About Drums for Schools
We are specialists in Class Ensemble Teaching using accessible world music traditions. Our goal is to enable schools to bring the life skills, social and academic benefits of a high quality music education to EVERY pupil.
What we focus on
We help create schools in which music-making is a natural part of daily life for ALL pupils.
Inclusive music traditions
Music traditions that are inclusive and accessible, engaging all ability levels, cultural backgrounds and age groups.
Teacher empowerment
Transferring the essential expertise to your teachers and supporting them every step of the way.
Complete resources
Providing the materials and advice you need to embed your chosen music tradition in the classroom, in clubs and through cross-curricular activities.
Educationally rigorous and progressive
The Drums for Schools programme includes everything needed for a complete music education.
Teaching materials
Resources that take teacher and class from basics through to performance level, covering all the requirements of the music syllabus up to KS3.
Schemes of Work
Downloadable Schemes of Work and lesson plans ready to use in the classroom.
CPD training
CPD training and performance master classes to international standards.
Online resources
Online video and audio examples to support teaching and learning.
Expert support
Mentoring and direct access to experts in world music education.
Quality instruments
Top quality instruments and responsive customer service — guaranteed.
Current musical traditions supported are African Drumming, Brazilian Samba, Indonesian Gamelan, Caribbean Steel Pans and World Percussion.
We try to do the above in as ethical and friendly a way as possible
Sustainable materials
We use natural, sustainable and recycled materials wherever we can.
Minimal waste
We try to reuse packaging and minimise wastage at every opportunity.
Service first
We make service and customer satisfaction our number one priority.
Music first
We put music-making, not money-making, first in everything we do.
We don't just supply schools
At Drums for Schools we help spread music-making by making it possible for anyone, whatever their age and ability, to get actively involved in music and to enjoy all the physical, mental and social benefits that go along with it. Although we specialise in Class Ensemble Teaching for primary and secondary schools, we also supply instruments and expertise to individuals, hospitals, clubs and prisons.
We supply internationally
Our main warehouse is in Gunthorpe in the UK but we also have warehouses in Singapore, Bali and Sydney, Australia. We regularly supply schools and customers in countries all over the world. We can ship by air or sea, to your local shipping agent or direct to your door. Our teaching support is also available internationally through online videos, audio tracks, Skype consultancy, expert email advice and CPD training in regional centres.
Early Years: Sound Children
We also have a specialist Early Years division, Sound Children, that makes music teaching kits for young children of pre-school age and which follows a similarly open-ended and inclusive approach.
About the people that make us tick
Our world-class team of brilliant teachers, performers and education experts, who write our teaching guides and advise us on every aspect of our products, include Andy Gleadhill, Orly Zalel, annA rydeR, Craig Trafford and Richard McKerron.
On the business side, Andy Gwatkin focuses on instrument design and new developments and his sister Hilary looks after UK orders and deliveries with extra help from brother Paul, our logistics expert. The "family" has grown to include marketing expert Anna Ruddick, Bali manager Faye Tandio, Quality Control experts in Bali, Bella Turkalska and Joe, Sing Yee Chua, who manages Singapore distribution, and Putri and Guseri, who manage Australian distribution.
A small, family firm with a big mission
Our speciality and focus is inclusive group and whole class music making. Our mission is to make the power of music available to everyone.
