'Music-making involves the whole brain, making it a wonderful stimulus to a child’s neural development. It also provides great social experience that helps children to engage positively and confidently with each other.
For these reasons we want to encourage teachers to use music as much as possible – especially in early years.’
Sarah Westwood
Drumvoice training and mentoring programmes make music leadership highly accessible, helping teachers gain confidence and realise that they - and their children - are capable of much more than they imagine!
Steady Beat for Foundation/ KS1 staff
(Includes resource CD & booklet)
Research has shown that a child’s ability to keep a steady beat is a strong indicator of achievement in school. Ready Steady Drum! is a popular course for nursery, reception and year 1 children that develops this sense of steady beat using a series of fun drumming, movement and singing activites.
Very accessible to teaching staff at any level of musical confidence, it provides a wonderful structure for music-making and gives children a great advantage in their musical and overall development.
Particularly useful as a kinaesthetic approach to
language development.
Training involves an inset day, followed by an optional programme of mentoring.
‘In 20 years of teaching in nursery I have never had such an advanced group to send up
to reception in regards to their speaking and listening. I am sure that activities like Ready Steady Drum
and Beat Baby in support of CLLD have made that difference.’
Helen Kenny, Hawkesley Nursery, Birmingham.
The ability to maintain a steady beat appears to be necessary to successfully perform
any task that involves sophisticated movement. In fact it is so essential that if someone lacks
beat awareness, he or she usually has difficulty with both gross and fine motor skills.’
Ros Bayley, Education Consultant
Rhythm in Education
Training for teachers in KS1 & KS2 to work with percussion as part of the music curriculum.
Course includes:
Confidence building with school percussion
instruments & drums (Including amazing tricks with a
tambourine!)
Managing group music-making - how to remain calm
and keep the group focused!
Structuring sessions
Creativity & Development
Inset days and mentoring available.
The inclusive nature of drumming and the powerful sound of the rhythms make it a wonderful energiser for conferences.
Volunteers come to the front to play drums with Sarah and her colleagues as the rest of the audience join in singing and playing along – raising the roof!
This not only showcases the work in schools, but also creates a really positive experience of working together, making an occasion to remember!
