MOBBERLEY Primary School hit the right note when it decided to seek the help of an organisation which supports jazz and music education.
The village school received £3,000 to buy new brass instruments for the school band from the Ronnie Scott’s Charitable Foundation, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club’s non-profit organisation.
Earlier this year, due to budget constraints, the school decided to change its year 6 band to an all-brass band.
Pupils playing the new instruments
The problem of how to fund this was solved when chairman of the school’s PTA, Zoe Hargreaves, discovered the Ronnie Scott’s Charitable Foundation, which can award grants to schools providing music and/or jazz educational programmes.
“We needed to replace some ageing clarinets with new trumpets, trombones and baritones to fulfil our brass band goal,” said Julie Eadie, the school’s music co-ordinator, who supports the Wider Opportunities Programme brass teacher Nick Birch.
The school has been involved in the Wider Opportunities Programme delivered by the Love Music Trust since September 2009.
She added: “When we completed the application form we didn’t expect to receive the full amount we asked for, so we are very grateful to the Ronnie Scott’s Charitable Foundation for the award, and are already making good use of our purchases.”
The school has used the grant to buy eight trumpets, three trombones and four baritones.
Pupils playing the new instruments
Besides learning to play a brass instrument in year 6 children also learn kazoos, glockenspiels and recorders in school, and drums, guitar and piano from outside providers who come into school.
Headteacher Damien Stenson said: “It is a well-documented and proven fact that music is very beneficial for the health and mental wellbeing of individuals, and we are committed to ensuring music in school is high on the agenda.”
Ronnie Scott’s Charitable Foundation is dedicated to supporting jazz and music education in the U.K and beyond.
The foundation said: “We believe music education should be available to all, so that all young people benefit from the same opportunities, no matter where they live, what music they play and what their financial background is.”
Since its creation in 2015 the Foundation has supported almost 50 projects, benefitting hundreds of schoolchildren in the UK and overseas. Pictures by headteacher Damien Stenson
Pupils playing the new instruments
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