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Updated 4/9/19

Greenwich Music School (GMS) has been shortlisted in the new National Creative Learning Awards.

Our partnership project Musical Beginnings has been shortlisted for the Early Years Achievement award. The project is designed and led by GMS director Bethan Scolding and generously supported by Sound Connections.  

Musical Beginnings is a project in partnership with Quaggy Development Trust children’s centres in Greenwich, providing free music classes for parents with babies age 0-1 and expectant parents, in Autumn 2018.

Elisabeth McClure, Awards judge and Research Specialist in Creativity & Learning at The Lego Foundation commented

‍“this pilot program, which brings the joy of everyday musical interaction to very young children and parents, has great potential to impact many families in the coming years. By offering this wonderful opportunity free of charge to vulnerable families, this organisation is providing not just a music intervention, but an opportunity to inspire and support parents and children at the earliest point possible, nourishing and supporting those critical relationships right from the start. It will be a joy to see this program grow!”

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“Now I realise the value of my singing voice for my baby”

— PARENT

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It reached families who would not otherwise have access to music education, increasing parents’ confidence, enjoyment and understanding of making music with their babies. The project also focussed on developing partnerships, providing access through grass-roots referral and using every opportunity to develop lasting impact through skill-sharing, training and reflective practice.

The project marks our commitment to widening access to early years music education, and ability to embed lasting impact.

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“I really felt the babies reacted to the rhythm and rhymes of songs. Mother and baby interpreted the actions and pace in their own way and you could observe a real ‘connection’ in the moment between mum and baby.”

— QUAGGY STAFF MEMBER

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The new national Creative Learning Awards celebrate the inspirational innovators, educators and practitioners who live and breathe creative learning. The awards range across 15 categories, including formal education, the arts and creative business.

Gilly Bryerley, Managing Director of The Creative Learning Guild, who are organising the awards, said:

“On behalf of all here, I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to all of those shortlisted for the National Creative Learning Awards.

There is so much talent and dedication in the world of creative learning, with practitioners taking on enormous responsibility, working long hours with almost no down time, and often for little financial reward. We want these awards to recognise these un-sung heroes and support them in their ongoing fight for creativity.

I wish our shortlisted members the best of luck, but would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of our members for the wonderful and essential job they do every day.”

To find out more about our classes for babies and young children, see the Greenwich Early Years Music week timetable, or contact us about training for music leaders.

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