A high quality, low cost approach to Primary music delivery – no music expertise needed.

Take an overview

Consider starting with a single year group (one that’s not already benefiting from weekly Music Hub lessons), and extend to other year groups from the second term onwards. Or kick off with a single class, extend to the rest of the year group from the second term, and add the other year groups from term three or at the start of the second year.

Get everyone on-board and choose the style

On-board the class teachers, music coordinator and music teacher (if you’re lucky enough to have one!) by first sending them the link to our Primary or Secondary solutions, and the link to our free teaching resources.

Decide which music style to start with – West African Drumming will work very well for most schools, but it would be well worth asking the pupils and teachers which style they’d like best. The styles are all accessible and intuitive and all will work with any class, so the deciding factors could be pupil/teacher interest and budget (Taiko, Steel Pans and Gamelan are more expensive; Samba and West African Drumming are mid range; World Percussion is lowest cost).

Plan the where and when

Decide where classes will happen. World Percussion can work well in any classroom and doesn’t need much at all in the way of storage space; the other styles need storage spaces of between 0.5 and 2 cubic meters. Ideally you’ll have one room that can be used for all classes – one where the instruments can be stored (or left in position), and which isn’t too close to other classrooms. Gyms, halls and covered outside areas can all work well, or pretty well any classroom-sized room.

Allocate slots in the Timetable: weekly music lessons are the obvious choice, but PSHE slots can also work well. It’s also well worth programming lunchtime or after school sessions at the outset, e.g. as “clubs” for anyone to attend . They’re great ways to get more pupils involved and to spread the benefits around quickly.

Please note: our experts are available to talk through the options with you and help you with your planning, so either schedule a consult, or contact us.

First lesson preparation

Prep for the first lesson will take longer than subsequent lessons. Allow around 60-90 minutes. Teacher(s) will need to:

1. Listen to the audio track of the first piece – this will be the foundation for the first performance in just 10 lessons time. Listen through several times until you feel you know it.

2. Familiarise yourself with the instruments, reading the Introduction and Basic Playing Techniques sections of the teaching guide and playing along with the “How to Play” videos.

3. Read the section in the guide about “The Music” – this is very useful background.

4. Play through the first few Warm Up exercises several times – these will be key to the success of the first few lessons.

5. Check out the Scheme of Work overview and the first lesson plan. The lesson plan will be a big help as a “cheat sheet” during the first lesson.

If more than one teacher is going to be involved, then the preparation steps are best done in a group. Musicians from your local Music Hub may well be able to help by both mentoring the group and being present in the first sessions to model and assist as needed. But remember, this is your music-making and it’s all about taking ownership and working towards becoming self-sufficient in music delivery.

Subsequent lessons (30 minutes prep)

The pattern for lesson 2 and subsequent lessons will be similar and preparation shouldn’t take more than about 30 minutes.

In the lesson, start with revision of the previous lesson’s exercises, focusing on improving the quality of the sound, then introduce small chunks of new material, and finish by playing through all the material covered to date.

Between lessons read ahead in the teaching guide and lesson plans, and keep listening and playing along to the audio track – you can’t be too familiar with this. Also begin to familiarise yourself with the other tracks. Play through (repeatedly!) any new exercises as they come up. For more detailed cultural and musical background, download and read the Extended Introduction or do your own research on the net.

Getting Performance-ready

The Scheme of Work and lesson plans included in your class set will take you step by step all the way to the performance, and, as the date for the performance approaches, you’ll find the Creating a Performance section in the teaching guide especially helpful.

Aim to make your performance as much of an event and exciting as possible. Music is meant to be shared, so invite classmates, parents, friends and anyone you can think of to share your West African Drumming experience. Dress up in traditional West African style clothes, prepare some West African food to share, and enjoy celebrating the group’s achievements.

Share with the community

But don’t stop there – once the class has cut its teeth with an in-school performance, encourage them to perform outside: local care homes, health centres, shopping centres and other venues will be delighted to host you, and everyone will benefit – children, school and community. Taking the music-making outside the school can pay dividends in so many ways

Term 2 and beyond

During the second term you should find that the class will be able to master a new piece (or two), as well as revising and improving the first piece. You should aim to add two new pieces (or more) each term from the third term onward. And as each new piece is mastered, it’s naturally the opportunity for a new performance.

Adding a new musical style

If you decide to introduce a new musical style (for example Brazilian Samba or Indonesian Gamelan), the class can of course still continue with their West African Drumming and West African Drumming performances – just timetable in an West African Drumming lesson once or twice a term, or add some after school sessions. And if you’re at the same time extending the teaching to another year group, you’re going to find another set of instruments very useful.

A second musical style will give you another two years worth of lessons and, if you add a new style and involve a new year group every year, you’ll find you’ll quickly have enough styles, pieces and instruments for every pupil in the school to be able to master a new style every year – and for them all to become multi-instrumentalists, seasoned performers and an asset to the local community.

Becoming a “Musical School”

And by that stage your school will have become miraculously transformed into a truly “Musical School,” one where music and music-making is part of the culture and affecting every aspect of school life. And your pupils will have undergone massive personal transformations, developing an enormous range of interpersonal skills, and finding a sense of belonging and genuine wellbeing. That’s real progression, real education, and real satisfaction. And that’s what it’s all about.