Schools Programme

How We Can Help

Making music not only provides joy but supports the development of physical, cognitive, emotional, personal and social skills. For children with additional needs it can also give them a lifeline by providing an opportunity for self-expression, a key for wellbeing.

We believe that all children should have access to high quality, creative music-making.

Our stimulating music-making programme in specialist school settings is carefully designed to give all children the opportunity for active participation. Our specialist professional musicians adapt their approach to suit the needs of children/young people and staff in each school, leading a creative musical process where pupils and staff work together.

The Programme

The programme includes training and support for teachers, providing the skills and confidence to use music in the classroom. Our musicians are experts at involving children, whatever their abilities. We use a wide range of composition techniques, instruments and visual stimuli to create work with children and staff.

Our approach is responsive and flexible, but we often use these three project structures:

• one-day taster workshops
  • five-day creative projects
  • year-long staff development projects

Schools have on-going access to support materials and advice, and we have a wealth of ideas to help with music-making in our resources area. This includes carefully constructed video sessions on our YouTube channel for use in the classroom and at home, and training videos on a wealth topics.

‘Your musicians were so fantastic in every way during their 5-day project at Kingsbury. Their friendliness, professionalism and kindness has ensured that staff have felt empowered to engage in music lessons. This ultimately has demonstrated such a profound impact with our pupil’s wellbeing and huge progress in engagement with music lessons amongst the pupils. We are so grateful – thank you.’  Teacher, Kingsbury Academy Coventry

Family Music 

All learning starts in the home, and music can provide the perfect conduit. Through our family learning sessions families are supported to incorporate music into their everyday activities. Working in collaboration with public sector partners and schools, our six week courses give tips and tricks for music making as a family. Sessions are fun and informal, with lots of time to ask questions and resources provided to support the continuation of music making at home.

‘My two children (aged 2 and 5) don’t play together much as the younger one’s disabilities mean that most of the ways that siblings interact aren’t available to us. But the older was really intrigued to hear about the Jessie’s Fund music group and decided to run our own music group with a circle of cuddly toys. We all played and sang together as a family and it was really special.’

To find out more or to enquire about Jessie’s Fund working with your setting, contact us.