Cultivating Creativity through Music
MEHEM Conference 2025: Friday 27 June at The Albert Hall, Nottingham
Discover creative approaches to music education at the MEHEM Conference for Music Education. Explore new ideas on inclusivity, innovation and stretching the boundaries of creativity within the school curriculum.
- Albert Hall Wifi password: Tower2025
Conference Programme
9.00am: Registration and opening sessions
- Rooms: Foyer and Osborne Suite
Check in and take a look at the the latest from music education suppliers and providers in our hall of exhibitors.
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9.30: Welcome, opening sessions and Keynote
It is our great pleasure to welcome you to Cultivating Creativity through Music — a conference dedicated to exploring the powerful role of music in inspiring imagination, innovation, and expression.
Keynote: Do we teach out Creative Art Creatively?
The keynote adress is delivered by YolanDa Brown OBE – a double MOBO Award-winning saxophonist, broadcaster, and philanthropist, renowned for her fusion of reggae, jazz, and soul. She has collaborated with artists like The Temptations and Jools Holland, and was awarded an OBE in 2023 for services to music, education, and broadcasting.
National Update
Gary Griffiths from Music Mark will deliver a update on national developments in Music Education. Music Mark is the UK’s national subject association for music education, supporting and advocating for high-quality music learning in schools through training, resources, and policy influence.
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10.30am: Refreshment Break and Exhibition
- Rooms: Foyer and Osborne Suite
Help yourself to refreshments and take a look at the the latest from music education suppliers and providers in our hall of exhibitors.
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11.00am: Workshop Selection 1
Delegates are welcome to choose from the following sessions.
Room: Great Hall | Create an inclusive KS2 music curriculum with diverse musical influences that enhance creativity and foster student engagement | KS2 | Samantha Stimpson
Room: Osborne Lounge | Discover inclusive music programs that support progression into the music industry for young people in SEND and mainstream education | KS3, 4 and 5, and SEND | Inspire Youth Arts
Room: Syndicate 1 | Explore creative ways to assess musical growth in Primary Music and track student progress through dynamic activities | For KS1-2, and SEND | By Liz Rozier
Room: Syndicate 2 | Develop active listening in students with dynamic, hands-on strategies and a focus on the inter-related dimensions of music | KS1 and 2 | Vicki Brown
Room: Syndicate 3 | Develop composition skills in KS3 to help pupils create standout GCSE music compositions at KS4 | KS3 and 4 | Helen Temple
Room: Cathedral Hall | Discover how CPD from the National Gallery connects visual art with music and storytelling in a hands-on lyric-writing workshop | KS1 and 2 | Beth Hodgson
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12.10pm: Workshop Selection 2
Delegates are welcome to choose from the following sessions.
Room: Great Hall | Challenge the norm and embed diversity and inclusion at the heart of your secondary music curriculum with innovative strategies | KS3, 4 and 5 | Samantha Stimpson
Room: Balmoral | Discover the latest in music tech—AI, AR, apps, and more—to engage and inspire students, including those with additional needs | KS1-2, KS3-5 and SEND | Ben Sellers
Room: Syndicate 1 | Explore creative ways to assess musical growth in Primary Music and track student progress through dynamic activities | For KS1-2, and SEND | By Liz Rozier
Room: Syndicate 2 | Bring stories to life with music! Explore rhythm, melody, and movement to enhance storytelling, boost literacy, and inspire creativity | EYFS and KS1 | Lucy Reid
Room: Syndicate 3 | Engage EYFS pupils with play-based music activities to boost creativity and support language and social development | EYFS, KS1 and SEND | Sue Nicholls
Room: Cathedral Hall | Discover how CPD from the National Gallery connects visual art with music and storytelling in a hands-on lyric-writing workshop | KS1 and 2 | Beth Hodgson
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1.05pm: Lunch
Collect your lunch and take a look at the the latest from music education suppliers and providers in our hall of exhibitors.
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1.50pm: Drop-in sessions by Lead Schools
Three sessions for delegates to choose from, led by teachers from Lead Schools for Music in MEHEM Hubs.
How do we make singing at KS2 fun?
Singing is a key part of music education across all ages, yet older children or boys are often less engaged, making participation a challenge. This session explores how to create a fun, welcoming environment that encourages involvement, offering fresh ideas on repertoire, session delivery, and engagement through both practical and non-practical examples.
Delivered by Frazer Hinchley, Croft School, Nottinghamshire
Can innovative approaches to oracy, literacy, behaviour for learning and cognitive flexibility take centre stage in the inclusive musical classroom in KS1 and KS2?
Explore how a creative approach to teaching music history led to unexpected gains in oracy, literacy, and behaviour for learning. This workshop shares how one school embeds music across the curriculum to boost vocabulary, speaking confidence, reading prosody, and knowledge retention, with a focus on using musical dimensions vocabulary in KS1 and KS2 reading lessons.
Delivered by Caroline Cawley, Forest Fields School, Nottingham
A positive musical culture: Building student engagement in curricular and extra-curricular music in secondary
Creating and sustaining a successful music classroom starts with a strong musical culture driven by student engagement. This workshop explores practical ways to boost engagement in lessons and ensembles, from warm-ups and repertoire choices to curriculum design and concert planning, with opportunities to share strategies and good practice.
Delivered by Hannah Wallis-Windle, The Minster school, Nottinghamshire
Looking at two examples of turntablism case studies from secondary schools within leicestershire
Explore Leicestershire Music’s journey of delivering Music Technology Units, focusing on two case studies of students who progressed from the initial Turntablism Unit, onto GCSE Music, BTech, and beyond.
Delivered by Sam Ward, Brockington School, Leicestershire and Tim Clay, Leicestershire Music
PARKFEST! : Festivals and Qualifications for Specialist settings
This case study shares the inspiring work of the music team at Alfreton Park. In summer 2024, they hosted Parkfest — an outdoor music festival involving nearby schools — and recently joined the first round of Trinity’s inclusive qualifications. Teachers Ruth and Ed will share their experiences and tips for schools looking to run their own festival.
Derlivered by Ben Sellers, Ruth Woodhouse & Ed Acons, Alfreton Park School, Derbyshire
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2.35pm: Break and Exhibition
Help yourself to refreshments and take a look at the the latest from music education suppliers and providers in our hall of exhibitors.
- Rooms: Foyer and Osborne Suite
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2.50pm: Youth Voice – Why We Do What We Do
A video presentation which brings together clips of young people from a variety of educational settings across the East Midlands, sharing their honest, heartfelt reflections on their experiences with music education.
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3.20pm: Workshop Selection 3
Delegates are welcome to choose from the following sessions.
Room: Great Hall | Explore the experiences of neurodivergent performers and how inclusive approaches can support talent in theatre and the arts | All settings | Triple A Performer
Room: Balmoral | Discover the latest in music tech—AI, AR, apps, and more—to engage and inspire students, including those with additional needs | KS1-2, KS3-5 and SEND | Ben Sellers
Room: Osborne Lounge | Learn the basics of turntablism and how to bring vinyl and scratching techniques to the classroom in a creative, hands-on way | KS2 and 3 | Tim Clay
Room: Syndicate 2 | Develop active listening in students with dynamic, hands-on strategies and a focus on the inter-related dimensions of music | KS1 and 2 | Vicki Brown
Room: Syndicate 1 | Develop composition skills in KS3 to help pupils create standout GCSE music compositions at KS4 | KS3 and 4 | Helen Temple
Room: Syndicate 3 | Engage EYFS pupils with play-based music activities to boost creativity and support language and social development | EYFS, KS1 and SEND | Sue Nicholls
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4.15pm: End of day
Thank you for coming to the Conference!
Exhibitors
As well as our workshops and sessions, there will also be:
- Hall of exhibitors: Stalls from music education suppliers and providers including
Charanga (curriculum specialist and provider)
ABRSM (instrumental and singing exam board)
The Ear Academy (CPD, lesson plan and resource provider)
Normans (instrument supplier)
D'Addario UK (instrument accessory manufacturer)
pBone (sustainability, progression and procurement)
PMLL (music rights and publishing)
Diversitybuds (DEI and diversity awareness)
Music Teachers Association
Harper Collins (Publisher)
Get Set 4 Education (CPD, lesson plan and resource provider)
Open Up Music
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