Junior IMPs on tour – working with local primary schools to develop inclusive after-school provision

Background:

We’ve been running the award-winning IMPs (Inclusive Music Projects) programme since 2012. IMPs offers singing, signing and accessible music making sessions to disabled and non-disabled young people across York.

IMPs was initially a weekly term-time music group for young people aged 11 – 25. In Autumn 2015 we carried out extensive consultation with parents, support workers and education and social care workers. They told us that there was a need for inclusive music activities for primary-aged children.

After securing funding from Youth Music to develop the IMPs programme, we launched a Junior IMPs after school group in Autumn 2016. The sessions ran at our base in a local community centre, from 4:30pm – 5:30pm on a Monday afternoon.

The children who came along to the sessions got a lot out of them. They developed skills in music making, communication, performance and team-working and took part in public performances. And they all achieved Explore and Discover Arts Awards and had a lot of fun! However, while our consultation had told us that there was a need for a group like Junior IMPs in York, we struggled to retain reasonable numbers of participants. Parents told us that young children with complex needs are often too tired to attend groups after school and, because many have supported transport home from school, they often get home later than other children. All this makes it difficult to attend after-school sessions in another part of the city.

We consulted again and heard from parents that they’d prefer it if the clubs took place in schools, as an after-school club. At the same time, we were talking to SENCOs from local schools, who told us they were struggling to develop inclusive music activities.

Developing a new model, working with local primary schools:

We took the decision earlier this year to re-launch Junior IMPs as an after-school club in local mainstream primary schools. The sessions are particularly aimed at children with additional needs and communication difficulties. We know from experience that singing and signing and accessible music making can make a really positive difference to their personal and social development.

We now work with a different primary school each half term, delivering a block of five one-hour after-school sessions. Our team work alongside a member of the school’s teaching staff, often the SENCO. This means that the school gains confidence, skills and ideas for delivering their own inclusive music activities. We also have a bank of free online singing and signing resources that schools (and anyone else!) can download.

We deliver a free, introductory workshop in each school. This helps us get to know the students and staff at the school (and vice-versa). It also introduces the IMPs approach and helps drum up interest in the after-school club. The introductory workshop is often co-led by one of our learning-disabled IMPs apprentices.

“It was lovely that one of the leaders had additional needs.  She was a really good role model for our children.”  Lucy, primary school teacher

Outcomes:

The after-school clubs have got off to a really good start, with more sessions lined up for the Autumn term.

This new model for delivering Junior IMPs is helping us achieve the following outcomes:

• More children with additional needs across the city are able to access high quality, inclusive music activities;
• School staff develop skills and gain ideas and materials (for songs, musical games and warm-ups) so that inclusive music activities can continue once the Junior IMPs club ends;
• We’re developing stronger relationships with SENCOs, music coordinators and head teachers in local primary schools, supporting the development of more activities in the future; and
• More schools across the city recognise the importance and impact of inclusive music activities, feeding into discussions at the Music Hub and Cultural Education Partnership.