Workshop Leader

Polly is a highly experienced children’s workshop leader devising creative projects to inspire, engage and educate children, whatever their background. Working with arts providers, Music Hubs, festivals and individual schools, Polly has developed a range of workshops suitable for different ages and settings.

Previous projects have included:

  • Our Street Our Song (2018-2020) in 18 early years settings, in partnership with Sheffield South East Learning Partnership (SSELP) and funded by Youth Music. This project focussed on embedding music making within the community as well as child-led music making and song-writing, particularly with children with English as an additional language. 

  • Music Box (2004-2007) and Soundplay (2013-2015) with Music in the Round engaging young children in Sheffield nurseries. This article, written by Prof. Stephanie Pitts at The University of Sheffield and published in the International Journal of Education & the Arts, investigates the impact of the programme, particularly demonstrating higher than average development in language skills as well as highlighting ways in which music helped to build confidence, social interaction and enjoyment.  

  • BBC Ten Pieces with Music in the Round, a creative composition project in ten Sheffield schools, inspired by existing pieces of music.

  • A Cat Called Scratch digital media project with Music in the Round and Cuckoo Films.

  • Nutcracker Roadshow alongside the popular TV character ‘Melody’. 

  • Wigmore Hall’s Chamber Tots project working in nurseries in Haringey and Hackney (2011-2014). Listen to a podcast about the project here.

  • Musical Stories projects as part of Hull’s City of Culture 2017, Hull’s Big Malarkey Festival 2018 and Sheffield Libraries 2019. 

  • MINIharmonics workshops for Under 5s with London Philharmonic Orchestra.

  • Little Brandenburgs Day with Trevor Pinnock and the European Brandenburg Ensemble, hosted by The University of Sheffield and funded by Hammersons PLC. Learn more about the project here.

  • Numerous creative workshops in Integrated Resources and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities settings, Pupil Referral Units and private Autism and Downs Syndrome Family Support groups.

  • Music in the Community workshops in Sheffield Children’s Hospital. 

Polly with John Ball (tabla/ santoor), delivering the Musical Stories project.

Polly with John Ball (tabla/ santoor), delivering the Musical Stories project.

Polly with the BBC CBeebies character Melody, James Manson and Naomi Atherton.

Polly with the BBC CBeebies character Melody, James Manson and Naomi Atherton.

Trainer

As a trainer, Polly has devised, managed and delivered training days, inset sessions and conferences for early years practitioners, musicians, workshop leaders and students, including for Music in the Round, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sing Up!, nymaz, Sheffield Hallam University, the University of Sheffield and for Music Hubs across the country. Get in touch with Polly to discuss your individual organisation’s needs.

Her training focuses on:

  • The Importance of Music for 0-5 year olds all round development

  • Music for Speech and Language Development with 2-5 year olds

  • The Power of Nursery Rhymes

  • Making Stories Musical

  • Top Tips for Songwriting and Creative Music-Making with 2-5 year olds

nymaz pic1.jpg

Resources

Aimed at inspiring parents and educators to be even more musically confident, Polly has devised, presented and written many online resources. These include research documentaries, reports, practical films and activity packs.

Here are a few examples: 

  • ‘Why is group music-making so valuable for young children’s learning?’ 

  • ‘Connecting through Music’ with 3-5 year olds with The University of Sheffield Music, Mind, Machine research centre. To learn more about this project, click here. 

  • Making Stories Musical film   

  • The Power of Nursery Rhymes 

  • Learn the Songs film ‘Stan and Mabel and the Race for Space’ with Music in the Round.