Wakefield Music Education Hub has secured funding to run a new project called Vocalise at The Rookeries Junior, Infant & Nursery School in Pontefract. The project provides an opportunity for The Rookeries deaf children to be involved in music.
Phil Needham, Principal of Wakefield Music Education Hub in collaboration with Danny Lane, Artistic Director of Music and the Deaf have secured the funding through Holly Hock Charitable Trust and have agreed to fund a West Yorkshire Music Programme. The programme, Vocalise, is currently being run at other provisions in Yorkshire, and The Rookeries are delighted to be a part of this project.
Vocalise aims to make music accessible for deaf children and for children to learn more about vibrations. Participants will also experience real instruments as well as developing their own vocal vibrations where possible. There will be 18 children at The Rookeries who will be a part of the project, including those who can access sounds and those who have no hearing.
Miss D Marsh, Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator at The Rookeries said: “As an inclusive school, we believe our deaf and hearing impaired children should have access to the music curriculum in a meaningful and constructive way. We believe all children have the ability to develop their musical abilities and potential and are assured that partnering with Music and the Deaf for the Vocalise project will be a further stepping stone in this.
Providing these children with experiences to involve themselves with music in a variety of contexts, will not only enhance the curriculum and inclusivity at our school but it will also develop an understanding and value of music for children in their deaf culture.” The project aims to put on a performance for all participants to showcase what they’ve learnt in the new year.