Education Group

Education Group New School Workshops 2012

2012-02-21T03:24:00.002-08:00

Primary School Music, Dance, Art and Science Workshops
Education Group has launched several new school workshops over the last 12 months with a specific focus on National Science Week, Black History Month and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Our art education school workshops are mostly suitable for primary/elementary aged children and incorporate many elements of the National Curriculum.

For National Science Week, thousands of children are already booked onto an Education Group Forensic Science Workshop. Using science techniques specially developed for primary school children, each child gains an understanding of forensic science techniques in the real world.

The context of a scientific investigation brings science to life and stimulates interest at a young age. Schools can incorporate our Forensic Science Workshops into a memorable school science week. The workshop allows children to practice Science Key Stage One and Two skills such as observing, exploring and asking questions.

Education Group has launched a Snap Mosaic and commemorative plate workshop to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. With special permission from Buckingham Palace, our Snap Mosaic design uses the Official Emblem of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

In addition, we have launched African Mask Making workshops for primary schools which are proving to be extremely popular during Black History Month.

Education Group’s Mask Making Workshop is a unique celebration of African art. Each child decorates their own wooden mask sculpted in the style of the Dan Tribe from Western Africa. Masks are painted with Adinkra symbols representing values such as leadership, wisdom, creativity, freedom and independence.

This authentic workshop includes a sustainability and eco focus on the materials used to create the mask. Our African Mask Making Workshop is also offered as a package with an African dance day incorporating our specially choreographed African Mask Dance.

Our Follow the Flame Workshops are almost fully booked in the London area during 2012and we have limited availability for an audience with Olympic legend, Derek Redmond.

Education Group’s Story Factory workshop captures the imagination of your children. Children are encouraged to develop characters culminating in dramatic performances delivered by the children. This is an extremely popular workshop during Anti Bullying Week or on World Book Day.

The sessions are designed to engage and inspire children. They are encouraged to fully participate in the experience. Children increase their confidence, imagination and language skills. This workshop meets targets from Key Stages One and Two of the English National Curriculum.

For more information, visit: http://www.educationgroup.co.uk/

Education Group is the UK’s leading provider of music, dance, African drumming, science and art workshops to primary schools. We have delivered our exciting workshops to over 2 million children and continue to set the standards as the market leader.

Extended Services

2010-09-24T04:57:00.001-07:00

Education Group are an extended services partner used by many local authorities and school cluster groups and can offer packages of extra curricular activities before school, after school or during school holidays.

We work closely with Extended Services Coordinators creating partnerships with schools and clusters groups in many areas of the country, delivering both short and long term projects. Together with the schools we aim to provide access to services that meet the wider needs of their children, families and communities and help schools to become a hub through which the community can access these provisions.

Our services are flexible and can range from an ongoing weekly dance club in one school to larger community cohesion projects. Many are funded through the Disadvantaged Subsidy Fund.

We are very aware of the burden and extra workload that can be placed on an individual reponsible for organising an event or coordinating extended services and are very happy to discuss how we could help.

Forensic Science Workshop

2010-09-24T04:13:00.000-07:00

Education Group have a new Forensic Science Workshop available for Primary Schools for the School year 2010/2011. It is an exciting day designed to enhance the science provision across Key Stage One and Two and adds an element of problem solving and team work for the children.

Hidden within the hills and the heather of the Yorkshire Moors sits a beautifully old manor house named ‘The Yorkshire Pudding Bed and Breakfast’.

Many say that The Yorkshire Pudding is haunted by a couple, Mr. and Mrs. Parkin, who used to own the house before they mysteriously went missing one dark, cold winter’s night.

This new forensic science workshop is a hands-on day that allows the children to take part in a unique mix of "whodunnit" and science. The workshop is designed to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum at Key Stage 1 & 2 and covers the following:

Crime Scene Investigation
Forensic Anthropology (Bones)
Forensic Entomology (Insects/Decomposition)
Blood
Documents (handwriting)
Fingerprints
Analysis of Hair & Fibres
Impressions (footprints)

Solve the mystery and have fun with forensics by visiting www.educationgroup.co.uk

After School Club now moves to the holidays!

2009-08-28T02:54:00.000-07:00

Education Group currently provide nationwide after school and breakfast dance clubs during term time. However from the October half term we will be delivering holiday dance clubs!
Zoons Dance Camp will be open to all schools and their students; regardless of age and even if they do not currently have a term time club with us.
The camp will include cool freebies that are not available in the term time clubs and will provide a great opportunity for school children from their local town to socialise and make new friends that perhaps don’t come from their own school.

Further details on Zoons Holiday Camp will follow shortly, so watch this space or click here to visit the zoons website

Celebrate the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII accession to the throne

2009-08-24T03:29:00.000-07:00

2009 marks the 500th anniversary of the accession of Henry VIII to the English throne. Why not mark this occasion with a Tudor music workshop?
King Henry himself famously known as a keen musician & composer, and avid follower of the arts. During his reign he wrote many pieces of music and was an ardent collector of musical instruments, notably flutes and recorders.
While our musicians are not exactly royalty, they are professionals and are trained to deliver our workshops to all primary school children, regardless of age or ability. Many of them have appeared in West End shows or belong to one of the London orchestras.

A typical music workshop can start with a school assembly to discuss the instruments in a little detail and outline the day’s proceedings.
Next follows between four to eight sessions of music composition, where the children are allowed to express themselves creatively through music and get hands on with the instruments. The number of sessions required varies on your school’s size and particular requirements. All instruments are provided and we culminate the day with a class performance at the end to showcase the children’s work.

If your students are really hungry to learn more on Tudor music, the British Museum is holding an exhibition dedicated to Henry VIII and the curator of this show is leading historian and Tudor specialist Dr. David Starkey. For further information please visit their website: http://www.britishmuseum.org

Of course we do have over 60 topics to choose from, and each session group can study a different topic if necessary.

Street Dance - It has the WOW factor!

2009-08-24T03:27:00.000-07:00

I am certain many of us have seen the footage of this years X Factor dance troupe winners, Diversity, ‘body popping and locking’, not least your students, who if are not familiar with Diversity then have certainly seen Justin Timberlake or numerous boy bands dancing in this energetic and expressive form.

Street dance started life in the back streets of New York in the 1970’s and much like the dance trends that came before it, quickly took the underground clubs by storm. But what makes this dance as popular today as it was nearly thirty years ago?
Street dance or Hip Hop dance origins are varied and incorporate other cultures dance moves, including, Salsa, traditional African dance, the Lindy Hop and many other influences that were prevalent at the time.
The key to Street dance remaining popular is its ability to evolve, adapt and move with the times. This is why we have seen a real increase in schools requesting a Street dance workshop, particularly around the month of October when many schools are studying it as a part of their Black History month studies, alongside African and Indian dance.

Children of all ages continue to enjoy to Street dance, from key stage one through to A-Level and Education Group can provide up to six sessions and a final performance throughout the day during a workshop. For more information on this increasingly popular and vigorous dance style or any other dance workshops we might be able to offer, please feel free to contact us.

Black History Month

2009-08-24T03:23:00.000-07:00

With October fast approaching, Black History Month is just around the corner, and we ask schools how they will be commemorating this years growing celebration. Many have week long festivities in place; however for those who are unsure, we offer an insight and some food for thought!

Black History Month began in 1926 in America when Carter G. Woodson, the editor of the Journal of Negro History, established African Caribbean celebrations to honour the role that Black people have played throughout history and their influence on society. It’s wide spread success soon meant that it travelled the Atlantic ocean to London where now over 60’000 music, cultural and political events take place each October.

Education Group is able to offer children a slice of African culture with our dance and drumming workshops.
Children will learn traditional African folk dance, which includes a variety of energetic bounces, clamps and jumps that circle and interweave, and are typically performed during African celebrations.
African drumming workshops also prove an animated and lively day with students each being given a percussive instrument, typically a Djembe drum and invited to learn traditional Diansa (drum rhythms) to perform in a group scenario. The Djembe drum is widely regarded as the most popular Western African drum and is a hand carved instrument that dates back to the 12th Century. The Djembe drum and diansa rhythms accompany the traditional folk dance at many joyous occasions such as weddings, baptisms, harvest time and full moon.
Many schools experience both workshops and half the school perform the Diansa, while the other half accompany the drummers with a dance performance.

We can accommodate up to six sessions in a day, for each type of workshop, depending on your requirements and number of students. Should you wish your facilitator for the day to arrive in costume, we are also able to provide that with sufficient notice.

Education Group and BBC Breathing Places

2009-04-28T05:16:00.000-07:00

As a company who are keen on helping young people to make a difference, Education Group are helping to promote the campaign for the BBC Breathing Places project.

In the last three years, BBC Breathing Places has encouraged over 10 million people in the UK to make a real difference for wildlife, and since it was launched just one year ago the BBC Breathing Places Schools project has played a significant part in this ongoing success. A staggering 8,616 schools have now signed up, and are receiving free, simple and fun teaching resources and activity ideas.

Through the project, huge numbers of children have been getting closer to nature and have started to transform their schools into wildlife-friendly places. BBC Breathing Places has joined forces with the RSPB and partnered with 42 other like-minded wildlife and conservation organisations across the UK, to make this the best possible project for young people.

And there’s still time to get involved. Primary, middle and special schools are all invited to take part in ‘Doing One Thing’ for nature each term – such as planting seeds, making homes for mini-beasts, and this term creating homes for all kinds of wildlife in their very own ‘wildlife walls’.

All schools have to do is register online and they’ll be sent everything they need to get started. The activities are flexible, so they can be part of a lesson or a lunchtime club, and they’re a great way of encouraging learning outside the classroom. There are quick and simple links to the curriculum, as well as links to further activities from a range of partners.

It’s a chance for a single class or even the whole school to get out and get involved with the wildlife in their grounds, whether in an urban, suburban or rural setting. And the good news is it’s never been easier – as each term, schools can download new teachers’ notes and activity sheets from the BBC Breathing Places website.

“Breathing Places Schools has been a really good source of practical ideas and encouragement, and we are looking forward to wildlife gardening into the future,” said Alison Hadfield, Year Three Teacher, Brighton and Hove High School.

BBC Breathing Places Project Executive Karen Gregory said: "This year we plan to celebrate the huge achievements of the BBC Breathing Places schools – bringing to light stories about the fantastic work going on across the UK, and inspiring even more children and schools to get involved and create their very own special places for wildlife, and also for themselves.”
Andy Simpson, RSPB Head of Youth and Education, said: “Breathing Places Schools brings the best ideas from the best natural history experts, direct to teachers across the UK, making enthusing children about nature easier than ever.

Martin Burch, director of Education Group said "We work with many thousands of children in primary schools each year which provides us with an excellent opportunity to promote this extremely worthwhile project. Our aim is to educate, enrich and inspire the lives of young people through our music and dance workshops and class music teacher provision and we feel that BBC Breathing Places does a similar thing.....only outdoors!"

Education Group Video now available

2009-02-09T03:27:00.000-08:00

As stated previously, The Education Group website is going through some changes. The company that offer primary school music and/or dance workshops, along with african and samba drumming launched a new site in 2008. The site makes it easier for teachers to correspond after the workshop day, and for employees to keep in touch, making it dynamically 'greener'.

There is now a brand new promotional video available which can be viewed by going to www.educationgroup.co.uk

Foreign Language Teachers

2009-02-09T03:24:00.000-08:00

From 2010, all children from the age of seven should be provided with the opportunity to study a modern foreign language as part of their class time.

Education Group are able to provide primary schools across the UK with French and Spanish language teachers for between one to five days per week. As part of our service, we ensure that you will get the same teacher on the same day or days each week, providing continuity for both the children and the school.

As well as a qualified teacher, also included in the service are resources provided in association with La Jolie Ronde.
The package provided contains detailed lesson notes and CD’s of resources with hundreds of files to support lessons (flash cards, stories and poems, transcripts of songs, presentations), plus lots of games & activities to use on interactive whiteboards and CD’s of songs and poems. It links with the Modern Foreign Language Framework and has been written in accordance with the relevant Key Stage.

Many schools are already using our language teacher service to ensure that PPA cover time is provided whilst offering a valuable and soon to be essential benefit to the school.

See the website at www.educationgroup.co.uk for details

African Drumming

2008-08-06T01:25:00.000-07:00

Drumming is the “heartbeat of the world”, well, according to Education Group instructor Mathis Richet. The African drumming workshops offer primary school pupils the chance to learn basic African drumming techniques along with a brief contextual analysis to why it was important to create drum circles. Not only are the workshops important to give the children an insight to different cultures, but also gives them the opportunity to experience drumbeat and rhythm in unity. Furthermore, the drum beat is “good for the body and soul” according to Shonna Beckwith of Florence.

She believes that the drumming “is evocative, evoking the spirit and energy, and it nurtures self-esteem, listening and cooperation skills, eye-hand coordination and math skills.”

Within a normal African drumming session, certain outcomes are definite and connect to Shonna Beckworth’s statement. Firstly, the drumming will boost energy and receptivity of the pupils, as it will be a different experience within the same environment. Secondly, it sharpens listening and concentration skills and develops personal presence in a group. It is important for the children to work in a group as it teaches them how to share in responsibility and coexist. When you work as a team you show respect to others by accepting their input. The workshops require to children to for a sense of camaraderie as it is an important attribute to work in unison, to create their own uplifting composition, to meet the overall objective or creating something within a team.

In the workshops, the instructor provides each child with an instrument relevant to the chosen theme. In an African drumming workshop, the Djembe drum is the instrument of choice. The Djembe has a great cultural heritage in Africa. Although similar to other drums used within different tribes on the African continent, it has minute but significant differences.

The Djembe is the drum of the Mandinka people, and its origins dates back to the great Mali Empire of the 12th century. Of all the African drums, the djembe has become extremely sought after in the Western world and is regarded as the most popular.

It is also reported that drumming offers therapeutic benefits according to www.livingrhythms.com. Drumming has been made known to reduce stress and depression. Furthermore, drumming exercises the upper body, develops creativity, and elevates a person self esteem.

As African drumming raises morale, requires exercise and forms comradeship among peers, it is a great activity for a primary school, as it is within the early years where social skills can be adopted.

For more about african drumming in primary schools see www.educationgroup.co.uk

Dance Video's available soon

2008-07-30T02:21:00.000-07:00

Video recordings of reference dances for dance workshops have been recorded, cut down and soon to feature on the back-end of the Education Group Website.

Ideas are a-foot for a corporate video also. Education Group goes techno!

Jeff Chung's Case Study on Working in the UK

2008-07-17T06:17:00.000-07:00

News:
CASE STUDY: JEFF CHUNG
CLASS MUSIC TEACHER

Jeff Chung:Coming over from the other side of the world, my trip to the UK has been a very prosperous move, in building my knowledge in European ways, self confidence, self awareness and my abilities as a teacher, as well as financial advancements.

Having just completed my University degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, it has been a huge learning curve that has been greatly guided by the people at Education Group.

When I first arrived in the UK, I had set myself up for many interviews with different agencies, leaving plenty of options and opportunities for work. However, being a music teacher, Education Group was of great assistance, not only providing interviews with schools immediately upon arrival, but also catering for my individual needs and following through with the different schools that I have worked with thus far. Education Group, although primarily an company providing teaching positions for key stages 1, 2 and 3, were able to successfully find a position for me within a secondary school (key stages 4 and up). Although this did not work out for me, the team at Education Group had successfully organised a position at a junior school (upper primary school), which has ended in great success.

They organised everything that was required for the position including the
needed CRB and interviews with the schools.

Education Group was happy to organise according to my individual needs whether that be day-to-day supply teaching or full time teaching. They were incredibly friendly and very much genuine people, who not only proceeded to find teaching positions for myself, but also in following through by making sure that I was satisified with the position(s).

The team also guided me in my decisions financially including the different payment options available to me and
the legal issues that came with my specific visa arrangements.

Coming from a some what well-off area of Sydney, I have come to realise what a multicultural nation the UK is and
how different the materials are within UK schools. Not only that, but how different the nature of teaching is within the
classrooms of British schools. In regards to the development of your own teaching methods and in the growth of
yourself, you find that coming over to a different cultural environment allows you to learn a whole lot from not only
your colleagues within the school but also from your students as they challenge you in a different way to those you
are used to within the comforts of your own cultural background.

Of course within the initial stages of my moving to the UK, I found it difficult to translate pounds and what exactly was cheap and what was expensive, moving from Marks and Spencers and Waitrose to Sainsbury's and finally settling on Somerfield (something that was initially missed in the many discussions I've had with Education Group!!)...then you
ask yourself about the alcoholic beverages (it is a working/holiday visa after all) and you begin to pay 5 pounds for
two drinks finding yourself falling into the trap of thinking "$5 AUD..wow that's cheap...wait a minute!!" (something
that was not missed within the discussions!)

I found the people of Education Group very sincere and genuine in making you feel as comfortable as possible in
having arrived in a new country - a very difficult job considering I was located in the heart of a busy city like London.
In my experience, Education Group also provide a firm support system towards their staff and it is obvious that they
work towards a happy and healthy relationship between themselves, the many a schools they have available, and the music teachers (experienced or new-bies alike).

Although I originally intended on teaching secondary here in the UK, I myself am quite happy in my position as a
primary school music specialist, the school offering many opportunities to expand my knowledge as a music teacher
and/or classroom teacher alike, all of which would have been a difficult process without the support system that was offered by the people of Education Group.

New links formed

2008-07-14T07:41:00.000-07:00

We are proud to announce that reciprocal links have been formed with drum for schools and with Prozone music .

Both offer great selection in music instruments, particularly in the percussion genre.

Education Group

2008-07-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

The Education Group website is going through some changes. The company that offer primary school music and/or dance workshops, along with african and samba drumming have launched a new site. Making it easier for teachers to correspond after the workshop day, and for employees to keep in touch, making it dynamically 'greener'.

Soon promotional videos will be available, along with franchise opportunities for dancers.

: Stacey Cadman to appear in Sky One's Cirque de Celebrite

2008-07-14T07:11:00.001-07:00

Good luck to Stacey Cadman who is taking part in Sky One's Cirque De Celebrite TV show.

As well as appearing in many popular TV shows, Stacey has also worked with Education Group in schools across southern England inspiring thousands of children through dance.

Education Group to train Trinity College brass students

2008-07-14T07:10:00.002-07:00

From May this year, Education Group and Trinity College of Music will be working together to train various students in workshop techniques. The aim is to give students an insight into working with primary school age children and transferring skills learnt as performers into those needed as music educators.

The training will be led by Education Group facilitators, Matt Smith and Mark Templeton, who is also the Principal Trombone with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

"As a performer and teacher, I know every student will gain benefits from the techniques used in this type of workshop training. It is really important to make sure there is an element of quality music on offer at grass-roots level to ensure that music plays an important role in the education of our children."

"College is the ideal opportunity for students to understand the importance of being able to improvise and think on their feet; skills that are essential to working as a professional musician and are invaluable in all areas of performance" said Mark.

Matt says, "The skills we teach will always come in useful in the life of a performer. We train people across the board as music educators, not individual instrumentalists, so that students have the knowledge and confidence to teach all aspects from small group work to whole class African drumming sessions."

Education Group at the Westminster Music and Arts Celebration Evening

2008-07-14T07:10:00.001-07:00

The Westminster Music and Arts Celebration Evening took place on the 18th June 2008.

The event, presented by Michael Berkeley, was a huge success bringing together a vast range of professional music and arts leaders to work with pupils from schools in the Westminster area.

There were many different types of performances from the children, ranging from steel pans to choirs and rock bands to flute ensembles.

Education Group facilitator Mathis Richet led a very successful performance by the children of Hallfield Junior School following his work with the pupils over a number of previous weeks.

Many thanks to all who took part and we look forward to seeing everyone again next year!

African Drumming Workshops

2008-07-14T07:04:00.000-07:00

She believes that the drumming “is evocative, evoking the spirit and energy, and it nurtures self-esteem, listening and cooperation skills, eye-hand coordination and math skills.”

Within a normal African drumming session, certain outcomes are definite and connect to Shonna Beckworth’s statement. Firstly, the drumming will boost energy and receptivity of the pupils, as it will be a different experience within the same environment. Secondly, it sharpens listening and concentration skills and develops personal presence in a group. It is important for the children to work in a group as it teaches them how to share in responsibility and coexist. When you work as a team you show respect to others by accepting their input. The workshops require to children to for a sense of camaraderie as it is an important attribute to work in unison, to create their own uplifting composition, to meet the overall objective or creating something within a team.

In the workshops, the instructor provides each child with an instrument relevant to the chosen theme. In an African drumming workshop, the Djembe drum is the instrument of choice. The Djembe has a great cultural heritage in Africa. Although similar to other drums used within different tribes on the African continent, it has minute but significant differences.

The Djembe is the drum of the Mandinka people, and its origins dates back to the great Mali Empire of the 12th century. Of all the African drums, the djembe has become extremely sought after in the Western world and is regarded as the most popular.

It is also reported that drumming offers therapeutic benefits according to www.livingrhythms.com. Drumming has been made known to reduce stress and depression. Furthermore, drumming exercises the upper body, develops creativity, and elevates a person self esteem.

As African drumming raises morale, requires exercise and forms comradeship among peers, it is a great activity for a primary school, as it is within the early years where social skills can be adopted.