HIT! is the creative music making action research programme based at Hadley Learning Community (HLC) Primary School in Telford.

With an overriding aim to provide a strong and sustainable foundation for music development by upskilling staff and parents and creating an awareness of the social and emotional benefits of making music for the whole community, the HIT! project has support from Telford & Wrekin Music and Telford & Wrekin’s “Find Your Talent Programme” for the next two academic years.

Based on similar philosophies and model to the famous “El Sistema” approach pioneered in Venezuela, the HIT! project aims to reengage the whole community with music making by finding a common enthusiasm and enjoyment for all things musical.

As an action research project the HIT aims to involves a significant amount of community, young person and school staff consultation. It is this consultation that drives the programme and will ensure that the activities will continue to run once the initial phase of training, group teaching, community workshops, daily music making, instrumental teaching sessions, singing workshops and other activities have taken place. HIT is reflective, flexible and reactive to the community it serves.

Ultimately, the programme aims to foster a natural and genuine enjoyment of all things musical for all participants whether they are young people, their families or the staff that teach them. Music will become part of the everyday life of the school and of the community.

This is a two year programme of music making which aims to:

· Engage young people in their first three years of formal education, their families and staff at the school.

· To offer children and young people up to 45 minutes of music makes 5 days a week within school.

· The programme will lay a strong and sustainable foundation for music development by upskilling staff and parents, and

· Create an awareness of the social and emotional benefits of making music for the whole community with a focus on young people at HLC. 

The activities delivered in school time are:

· Creative approaches to music making (Group Teaching)

· Vocal workshops (Group Teaching)

· Early years rhythm workshops (Group Teaching).

· Reggio approach

· Instrumental teaching - This element of the HLC Community Approach will also lead directly into the Music 2 the 4 programme, Telford’s Key Stage 2 wider opportunities progamme.

Staff Training:

· Individual staff planning sessions

· After school training sessions

· Vocal training sessions

· CPD Days

The results of the research project will be disseminated to other staff members at the school and at other schools across the borough via two professional development days for early years staff in year one. The content of the two days will be taken from the programme of activities planned in year one, rhythm workshops, singing workshops and “Reggio” workshops. The programme, where possible, will aim to visit the In Harmony pilot areas to share ideas and lessons from the programme. Ideas and resources from this programme will also be shared with other settings through Telford & Wrekin Music network meetings and online through the Telford Culture Zone website. 

Family Learning Programme:

· Singing workshops.

· Early Years Rhythm Programme.

· Reggio Approach 

The programme began in September 2009 and runs till July 2011.