This 15 minute film is part of the five 'Best Practice' case studies made to accompany the 2012 Ofsted report into Music Education ('Music in schools: wider still, and wider')... Whitefield Schools and Centre in NE London is the largest special school in Europe with more than 300 pupils on roll with a wide range of Special Educational Needs. The film shows a range of musical activities catering for the varied musical interest and needs of the children who attend the school.
Complex needs
Disabling barriers to formal music education - consultation
By dougbott - 08/03/2012In Autumn 2011, DM Education carried out a nationwide consultation into disabling barriers to formal music education. The consultation findings are posted here in the 'Experiences' section of the DM Education web pages becuase they represent a signficant insight into the experiences of the SEN/Disabled young people / musicians, teachers and music educators who shared their views.
P Scales Level Descriptors
By Alex Ivanovich - 27/10/2011P Scales are a format for assessing progress for students who are operating below National Curriculum Level 1. This useful document (which can be downloaded as a pdf file here) describes how to assess what level a student is at for a wide range of subjects. Level descriptors for music are on pages 27-29.
Skoog resources
By skoogmusic - 27/09/2011Here's a whole bunch of lesson plans for using the Skoog in the classroom as part of the music curriculum from Early Years to KS4.
The Skoog is an exciting new musical instrument designed to empower those unable to play traditional instruments. The Skoog is a soft, squeezable object that simply plugs straight into your computer or laptop's USB port. By touching, pressing, squashing, twisting or tapping the Skoog you can play a wide range of instruments, intuitively.
Making the music curriculum more accessible in Gloucestershire Special Schools
By Alex Ivanovich - 19/09/2011In the summer term 2010, I was given the opportunity to visit every special school in Gloucestershire on behalf of Gloucestershire Music Service (GMS). I was tasked with assessing each school’s needs in terms of accessible music resources and training, in order to improve access to the music curriculum in each school. GMS also set aside Wider Opportunities funding to buy new instruments and music resources for each special school in the county.
Clicker 5 music resources at Learning Grids World
By dougbott - 19/09/2011Learning Grids World is website where any registered Clicker 5 software user can create an account to download and share Clicker 5 Grid Sets for free. Clicker 5 is increasingly being used to make music accessible to SEN/Disabled learners across the curriculum. Clicker 5 can be accessed using switches, touch screens, joysticks, trackballs and any other means of control, in addition to the conventional computer keyboard and mouse.
AQA Unit Award Scheme
By dougbott - 05/09/2011AQA (Assessment and Qualifications Alliance) offer an extremely flexible accreditation framework called the 'AQA Unit Award Scheme'. The scheme includes scores of ready-made music awards, as well a system that enables music educators to create their own awards, which can then be accredited by AQA.
MIDI Grid 'Grid Play' software resources
By dougbott - 05/09/2011The Full Pitcher have produced music resources for MIDI Grid music software. MIDI Grid is accessible to disabled people using almost any means of computer access - switch, joystick, trackball, SmartNav, Eye-gaze etc.
There are two sets of 'Grid Play' resources available either on CD Rom or to download:
Sounds Of Intent
By dougbott - 31/08/2011The aim of Sounds of Intent is to investigate and promote the musical development of children and young people with complex needs (e.g. learning difficulties ranging from PMLD to SLD to autism).
LCM Leisure Play music exam
By jonathanwestrup - 13/07/2011Available in all music subjects, London College of Music offer Leisure Play music exams as a performance-only alternative to graded exams. [NB Leisure Play exams are not accredited, they are assessment only.]