Date: Saturday 11 March 2006
Time: 10.30am - 4.30pm
Venue: Fyvie Hall, University of Westminster, 309 Regent Street, London W1B 2UW
Cost: £48 per person
Refreshments: Morning and afternoon tea, coffee and biscuits and lunch are included.
Booking Deadline: Wednesday 1 March 2006

This seminar for primary school head teachers, governors and music teachers will explore music in primary education – how it can be done well, and what it can do for children. The discussions will be led by Bernadette Thompson, head of Gallions Primary School, Newham, London E6. The day will be chaired by Carl Jackson, the current Warden of the ISM’s Music in Education Section, who is director of music at Kingston Grammar School.

Gallions, an inner-city school in the heart of London’s East End, is famous for its arts in general and its music in particular: every day, it is full of the sounds of orchestras, ensembles and singing. This is mainly thanks to Bernadette Thompson, herself a musician, who is a firm believer in teaching the curriculum through the arts. She has ensured that top-level music teaching is available throughout the school. At every step, she has had the solid backing of her governing body. The effects on her pupils’ behaviour and achievements are widely hailed as transforming and inspirational.

Bernadette is well aware that the Gallions approach is not always easy to implement. She will use this seminar to describe her philosophy and practice to professional colleagues, whether heads, governors or music teachers; she will also explain to them how obstacles can be overcome, and where they can go for good advice. Her fellow speakers will be David Vinden, a national authority on the Kodaly method of  teaching musical instruments and singing; Petra Ronkko, an expert on the ‘Colourstrings’ technique, who teaches strings at Gallions and implements the Kodaly method across the school; and Aimee Gilmore, a music co-ordinator at Gallions, who will show how music benefits the brain and promotes broader wellbeing
for children.

To download a booking form click here . Alternatively, for further information or to request a booking form by post, please email us.

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