Earlier this year, Sarah Young and Katy Rimmington, supported by Hazel Child, had the privilege of introducing music-based approaches to staff at Bombolulu School of Promise. The response to the training has been very positive, with every participant sharing how music has shown new ways of teaching, caring, and connecting with children.

With every training we deliver, we invite participants to share their feedback. It is an opportunity to celebrate what worked well and highlighting what could be improved. This insight is invaluable: it not only shapes how we work, and this time it will also guide our follow-up visit to Bombolulu School of Promise. We are pleased to share some of that impact with you bellow.

Staff reported feeling more confident, equipped, and inspired in their work. All participants said the training had changed the way they teach or provide care, and many described how music brought fresh joy into their daily routines. One participant reflected:

I was able to have lots of fun and learn new skills but most importantly, I learnt good values such as communication and sharing.

Every participant noticed children benefitting from the sessions  with greater engagement, improved self-worth, emotional expression, and creativity. Staff also shared that their own relationships with children had strengthened, both during music and throughout the wider school day.

As one teacher reflected,

One can solve his or her challenges through music.

Learnings and Next Steps

While the training had a strong impact, the feedback also gave us valuable insights into how we can build on this foundation. A few participants shared concerns about instruments becoming damaged and what to do if replacements were needed. Others noted that children’s relationships with peers and staff outside of music sessions did not always show the same improvement, highlighting the potential of embedding music more widely across the school day.

There was also a clear appetite for further training, with some staff expressing a desire to develop their skills more deeply so they can support more children in the future. These reflections will help shape our follow-up visit, ensuring it is responsive to the needs of both staff and children.

Looking forward

The training not only equipped staff with new skills but also sparked a strong desire to keep learning and weaving music into everyday life at the school. These insights will help shape our follow-up visit, ensuring we continue to respond to the needs and ambitions of the staff and children at Bombolulu.

We are delighted to see the positive impact of this introductory training and to celebrate the enthusiasm and commitment of the staff who are now bringing music into their work.

This project is supported by our Instruments of Change appeal, which helps us provide the musical instruments needed to make projects like this possible. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, Bombolulu School of Promise staff will have access to a new set of quality instruments to use during and after the training. These tools play a vital role in helping staff use music in practical, meaningful ways — turning new ideas into everyday opportunities for exploration, creativity and connection.