Wider Opportunities

Primary schools can buy-in instrumental tuition for a whole class for one school year, as part of the Wider Opportunities national initiative. This is a 33 week programme, including a Performance Week at the end of each term. The Music Specialist will work in partnership with either your class teacher or TA to deliver these sessions. All Wider Opportunities programmes include a wide range of musical activities and satisfy the requirements of the National Curriculum for music.

Bolton Pathway into Music – Identifying and Promoting Musical Talent

This is an exciting new pathway which is an extension of the Wider Opportunities programme.  An additional ½ hour per week is provided to enable the teacher to identify children with musical potential and to promote their learning in a small group, in addition to the whole class session. This is especially effective in terms of promoting progress for children showing potential and supporting them to achieve high standards.

Instrumental/Vocal Music Tuition

Specialist tuition on a full range of instruments including: Brass, Woodwind, Upper Strings (violin/viola) and Lower Strings (‘cello/double bass), Percussion (including drum kit, tuned percussion and samba/African drumming), Voice, Guitar (acoustic, electric and bass), Keyboard and Piano. This programme enables schools to nurture musical talent and provide children with specialised support as they develop their skills further on a musical instrument. Children accessing these lessons will be invited to take part in a range of bands, choirs, orchestras and community groups in the Bolton and Blackburn with Darwen areas.

School Bands, Choirs and Orchestras

School can offer their children the chance to take part in school choirs, bands, ad orchestras directed by Bolton Music Service teachers and tutors. You can buy-in an additional ½ hour per week to set up a weekly ensemble.

Music Curriculum Support – teaching and CPD programme

Primary schools engaging with the Curriculum Support package will receive a half-day session per week in which the specialist teacher will work with all the classes and all the teachers in your school to raise the standards of the National Curriculum music delivery (up to 5 classes in the morning and 4 classes in the afternoon).  Each class teacher will observe high quality lessons and will be given the chance to develop their own skills through observation and practice. You will be provided with schemes of work, weekly planning and up-to-date resources.

World Music / Rock Band/ Musical Theatre/Early Years Projects

Bolton Music Service employs a wide range of specialist percussion, world music, rock band and musical theatre teachers and tutors who can offer you a range of ½ term projects for KS2 classes. These special projects run for 6 weekly afternoon sessions, and culminate in a performance for parents, pupils, governors and other visitors.  The projects on offer are:

•   Fiesta de la Samba – for Years 5 and 6

•   Journey into Africa – for Year 3 and 4, or Years 5 and 6.

•   Rock Band Project – for Year 6

•   Caribbean (Jumbie Jams and Bamboo Tamboo)

•   Introduction to Musical Theatre

•   Early Years Foundation Stage projects

These sessions can be tailor made to meet the needs of your school.

Free Concerts in schools

Bolton Music Service offers free concerts in schools during the first week back in September and also during our Project Week in June 2019. You will be contacted by email with information about these concerts and will be offered the chance to sign up as they are released.

Out-of-school Music Ensembles

Bolton Music Service runs a wide range of bands, choirs, orchestras and community music groups which can support children’s musical learning, give them a chance to make music with other young people and help to boost their self-confidence and social skills. We ask that schools promote these opportunities with their families.

Music is an essential part of a broad and balanced school curriculum, with the power to inspire and unlock your child’s imagination.

Additional Services included free of charge

Bolton Music Service provides a range of additional services and programmes for schools which support the national curriculum and the development of music making opportunities for young people. Most services are provided free of charge to schools in Bolton and Blackburn with Darwen, are supported by the Music Education Hub Grant.  An example of the services provided are: Special projects with external partners eg. Halle Education, regular meetings and CPD for teachers, MIDAS self-evaluation tool for all schools, performance opportunities in local venues, free access to bands, choirs, orchestras and community music groups for all children on FSM (supported by the charity Trust Music and pupil reports and parents evening.