Devon Music Conference programme 2026

Conference programme

09:15  Welcome and Introduction - Lewis Gibbs, Head/Music Education Hub Lead for Devon, Plymouth and Torbay

09:20 Body Percussion warm up - Ollie Tunmer, Director, Beat Goes On

09:30 Panel discussion: Why music matters - making the strategic case to school leaders - Chaired by Lewis Gibbs with contribution from

  • Neil Payne, Headteacher and Chief Executive Officer Chulmleigh Academy Trust
  • Bridget Whyte, Chief Executive, Music Mark
  • Dr Phil Mullen

10:00  Move to workshop 1

10:10  Workshop 1

  • Music Theory 101 - Music Theory Made Simple: Practical Foundations for New and Non-Specialist Teachers

  • Samba in schools and it’s West African Connection

  • STOMP-style Body Percussion For The Classroom (EYFS/KS1/KS2)

  • Teaching Music, Musically (KS3/4/5) 

  • Breaking the Silence: Inclusion Through Creative Music Pedagogy ( KS2/3 )

11:10  Refreshments, networking and exhibition

11:45  Workshop 2

  • Secondary Music Suite (KS3/4)

  • Inclusive Music Making: Engaging Non-Verbal Children through Songs and Rhymes (EYFS/KS1/SEND)

  • STOMP-style Body Percussion For The Classroom (EYFS/KS1/KS2)

  • Teaching Music, Musically (KS3/4/5) 

  • Managing behaviour in music education KS1/2/SEND

 

12:45   Lunch, networking and exhibition

13:45   A word from our sponsors: Charanga

13:50   Performance: Teachers Rock ®

14:00   Keynote: Raising aspirations and breaking barriers to music education - Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason

More information coming soon...

 

14:45   Move to workshop 3

14:50   Workshop 3

  • Teaching Music Composition at Key Stages 1 & 2 Using Charanga

  • Samba in schools and it’s West African Connection

  • From Classroom to Ensemble: Improvisation in Action KS2/3/4

  • Rise Up with Teachers Rock®: Singing for Wellbeing, Creating Connection and Community

  • Managing behaviour in music education KS1/2/SEND

 

15:50  Close of conference - a continued chance for networking and discussion with the exhibition 

 

Workshop information

Some workshops will be repeated throughout the day and some will be delivered just once.

See the above full programme for when each workshop will be taking place and below full details of each session. 

Devon Music Education Hub - What's on