Leaps & Bounds

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What is the project?

‘Leaps and Bounds!’ is a creative music-making project for Early Years children in areas of economic deprivation, funded by Youth Music, working in partnership with selected local primary schools, cultural venues and organisations.

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Leaps & Bounds  is an Edsential project delivering high-quality, creative music-making opportunities for early years children, funded by Youth Music and supported by our partner schools.

  • Edsential is creating exciting Singing and Creative Music events in beautiful spaces for children to explore; the Williamson Art Gallery, Chester Cathedral, the Ellesmere Port Boat Museum for examples. If your venue would be interested on hosting one of our EYFS events, please email music@edsential.co.uk
  • Edsential is committed to delivering CPD to all Early Years practitioners, regardless of project involvement, and working with neighbouring music hubs to share good practice in music-making for our youngest children.

Our musicians are working in schools and their partner/feeder nurseries across Cheshire West & Chester and Wirral. Settings have been selected because they have a FSM allocation of over 50%: if you feel this applies to your setting, please email music@edsential.co.uk

Working with Dianne was fantastic. We felt very confident with our expressive arts and design assessments for the autumn term, as we had had the opportunity to observe the children engaging in music with Dianne.

Great professional development for all the Reception staff.

Jan Sproston, Lache Primary School

Upcoming Training & Events

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Creative Music Making for EYFS

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How Will Leaps & Bounds Support Music-Making for Early Years Children?

The activities in this project will support children’s musical progress through prime and specific Early Learning Goals by  engagement in creative music sessions. We will endeavour to:

  • increase their individual participation in group and class creative music-making activities
  • develop their social competences, including language skills, by listening to and performing music in their own and external settings

In order to achieve this, we are working closely with our partner schools:

 

Our project will see music-making with early years children in local inspirational  venues:

 

Children Will:

  • Take part in regular creative music making activity, led and supported by experienced musicians and teachers
  • Listen to live music performances
  • Participate in shared performances with other children, and for families in schools, nurseries or local aspirational venues.

Families Will:

  • See and hear their children perform in school settings
  • Have access to specially written resources to support home/school learning with songs and activities to share with their child

Setting Staff Will:

  • Build their knowledge and skills to deliver musical, creative and progressive learning opportunities for EYFS children
  • Be provided with quality resources to support music curriculum teaching and learning
  • Experience team-teaching, observation activities, CPD (including Unit of Study within CME, if desired) and participation in performances in their own and external settings
  • Work with Edsential to provide information and feedback about the project (including free access to the Pupil’s Voice app)
  • Consider offering ArtsMark / Arts Award in school (Edsential is looking for additional funding to support this)

What will Edsential Do?

Edsential will work with Youth Music to fulfil the grant criteria by:

  • Developing resources, including Music Roadshows, CPD and Conferences, to support creative music in EYFS settings
  • Using DBS-checked staff to manage and deliver the project
  • Planning and deliver shared Singing Days for children both involved in and outside of the project
  • Provide participating schools with a license for the Pupil’s Voice app for the duration of this project (2 years)

This project is managed by Cate Madden – Music Adviser. If you would like to know more about this project, please contact cate.madden@edsential.co.uk