Music Partnerships

Each Friday afternoon a specialist Music Teacher and a group of A level Music Students visit local Primary Schools to run music workshops involving children of various ages and abilities. The main focus of the activity is creativity - making and performing music to each other. 

Aims

To bring specialist music sessions to local schools and to give Sixth Form musicians the chance to delevelop their performance and teaching skills. We aim to build the children's music skills, confidence and enjoyment of Music and where possible to link it with relevant curriculum topics

Background

This started many years ago by taking single music sessions to local schools, it has subsequently developed into weekly sessions and is especially appreciated by schools that don't have their own specialist music departments. 

Resources

The Head of Partnership coordinates the programme which is run by a specialist Music teacher who is timetabled for this Partnership activity every Friday afternoon. The school provides transport (minbus or taxi) for the music group to get to their Friday placement. 

St Albans School and its Music pupils provide instruments and music and can provide music studios if required.

 

Impact

We have had very positive feedback from the teachers at the Primary Schools we visit. One school that has children with severe and complex learning difficulites let us know that one of their pupils who was completely non-verbal and had never made a sound at school started vocalising in one of the sessions. 

The music group adapts the sessions to the groups they are working with and personalise a range of musical enounters depending on the ages and experiences of the children.

The Sixth Formers complete a feed-back form about their experience at the end of each year which we use to regularly assess the benefits  of the programme.

Pupil Involvement

Currently we have 5 skilled musicians from our Sixth Form in the Friday Music group. They work with class groups of up to 30 children in the Primary Schools. They also work with small groups in a school where the children have learning difficulties.

Frequency

Ongoing project, every Friday afternoon during term time. The music group attends a different school each half term during the school year.