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  1. Learn & Take Part
  2. Schools & Early Years

CPD for Schools & MEHs

To book onto BCMG's latest own promoted CPD at CBSO Centre CLICK HERE. These sessions take place termly.
'Listen Imagine Compose Primary (LICP) has made me realise how much emphasis had been on the performance aspect of music previously and although there were elements of composition, these were very structured and scaffolded and limited children's creativity. The project has completely thrown open the gates of what musical learning could be and our music curriculum has far more opportunities for children to develop their composerly thinking, build on it over time, and although there might be guides and scaffolds in place, children have more opportunities to take their compositions in their own direction.’  LICP Teacher

Our CPD offer for schools, Music Education Hubs and Music Services has been developed as a result of Listen Imagine Compose Primary (LICP), a two-year action research project involving 480 key stage 2 children and their teachers, from 8 primary schools in Birmingham and Bristol, working with professional composers and Birmingham City University's B-MERG research team, funded by The Paul Hamlyn Foundation. In 2024, the project won the Excellence in Primary/Early Years category at the Music and Drama Education Awards. LICP’s overarching aims are: 

  • to encourage more composing in primary schools and with primary aged children
  • to build a skilled workforce to support composing in primary schools
  • to develop and improve composing pedagogy, practice and understanding 

The LICP approach to teaching composing is designed to complement different schemes of work and to give confidence, skills and understanding to music teachers and non-specialist classroom teachers. The CPD has been developed and works in tandem with our new Planning, Reflection and Progression Toolkit which can be downloaded for free HERE or purchased for £15 HERE. All CPD participants can buy it for £10.

BCMG welcomes discussion to make CPD relevant to your context and meet the needs of your teachers. The suggestions below indicate different scales, possible content and costs. CPD sessions will be delivered by BCMG Director of Learning Nancy Evans but, depending on budget and requirements, could also include contributions from the LICP research team and professional composers. All CPD is a mix of presentation, discussion and practical activity and can be weighted and adapted to suit needs.

To enquire about CPD, please email [email protected]

Conference workshop(s) (45-90 mins)

Cost: £200 half day or £350 full day plus travel outside of Birmingham, £150 one online session without practical activity

Delegates: max 30 - dependent on space

Content: understanding and planning for composing learning and doing; composing starting points; supporting children through the composing process; listening to and responding to children's music.

Twilight/half day INSET (primary classroom teachers or music leads)

Cost: £200 (£150 Birmingham and West Midlands) plus travel outside of Birmingham

Delegates: max 30 - dependent on space

Content: understanding and planning for composing learning and doing; composing starting points; supporting children through the composing process; listening to and responding to children's music.

Full INSET day (primary classroom teachers or music leads)

Cost: £400 (£350 Birmingham and West Midlands) plus travel outside of Birmingham

Delegates: max 30 - dependent on space

Content: understanding and planning for composing learning and doing; composing starting points; supporting children through the composing process; listening to and responding to children’s music; supporting children to evaluate and refine their music; considering how children document their composing; planning for progress; inclusive composing; encouraging composing in your context.

Full INSET day for Music Education Hubs and Services (WCIT teachers)

Delegates: max 30 - dependent on space

Cost: £500 plus travel outside of Birmingham

Content: understanding and planning for composing learning and doing; composing starting points for young instrumentalists; devising composing activity for young instrumentalists; connecting composing with learning an instrument; supporting children through the composing process; responding to children’s composing; supporting children to evaluate and refine their music; considering how children document their composing; planning for progress; inclusive composing; encouraging composing in your context.

Three-day course (teachers, composers, teachers and composers working collaboratively)

Delegates: 8-16 

Cost: to be negotiated

Content: 3 days over 2 to 3 terms. Day 1 - see full day INSET. Day 2 - presentation, reflection and discussion on activity; practical activity; setting up an action research question; progression; documenting composing. Day 3 - presentations, reflection and discussion; final learning; embedding composing in your context.

Participants are expected to try out ideas between sessions and bring reflections and case studies to subsequent sessions. Mentoring can be added for an additional cost.

Consultancy for Music Education Hubs and Services

Cost: to be negotiated

Content: Developing a strategic plan to support young people’s composing in and out of school in your local area.

Published: 6th November, 2024

Updated: 28th April, 2026

Author: Nancy Evans

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Birmingham Contemporary Music Group
CBSO Centre, Berkley Street, Birmingham B1 2LF
+44 (0)121 616 2616
[email protected]

Founding Patron: Sir Simon Rattle
Artistic Director: Stephan Meier
Chair: Paula Whitehouse

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