Schools & Education

I teach at several schools across Stockport and Cheshire. I am also available for customised workshops. I am DBS/CRB checked.

Teaching Ethic With Children And In Schools

Over the past eight years of teaching guitar in schools I have prepared students for close to a thousand guitar exams with the Registry of Guitar Tutors at London College of Music.

Guitar exams are not essential for students but in my experience, most children who have taken them have benefitted greatly because of them and have enjoyed the experience both musically and in a confidence building way.

Also grade 6, 7 and 8 passes attain UCAS points too.

Music is not something that should fit in around ‘formal education’. Music is not less important than mathematics or literacy. Music, like art, opens the mind to abstract thought and this is an invaluable attribute to children, to adults and therefore society as a whole. I could struggle to keep a child’s attention for more than a few minutes by explaining music theory by words alone, but play a diminished seventh chord to a child or group of children and ask them “what does that sound like?” and I’ll receive enthusiastic, imaginative replies from even the youngest of students.

Never losing sight of the fact that children are highly receptive, creative and insightful, I teach music to be fun, connective and enriching. It goes without saying that I teach children to play guitar with good technique, discipline and with goals to achieve but primarily, a guitar, and music generally, is a means of expression, empowerment and inner happiness.

School students are encouraged to perform in assemblies, in class and in school concerts wherever possible, as this is a great experience and motivation. When ready, I encourage students to work through guitar grades but they are equally encouraged to make weird noises on their guitars by messing about with them!

Here are some examples of my school guitar lessons and students

Graded Syllabuses Available In Schools
As a member of the Registry of Guitar Tutors at London College of Music (RGT@LCM), I teach grades in Acoustic, Electric and Rock guitar. This means students buy a handbook for the relevant grade, which I provide, and learn material from it until they are ready to take an exam which they are then entered for. Once they pass, students receive a certificate with their name on to say they are of that grade standard. They can then feel very pleased with themselves! The exams are validated by London College of Music, and from Grade 6 upwards contribute to UCAS points.

Acoustic Grades