Broxbourne CE school shopped around to find both a class set of ukuleles and a class set of glockenspiels for just under our maximum allowance and we were very happy to grant the award. Paul Miller (Headteacher) gave strong arguments for the wellbeing benefits of the application:
“Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, we are having to change the format of our weekly music lessons. Children's well-being has been significantly adversely affected by recent long periods of isolation and their well-being will need be at the heart of their education as we welcome them back to school from September. Music lessons are an opportunity for all children to express themselves and benefit from the therapeutic and restorative effect that music can have on their well-being. Able and less able alike frequently find a sense of calm as well as enjoyment for participating in music lessons. Singing has always been a high profile activity in our music lessons. Government guidance advocates that, due to the Pandemic, class groups should not sing together and so we are having to re-think how we can best use our valuable music lessons to gain optimum uplifting and invigorating benefits for our children's mental health and well-being…
Frequently we find that children who are not so successful in other areas of the curriculum are able to appreciate and excel in music and gain confidence which supports their development as they grow.”
The instruments are certainly going to be get full use…
“We hope to be able to offer an orchestra after school club for between 2 and 4 separate KS2 year groups... and will further enhance the children's musical enjoyment as well as increase the children's confidence and cooperation as they learn to perform together, albeit that performances will need to be online for the foreseeable future.”