Turning the tables on traditional music education has been a huge hit for year 5s at Bengeworth CE Academy this term.

“I think Turntablism is one of the things that makes the children in the class really excited and happy to come to school” Molly

“I have really enjoyed turntablism, especially the bit where we work with a partner on a piece of music.” Alfie

“It’s different to everything else we do so it’s fun to learn a new skill.” Lyla

David Coaché, Executive Leader for Bengeworth Trust said: "The Turntablism project has been a huge hit with pupils, staff and parents. There is immediate accessibility to this instrumental resource so pupils can learn an entire music curriculum without having to first master a musical instrument. The 'cool factor' is an overwhelming motivator in inspiring pupils to achieve a level of technical competence on a turntable, in order to unleash their imagination and apply their learning through compositional creativity."

The turntablism course, developed by Leicester-Shire Music Education Hub teaches the basics of scratch DJ-ing and through this pulse and rhythm, graphic notation, performance, composition, melodic performance and composition.

Bengeworth Academy in Evesham is one of the first schools in Worcestershire to try out the course introduced to them by the music education charity Severn Arts. Severn Arts provided training for teaching and support staff at the school who have taken approximately 90 children through the course programme.  Prior to this around 180 children at Northwick Manor Primary School in Worcester piloted the course earlier in the year. The turntables will be introduced to pupils at St Clements Primary School, Worcester in the Spring term 2021, before going back to Northwick Manor Primary School for the Summer term.

Debbie Fawcett, Director of Learning, Severn Arts said: “Bengeworth Academy has been really enthusiastic about the turntablism course from the start. They leapt at the chance for to be involved and try out the course with their pupils, so we’re delighted to hear that it has been such an overwhelming success for pupils, staff and parents. We were really keen to invest in a set of turntables to expand on our digital music offer to schools especially as turntablism is such a great way of motivating children to take part in music who may not think of themselves as musical.”