Children in the Shepparton region have their first week of music.

Stanhope, Tatura, Dhurringile P.S have started the year with the Nicole Thorne teaching children music from Foundation through to grade 6. Fairley Foundation with teachers Nicole and Lindy are running this program knowing the benefits of music for the community and how music can help with students engagement, incidental learning in other areas of the curriculum and skills for life.

Nicole will be starting music playgroups from 0-5 years of age at these schools over the year. In addition to the many benefits of participating in music playgroups we aim to help children with the transition from preschool to primary. Lindy Tenant, music teacher from Mooroopna Secondary will also be joining Nicole at these primary schools offering grade 5/6 children the opportunity to learn an instrument and join the concert band regularly for performances with year 7 and 8 students.

For the first time in the area, children will have a developmental music program from preschool years through to year 7. We aim at giving students an incentive to enjoy their schooling further and help with their transition from one school to another.

No one learns when they are not happy! Transition can be a stressful time for students. This is about giving our rural children the opportunity to experience the joy of music and sharing that joy with the wider school community. It will also help making transition easier, so they can go on being happy ,confident learners.