. I point out to my fellow governors and the senior leadership team that a well-rounded music education is more than a bit of singing here and there in assembly or at end of term events. Important though these activities are, music education is much, much more. Nor is it enough to rely on the music hub specialists who arrive for a term every now and then to fill the school with the sound of massed brass instruments or small violins as Year Threes and Fours struggle with the first steps of technique. I am there to speak up, again and again, that there should be provision for curriculum music that is continuous and progressive across all the years from Preschool to Year Six.
So to all early years leaders and primary music coordinators, my question is - do you know which governor has responsibility for music, and are they doing a good job in championing music when it comes to budget and resource decisions, and when policies are being put in place? Do they meet with you regularly to discuss music across the school, pop in and see what is going on and write a visit report for the governing body that you have seen? Are they ensuring that music is valued and included and that it is properly staffed, resourced and accommodated? And if they are a good governor –and of course I pride myself on being an excellent governor! – they’ll back you up, provide encouragement and a listening ear when you need it.
by Susan Young
MuseClass Primary
Kay Charlton reviews this
online teaching resource
MuseClass is created by the music publishing giant Hal Leonard, making an almost bewildering array of resources availble. Once you find your way around, there is access to hundreds of songs - including many from Disney, a (small) section on WCET including class methods for recorder and ukulele, lesson plans, games, playlists and more.
Following my nose, I click on Listen/Play/Compose and find eight options. ‘Worksheets’ seems a good place to start, there are 76 pages rather randomly arranged, until I spot the filter and choose a year group and a topic, then it makes more sense - a collection of pages covering all kinds of subjects at many levels.
The Disney section has songs aimed at EYFS/KS1; the lesson plan section is unfinished here but will be useful for non-specialists when it is completed. The Music Show cartoons cover useful topics but some options such as MuseScore and Noteflight (perhaps the least useful in the primary classroom anyway) aren’t enabled yet. More playing with the filters brings up all sorts of options in many configurations, including songs with lyrics and activities, videos and books - yes, whole books from the Hal Leonard catalogue - if you want Encanto for Ukulele you can find it here!
I love the Listening Maps option - a selection of original recordings with cartoon representations of each musical theme as the music plays. For each piece there is a lesson plan, including objectives, musical vocabulary and a detailed analysis of the music with timings. There is no indication of which year groups these are aimed at, so some preparation will be needed when utilising the plans. Listening Maps currently offers only classical music, I hope this useful section will be broadened to include other styles and genres.
Teachers will probably want to jump in to the Lessons section. The interrelated dimensions of music are all covered for each year group; again, using the filter is the best way to find what you want. The Lessons Overview shows what is covered and at what level - Introducing, Developing, or Mastering - but I must say it takes some digging to work out where to find the right page. I looked around the year 5 lessons - they are very comprehensive but I can’t help thinking that some videos are a bit young for upper KS2.
MuseClass Primary is a wide-ranging platform with resources that, with careful planning, can usefully be included in your curriculum. A year’s subscription is £169 + VAT.
