We caught up with specialist teacher Mr Campbell at our High Peak School in Cheshire to tell us more about the music sessions he leads with his children.
“It has been fantastic to have the opportunity to share my passion for creativity, expression, and music with our children. Our learners really engage well with the sessions, which have been both solo and group based. They have really looked forward to the classes and have even made some suggestions of things they’d like to do with me in the future, such as: percussion sessions (e.g., African drumming or steel drums), learning to play the guitar, using recorders and piano lessons. It has been a great chance for the children to engage with new things and open them up to a creative process enabling them to express themselves in new ways.
The children have said the following:
“I love playing music, it was great to have a chance to play more with others. I am looking forward to playing more piano and trying guitar, bass, and drums.”
“I like to play piano or guitar and sing, it is fun.”
Mr Campbell finished by saying: "It has been great fun to work on some popular music tracks with the learners and for them to share their music interests and to hear their individual talents. Others have come forward since expressing their interest to engage with the sessions.”
Music and the arts are a key part of the broad, diverse and bespoke curriculum offered at High Peak School. Through playing instruments, children can express themselves, improving their self-esteem and confidence. But playing an instrument isn’t just about learning about music. It brings in other elements of the curriculum including maths – counting beats for example – science (how the noise is made and carried) and English through reading music. And all at the same time as having lots of fun too of course!