Keynotes

Assessment and progression in the secondary Music Classroom

Martin Fautley, Emeritus Professor of Music Education at Birmingham City University

In this keynote Professor Martin Fautley will problematise notions of assessment and progression. Although these are both terminologies in daily usage in schools, nonetheless their meanings are not always transparent, and they each carry with them a lot of ‘baggage’ of assumptions and suppositions. This keynote will both present what these issues are, and how music teachers might go about thinking, and subsequently operationalising assessment and progression thinking in their own classrooms. We know that music educators often have a thorough grasp of formative assessment strategies, and so this aspect will run throughout the keynote.

Jazz Mindset: Why groove your classroom?

Simon Purcell, International Professor of Improvisation, Guildhall School of Music and Drama 
Pauline Black, Assistant Principal at UHI Orkney

Jazz embodies the practice and spirit of creativity, collaboration and innovation. It has been around for more than a hundred years yet its value to music education generally only attracts acknowledgment rather than deep investigation, let alone use. 

A ‘jazz mind’ offers useful strategies for everyone, not just an exclusive band of specialists. 

We will open the door to some useful strategies and consider how curriculum can be  enhanced by jazz, improvisation and groove-music. Through discussing the how, what and why of musical learning, we hope to challenge and deepen your thinking and get your classrooms grooving with confidence and skill.

MORNING WORKSHOPS

Artificial Intelligence (AI) - Creative and Generative Music Technologies in the Classroom

Workshop Leader: Danny Bright, University of Sussex

This workshop will explore some practical applications of creative and generative music technologies in music education. This will include applications for generative AI including in a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) for mixing, voice generation, musical analysis and track splitting, as well as an exploration of cutting edge creative technologies. The workshop is intended to both inspire and give you practical applications that you can use in your classroom.

Assessment in the Music Classroom

Workshop Leader: Martin Fautley

The focus of this session will be on assessment at KS3, with some slight excursions into KS4-5 too. Martin will be asking teachers to reflect on what they teach, and how they then go about assessing what they and the pupils do as a result of this. He will ask teachers to think about their own assessment practices, and how these mesh (or maybe don’t!) with whole-school systems with which they have to fit.
 

Changing the Culture of Singing in the Classroom

Workshop Leaders: Isabelle Adams, Create Music & Rachel Maby, West Sussex Music

Do you have reluctant singers in your class who struggle to engage? Issy Adams and Rachel Maby will explore teaching methods, rehearsal technique and repertoire to support unconfident students to take part in singing activities, both in the classroom and in a school choir.

Diversifying KS4 | Teach Meet

The second of our Teach Meet style sessions is looking at a number of options for diversifying KS4 and making it inclusive. This will include ideas for building numbers at KS4 through adopting successful approaches at KS3 to give all students the confidence to consider GCSE Music as an option, and exploring the Technical Performance element of GCSE music coursework and techniques to enable students to be successful in this area.

Growing a thriving musical ecosystem in your school through Curriculum and Musical Enrichment

Workshop Leaders: Dr Ally Daubney , Honorary Senior Lecturer in Education, University of Sussex

This session will provide a framework for you to consider and further develop the music offer in your school to further improve and expand inspiring and inclusive opportunities for young people in your community to engage, develop and thrive within and beyond the curriculum.  

Music Technology: Music Production and Creative Pathways

Workshop Leaders:  AudioActive, Adrian Reeve, Dorothy Stringer School and Daniel Knight, Producer and Composer

This session will explore how music technology can drive student engagement, personal development, and career readiness through innovative teaching, mentoring, and industry links. Adrian will discuss how KS3 tech units have boosted interest and uptake at KS4. Audio Active will outline the impact of 1-to-1 mentoring on young people’s personal and social development and musical growth. Producer and composer Daniel Knight will present career pathways in music, focusing on roles in composition, production, and sound engineering.

 

Staging a Musical Production | Teach Meet

Stella Knight with Lizzie Holmes, Jane Bowen-Melfi, Ryan Kearsey , Kenny Park

Join us for an inspiring Teach Meet session featuring four Sussex teachers who will share their experiences of staging school musicals. Discover how they brought productions to life in professional theatres, support SEND students to shine, empowered students to run backstage, sound, and lighting and generate income to fund their shows. It should be an opportunity to take away practical tips to enhance your own school musical experience.

Afternoon Workshops

Adopting a Jazz Mindset

Workshop Leaders: Simon Purcell and Pauline Black

This practical session focuses on the jazz mindset, real-time and rhythmic music. A ‘jazz mind’ offers useful strategies for musical growth, knowledge and understanding. For teachers, the ‘jazz mind’ is not unattainable and doesn’t necessarily require a degree in jazz.

Through practical activities and discussing the how, what and why of musical learning, we will challenge and hopefully help you enhance your existing schemes of work and get your classrooms grooving with confidence, skill and the curiosity that is at the core of the Jazz mindset.

Music Technology: Music Production and Creative Pathways

Workshop Leaders:  AudioActive, Adrian Reeve, Dorothy Stringer School and Daniel Knight, Producer and Composer

This session will explore how music technology can drive student engagement, personal development, and career readiness through innovative teaching, mentoring, and industry links. Adrian will discuss how KS3 tech units have boosted interest and uptake at KS4. Audio Active will outline the impact of 1-to-1 mentoring on young people’s personal and social development and musical growth. Producer and composer Daniel Knight will present career pathways in music, focusing on roles in composition, production, and sound engineering.

 

Changing the Culture of Singing in the Classroom

Workshop Leaders: Isabelle Adams, Create Music & Rachel Maby, West Sussex Music

Do you have reluctant singers in your class who struggle to engage? Issy Adams and Rachel Maby will explore teaching methods, rehearsal technique and repertoire to support unconfident students to take part in singing activities, both in the classroom and in a school choir.

Exhibitors

Exam boards and Music Hub partners will also be present at the conference. 

Book your free place

The conference is FREE to attend for colleagues working in all secondary schools in East Sussex, West Sussex, Brighton & Hove and Wider Sussex Partnership schools. 

Ticketed admission is available to colleagues working outside of Sussex.

Register Here
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University of Sussex Falmer Campus

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Hosted by the University of Sussex, in partnership with the Sussex Music Hub.