Community Music Project Plan ~ Critical Evaluation
This portfolio presents the research that has informed the planning, considerations, and objectives for my upcoming community music placement. From 12 January onwards I will be leading fourteen music workshops for the reception class at Brudenell Primary School, alongside my peers Meriel and Rowan. These sessions will be delivered weekly to two separate groups of ten children, each lasting forty-five minutes.
To begin preparations for our upcoming placement, Meriel, Rowan and I visited Brudenell Primary school on two occasions in November, to meet with our mentor Julie Lock (see Appendix 1). Through these meetings we gained valuable insight into the reception class collectively, learning that many of the pupils are learning English as an additional language. This has been a critical consideration throughout the planning of our activities, to ensure that all pupils feel included and capable of participating in the sessions.
Visual learning is recognised as particularly effective for children with English as an additional language, especially when introducing new concepts (Harris, 2023). It enables them to conceptualise the activities they are engaging with (NALDIC, 1999). In response to this, each theme introduced during the placement will be supported by visual aids, including printed photographs of any animals mentioned (see Appendix 2) and picture-based worksheets.
In the second week of the placement, we plan to make use of the school’s outdoor space. The pupils will be encouraged to explore their surroundings, allowing them to engage directly with the aspects of nature which will later inform the lyric-writing activity. To support this process, the pupils will be provided with a simple worksheet featuring images of natural elements to identify and tick off as they encounter them (see Appendix 3).
Another point Julie raised is that some of the children have resided in the country for only a short period of time and many have rarely travelled beyond their immediate area of Hyde Park. With that in mind, we were careful to select themes that the pupils could readily relate to, rather than those that may seem intimidating and unfamiliar. This led us to choose the natural environment as the central theme for the project, as it is likely to represent an experience shared by all of the pupils and carries largely positive associations.
The central practical objective of the placement is to collaboratively write and perform a completed original song with the students. Meriel, Rowan and I have selected a simple, uplifting chord progression and provided a core structure for the song’s lyrical content (see Appendix 4). Drawing on the main themes of nature, experiences, animals, and journeys, the pupils will be encouraged to fill in the gaps within this framework as a group. This approach considers the pupil’s young age and varying confidence using spoken English, recognising that they may not feel comfortable generating lyrics independently, while still ensuring that they can meaningfully contribute to the song’s key elements (Sword, 2021).
The third week of the placement will be dedicated to beginning the practical writing process. The song will be revisited in subsequent sessions to allow the pupils sufficient time to become familiar with the material prior to the final performance. An improvisatory and explorative approach will be used throughout the process, valuing the children’s responses and creative choices. Through repeated engagement with the material, alongside opportunities for variation and flexibility, the aim is for the pupils to feel a sense of ownership over the final song and the wider creative process (Grocott, 2018).
Julie highlighted that, for many of the pupils, the workshops may be their first experience of active music making, or exposure to music in general. To support our teaching of rhythm, in the fourth week we will assist the children in making shakers, as a practical introduction to the concept. Rhythm could be a complex and abstract concept for young children to grasp; the creation of instruments reinforces the idea that they have autonomy over the process, making the learning experience enjoyable and creative.
By taking this approach, we will also allows the children freedom to interact with the instruments in their own way, encouraging exploration and playful engagement. Additionally, considering that some children may feel less confident than others in singing during the final performance, the shakers provide a simple and accessible way for every child to participate and express themselves musically. The addition of a simple instrument, hence, will promote diverse pathways towards accessibility.
Repetition is a consistent pedagogical strategy embedded throughout our scheme of work (see Appendix 5). This is particularly evident in the implementation of a hello song (see Appendix 6) and goodbye song (see Appendix 7) at the beginning and end of each session. Children’s heightened neuroplasticity allows for repeated experiences to strengthen and stabilise their neural pathways, supporting the consolidation of skills and enabling learning to become more automatic, which in turn supports their cognitive development (London School of Childcare Studies, 2026).
For children with English as an additional language, research suggests that repetition can encourage synchronised responses, strengthen understanding through repeated engagement with key material, and provide clarity by revisiting ideas and responses (Roh, 2018). Throughout the placement, repeated songs and actions alongside recurring themes, are therefore used to support inclusion and shared understanding without placing pressure on the pupils’ use of spoken English.
Furthermore, the penultimate week of the placement will be dedicated to revisiting and reinforcing the songs, actions, and thematic material explored in previous sessions, ensuring pupils have multiple opportunities to consolidate their understanding and participate confidently.
After presenting our plan to our lecturer Peter Ord, we received feedback suggesting that we incorporate a method for collecting feedback at the end of the placement, in order to evaluate how successfully our objectives align with the outcomes. Accordingly, I intend to conduct an interview with our mentor Julie on the final day of the placement (see Appendix 8). Julie’s perspective is likely to provide particularly valuable, qualitative insight, given her daily engagement with the pupils.
Equally important is gaining an understanding of the children’s experience. Therefore, we have devised a set of simple questions for the pupils to answer, using their thumbs, enabling us to gain quantitative insight into their perceptions and enjoyment of the workshop. Feedback will be gathered both at the end of the first session and again in the final session, enabling us to track how the children’s perspectives and engagement develop over the course of the placement (see Appendix 9).
Pete also highlighted that our forty-five-minute sessions are relatively short and run the risk of losing 15 minutes at the beginning of each session to settling the children and recapping content. To account for this, we will utilise the introductory ‘hello song’ to aid the children’s focus and familiarity with the structure of the sessions. We have also deliberately avoided overloading each session and are approaching the placement with flexibility. We are prepared to amend and refine our plans before each session as we become more familiar with the class, the children’s behaviours, and their abilities.
My career intention following graduation is to train as a music therapist and to facilitate community music projects with vulnerable groups. More broadly, I aim to utilise my musical skills as a socially engaged and philanthropic practice, rather than solely for personal artistic output. This placement offers an opportunity to develop practical experience within a real-world community music setting, allowing me to engage directly with the relational, pedagogical, and organisational demands of this type of work. My hope is that this process will support the development of my communication skills as a community music practitioner, as well as my capacity for reflective problem-solving, enabling me to enter a professional context with greater confidence and adaptability.
We were informed by our mentor that some of the children in the class are facing considerable vulnerabilities, including seeking asylum, escaping domestic abuse, and residing in women’s shelters. Above all other objectives related to musical development or creative exploration, my primary aim is for these children to enjoy themselves in a safe, supportive, and joyful environment, using music to foster wellbeing, connection, and a sense of accomplishment (Vougioukalou, et al., 2019).
As someone who greatly values creativity as a tool for supporting mental wellbeing and an improved sense of self, I hope that by the end of the placement, the children feel more confident and self-assured, both generally and in their musical abilities. I also aim for them to leave the sessions with a sense of curiosity and wonder about the natural world, finding moments of calm and enjoyment in the outside world, and experiencing music as a joyful, engaging, and accessible form of creative expression rather than something overly challenging or intimidating.
Bibliography
Grocott, S. (2018) It is what you do, and it is the way you do it: improvisation and why it is an essential ingredient in early years music and education. Early Education Journal. 86, 7.
Harris, L. (2023) Understanding and Supporting Pupils with English as an Additional Language. HWRK The Online Magazine for Teachers, 11 December. www.hwrkmagazine.co.uk/understanding-and-supporting-pupils-with-english-as-an-additional-language/ [Accessed 10 January 2026].
London School of Childcare Studies (2026) Why Repetition Is Essential in Children’s Learning and Development. childcarestudies.co.uk/blog/why-repetition-is-essential-in-childrens-learning-and-development/ [Accessed 10 January 2026].
NALDIC (1999) The Distinctiveness of English as an additional language: a cross curriculum discipline a cross curriculum discipline. (A Handbook for all teachers). naldic.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/NALDIC-Working-Paper-5-The-Distinctiveness-of-EAL_-a-cross-curriculum-discipline.pdf [Accessed 10 January 2026].
Roh, T. (2018) Teacher repetition as an instructional resource for classroom interaction: Three pedagogical actions in kindergartens in an
EFL context. An International Journal of Educational Technology and Applied Linguistics, 74, 121-137. doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2018.02.008
Sword, R. (2021) How to Support EAL Students in the Classroom. highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/supporting-eal-students-in-the-classroom/ [Accessed 10 January 2026].
Vougioukalou, S., Dow, R., Bradshaw, L., & Pallant, T. (2019). Wellbeing and Integration through Community Music: The Role of Improvisation in a Music Group of Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Local Community Members. Contemporary Music Review, 38(5), 533–548. doi.org/10.1080/07494467.2019.1684075
Appendices
Appendix 1: First Placement Visit Notes
November 17th – Notes from meeting at Brudenell with Julie Lock
23 reception children – two groups of 10 chidren, two sessions of 45 mins.
The children would enjoy:
making instruments – shaking – creative and exciting for the children
outside time
learning new things
being active
REMEMBER-
keep it simple
routine and regulation is key
English as second language for most of the children
they read a new story every week as a class so are very capable of absorbing new info
too much differentiation every week would be bad because no repetition
opening song – hello song every week helps to learn names and tie sessions together
performance at the end would be great and parents would enjoy coming to watch
2 children with severe special needs – probably won’t join in
3 children can’t be fimed – backs of heads is ok
one group will be 100 % filmable
12th January week 1 – 2nd March last session
Brudenell half term 16-20th feb
themes they’ve already touched on: bear hunt – gruffalo – toys – animals and plants – walking through the jungle – underwater
Appendix 2: Visual Aid Example
Appendix 3: Outdoor Exploration Worksheet
Appendix 4: Song Structure & Recording
Main song – Journey to School – B Major
CHORUS – G C Am Em D
I’m walking
I’m waking
I’m walking
On my way to school
I’m looking
And listening
And feeling
On my way to school
SEEING VERSES PROMPTS
What did you see?
What did it do?
What colour was it?
FEELING VERSES PROMPTS
How were you feeling this morning?
Was it hot or cold?
Excited or sad or tired?
LISTENING VERSES PROMPTS
What did you hear?
Was it loud or quiet?
Was it high or low?
CHORUS
I’m walking
I’m waking
I’m walking
On my way to school
I’m looking
And listening
And feeling
On my way to school
VERSE (EXAMPLE)
First I saw the big blue sky
Clouds are moving
Moving by
VERSE (EXAMPLE)
Then I heard a big brown dog
It wagged it’s tail
and sang a loud song
OUTRO
Now we’re here
All together
With each other
Singing our stories for you!
Appendix 5: Scheme of Work Notes
PLACEMENT PLAN
What do we want to achieve?
Cultivate a fun and supportive creative environment throughout and produce a final performance that the children can be proud of.
What is our end goal?
A performance of a song with lyrics they have chosen/written with support from us.
Some simple instrumental sections where children showcase the rhythms/dynamics they have learned either with the instruments they have made or stomping and clapping.
Musical features to introduce:
⁃ Songwriting
– Dynamics
⁃ Simple rhythms
⁃ Actions/dances
⁃ Instruments
SCHEME OF WORK
1- Spoken introduction, hello song, name learning games – getting to know the children, introduce themes of nature and experiences – Goodbye song
2- Hello song, outside time, worksheet- What can you see? – Goodbye song
3- Hello song, start lyric writing, fill in the gaps (supported by worksheet from week prior) – Goodbye song
4- Hello song, instrument making/Introduction to rhythms and dynamics – Goodbye song
5- Hello song, movement focus – add shape and actions to the song – Goodbye song
HALF TERM
6- Hello song, recap – Goodbye song
7- Hello song, practice/final performance
Appendix 6: Hello Song Lyrics & Recording
Hello song – A Major
Hello
Hello
Hello to you today
Hello
Hello
Hello Its time to sing and play
Hello
Hello
Hello how are you today?
Hello
Hello
Hello lets clap and say hurray!
Hurray!
Appendix 7: Goodbye Song Lyrics & Recording
Goodbye song – Em
Goodbye, Goodbye
Nice to see you
Sing and play together
See you soon! X2
Appendix 8: Interview Questions for Julie Lock
Interview questions for Julie:
- Do any of the children seem more confident in general after experiencing the workshop?
- Do any of the children seem more confident participating in musical activity after experiencing the workshop?
- Do any of the children seem more curious or excited about nature and the outdoors after experiencing the workshop?
- Do you think we fostered a supportive, accessible environment for the children to explore music at their own pace?
- Is there anything you think we could have done better?
- Any further comments?
Appendix 9: Feedback Questions for the Pupils
Questions for the pupils:
- Does music make you feel happy?
- Do you like making music?
- Do you like being outside?
- Do you feel confident being musical?
- (This question will be posed to the whole group in the last session to give anyone who is comfortable to do so a chance to share their experience) Is there anything you want to tell us about how the workshop made you feel?
