Chiltern Music Therapy has been providing a range of music-based services for Stephen Hawking school for the last few years. Stephen Hawking School is a special school for approximately 95 pupils between two and 11 years of age in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The majority of the children have profound and multiple learning difficulties and a significant number also have additional sensory and physical impairments. In addition to providing individual and group music therapy, classroom music, and music training for staff, we have implemented additional initiatives to expand its reach and promote broader use of music in the school. Below outlines two creative schemes that have supported children and staff to connect and communicate together through music.
The iPod Pharmacy
The iPod Pharmacy is a scheme whereby people donate their old unused iPods to Chiltern Music Therapy. These are then reconditioned and uploaded with personalised music for music therapists to loan out to their clients as needed, to support with a range of aims, including reducing agitated behaviour, increasing arousal, and supporting emotional regulation or relaxation. Each iPod also comes with a pair of over-ear headphones, and an instructional manual for staff.
At the Stephen Hawking school, five iPods were shared between 11 classes but as of this month, there will be a dedicated iPod in each classroom. The devices have been uploaded with children's nursery rhymes, Disney songs and classical music. For children with sensory or noise sensitivities, this has provided a safe opportunity to practice building up tolerance to wearing headphones while listening to music. How and when a child listens to music is flexible according to individual needs and provision. The service has very much been a tailored collaboration with the teachers of each class.
The initiative has brought new and unseen responses to music that have been extremely positive, with staff making the following observations:
‘Sophie enjoys listening to it and it has been beneficial as she is spending a lot of time out of her chair due to ill health, so it is an activity she can access in any position. She particularly enjoys nursery rhymes and smiles and vocalises when they are on. It has really helped us when children have needed some down time, especially when they have become distressed’
‘The iPod pharmacy is great. In class, we have pupils with a range of needs and abilities. There are children who have profound and multiple learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties, complex needs, multi-sensory impairments, and autism and yet there isn't a single child who doesn't respond positively to the iPod pharmacy by stilling, widening their eyes, smiling, or even vocalising along with the music!’
Conscious of how energetic, focussed, aware, and attentive the staff have to be all day to support the high level and unique needs of each individual child, we also introduced the iPod Pharmacy to support staff well-being. A request sheet was put up in the staff room for everyone to suggest music that could then go onto a personalised playlist. Requested albums and songs were then uploaded onto the iPod. The iPod was placed in a quiet corner of the staff room where teachers could sit and spend some time listening to music. The iPod is available for all staff to use during breaks, providing some much-needed relaxation and time out from their hard work and hectic schedules.
The Ukulele Club
The experience of live music-making with a responsive, familiar adult, attuned to the child's sounds and gestures, can be extremely beneficial for their development. Through observing and participating in music therapy sessions, staff have frequently noticed how live musical play can evoke intentional communication and motivate responses in children who may otherwise struggle to express themselves. Unlike recorded music, live musical interaction can draw out a child's voice and personality, enabling teachers to respond in the moment to the quality of the pupil's engagement. This led us to implement another initiative in the school – a staff ukulele club. The group has two distinct and complementary aims – to support staff wellbeing through musical engagement, and to upskill staff in using musical techniques to interact and develop their relationships with the children.
The group runs weekly for 30 minutes after school, and is open to teachers, teaching assistants and admin staff of all musical abilities. Sessions focus on delivering core technical skills (teaching chord patterns and strumming techniques), while inviting group members to unwind in a relaxed, fun and welcoming environment. The repertoire is chosen by the staff who attend, and includes songs that can be used in the classroom such as ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ transition songs; nursery rhymes; popular music that is fun to play and sing; and songs that can be showcased in celebratory assemblies, such as ‘Happy Birthday’ or Christmas songs.
‘The ukulele group has given me loads of confidence to try new things in the classroom. I feel like I've gained new skills for engaging the children and have even bought my own ukulele!’
The ukulele is a portable and pleasing instrument for staff and children alike. For children who have the cognitive and motor capacity to engage physically, the ukulele lends itself well to joint attention activities such as strumming together. It has been wonderful to see staff confidence and creativity grow as they have attended the group, bringing their enthusiasm for learning a new instrument back to the classroom. Some have even begun writing their own songs, which are tailored to individual children or classes, using the chords and techniques they have been learning: ‘It was really useful to learn new songs and adapt the lyrics to consolidate children's learning intentions and provide a vehicle to facilitate their engagement. Amazing!’
The club has been invaluable, providing staff with new ways to foster connections in their classroom and support individual goals and/or learning targets in a fun and creative way.
Beyond the classroom: ‘Music is the thing!’
In addition to the above, music is also used for practical purposes, with songs and sound cues used in each classroom to promote connection and an understanding of daily routines. We used our expertise to liaise with teachers and are on-hand to create musical material or suggest creative ideas to support learning and transitions for particular pupils.
Between all of this, music forms an integral part of the daily fabric of life at the Stephen Hawking school. It is a credit to the diverse role music can play when staff work to collaborate, share expertise, and think holistically about using music beyond the classroom.
Staff members of the ukulele club performing at the school Christmas assembly
Implementing music beyond the classroom
- Consider encouraging other teachers to introduce a listening schedule at key points of the school day as this can help support particular aims
- Upskill teachers in how to use accessible instruments to facilitate connection and fun ways of learning
- Share your expertise to help create appropriate resources/material to support musical timetables
- Implement a musical initiative to support staff well-being.
