Hertfordshire Music Service
Family Music Project 2003-13 (case history)
What is it?
Children and their parents/carers learning informal
music together in social groups of up to 40
participants.
Family and social interaction supported by and
embedded within musical activities.
Suitable for and accessible to beginners and more
able musicians.
Musical genres can reflect learner’s interest and
learning styles.
A proven activity that engages parents in school life
and reintroduces vulnerable adult learners to the
enjoyment of learning. The success of these sessions
is evident in the renewed funding which the
programme receives from the Skills Funding Agency
(SFA) administered via our local Adult and
Community Provider, Hertfordshire Adult and Family
Learning Service (HAFLS).
Stakeholders say
‘I have finally done it. I have a family learning group happening! Should have tried
music before.’ Head of a Primary school in Watford.
Families say:
Really fun and engaged the children, excellent way of teaching rhythm.
It was very relaxed and interesting. No one was made to feel silly or unable to pick it
up. The men taking the session were excellent with the children. Brilliant time had by
all. Great to do something different with my daughter.
Established a very good community spirit will all attendants.
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History
It began in 2003 in Hertfordshire in response to a request from Hertfordshire County
Council’s Community Education Officer, Eve Galloway, to develop a project to engage
fathers with schools and support informal parenting in wider family groups. It was the first
strategically commissioned music project in Hertfordshire.
Hertfordshire Music Service’s (HMS) initial workshops were Family Jams, which used Electric
Guitar, Bass, Keyboard, Drums/PA to support families to learn Rock classics together (Smoke
on Water…etc).
It was linked to the establishment of the HMS Rockschool network as progression
opportunities for young people, but, whilst effective at engaging male learners, proved
quite intensive in staffing and equipment. HMS subsequently developed models based
around acoustic/classical guitars, and world music (Djembe, Taiko, Samba, Gospel and
Bollywood singing, Ukuleles), many of which link to the establishment and development of
Wider Opportunities whole class teaching at Key Stage Two.
Benefits
Affordable and accessible participation in music making for families unable to access music
for reason of financial, emotional, or geographic disposition.
Effective at providing a welcoming, relaxed, informal environment to engage parents/carers
with schools/community centres.
Supports Family cohesion: support of children’s learning, modelling of resilience/safe risk in
learning by adults, plus contributing to the social integration of vulnerable and risk of
exclusion families.
Supports embedding of skills for life (numeracy, literacy, ICT, language) within musical offer
and signposting of progression for those interested in more support of these, or in learning
more about how to support their children’s acquisition of these.
Effective at engaging targeted vulnerable learners (BME, Males, Adults with below a level 2
qualification).
When run in secondary schools, it offers a good way to support transition, especially for
pupils of vulnerable families.
Offers opportunity for volunteering by adults, young music leaders and a way to source new
local workshop leaders from the local community.
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Targeting of learners
Learners targeted by running workshops in schools in areas of deprivation, super output
areas, schools with high number so FSM pupils, complementary and supplementary schools,
and with support of Heads of Music, Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs) and
Head teachers.
Venues and Times
Has run in primary, secondary, complementary schools, children’s centres and, music and
community centres, and even libraries!
Times vary to engage target learners: twilight time in primary for parents collecting
children; weekends for working parents and for BME complementary schools; or during
curriculum time for schools with high number of unemployed/shift working parents.
Funding
In the past, these activities have been part-funded by Extended Schools, and schools
outreach budgets.
The main source of funding is the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) administered via local Adult
and Community Provider, Hertfordshire Adult and Family Learning Service (HAFLS), a team
within Hertfordshire County Council.
SFA also funds work with vulnerable adults (Learning Disabled, Mental Health Service Users,
and the Elderly)
Providers need to be accepted as approved suppliers by the Local Authority and quality
monitored accordingly.
Quality Monitoring
SFA contract requires effective recognition and recording of progress and achievement
(RARPA) within an Ofsted framework, lesson planning/observations, CPD and improvement
plan.
Staffing
Can be run from peripatetic tutors working within schools (especially Wider Opportunities),
by Local community musicians. Can link to workshopping by professional companies,
especially World Music providers and promoters.
For more information:
http://www.hertsmusicservice.org.uk/family-music
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