CASE STUDY – Musical Inclusion Breakthrough: "Lunch Beat"
Make Some Noise is developing breakthrough activities as a form of professional development specifically targeted at practitioners or emerging organisations. Make Some Noise's key aim with this work is to ensure that smaller or newer practitioners and organisations serving the musical needs of children and young people in challenging circumstances can be nurtured and sustained.
West Midlands based up and coming music practitioners and musicians are benefitting from a new training development scheme run by music charity Make Some Noise.
Make Some Noise which deliver innovative music projects and training for young people, musicians and organisations working with children and young people across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent launched its Breakthrough initiative earlier this year, with thanks to funding by Youth Music.
Breakthrough provides continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities for new and emerging music practitioners and/or organisations to help them deliver short-term `breakthrough’ activities to work with children and young people dealing with challenging circumstances.
So far this year, 26 music practitioners/musicians will have been helped by means of either mentoring and funding through Breakthrough to help them realise their potential and run their project. One such project is Lunch Beat, the brain child of Staffordshire mother of two and Make Some Noise Music Leader Marie Warner.
Lunch Beat is an inspiring five week music and movement programme for Year 1 and Year 2 children aimed at building confidence in singing and developing relationships. Pupils learn a variety of musical techniques including; pulse, tempo, beat, texture and dynamic in a fun, uplifting way. Lunch Beat also encourages pupils to progress with what they have learnt to pursue other opportunities such as local choirs or singing groups.
Pupils aged 6-8 years old from All Saints Primary School, Rangemore, Burton upon Trent have been enjoying the exciting lunchtime musical activities delivered by Marie, now working as a Make Some Noise music leader.
At a special assembly for parents and fellow students, pupils joined Marie in a lively and uplifting performance, demonstrating some of their music and movement skills learnt, whilst taking part in weekly Lunch Beat sessions held at the school.
The Lunch Beat sessions at All Saint Primary School began in April where Marie has been working with Year 1 in groups of 8 children at a time, where they sing, use instruments and are given the opportunity to lead songs within the groups. At the end of the five week programme pupils are awarded with a certificate and Lunch Beat badge.
Marie from Burton upon Trent who has two young sons aged 5 and 2 was first introduced to Make Some Noise back in 2008 when she started taking her first son to the charity’s UpBeat sessions held in Stapenhill. UpBeat is a highly successful creative music and movement programme aimed at children aged 9 months to 4 years and their parents/carers and is run with the help of highly experienced and renowned early years musicians in childcare settings across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
Marie said: “I have a true passion with working with children and having fun with music and movement. I regularly volunteer at a Primary School in Key Stage 1 and it was here that I ran a few singing sessions with reception children which they thoroughly enjoyed. Seeing the faces of these children drove me to want to develop my own musical activity for young children. This wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Make Some Noise. I’m thrilled that with the mentoring provided by Make Some Noise I have been able to improve my skills further and together with the funding it has enabled me to see Lunch Beat become a reality.”
Headteacher Charlene Gethin added: “We’re really very lucky to have developed links with Make Some Noise through Marie Warner who is an excellent practitioner. Marie has a real passion for music and movement in developing children’s confidence and well-being as well as musical and motor skills. We are a small school and delighted that we have had this opportunity to offer such a fantastic programme to our students.”
Chris Watt, Programme Development Officer for Make Some Noise said: “Make Some Noise is passionate about delivering music programmes of the highest quality for children and young people. We are delighted that we’re able to help develop the skills of more musicians and practitioners through Enriching Futures: Breakthrough, which in turn will boost the quality of future music provision within the youth music sector.”
Lunch Beat has been well received by pupils, parents and teachers and will continue in the new term from September.