Sounds of Intent Awards for Schools

Sounds of Intent is a research charity based in Roehampton’s applied musicology department. It works to make music accessible to all learners – those with autism, PMLD, those who are blind, have limited mobility, or any other barrier to learning – on the basis of 40 years of music psychological research.

In the Awards for Schools scheme, now in its second year, schools work to criteria set out at three levels (Bronze, Silver, and Gold), and submit simple application forms when they are ready to apply. Receipt of an award means a certificate, recognition, CPD, access to pooled knowledge and experience, and membership of a community of likeminded teachers.

To achieve Bronze, schools must be familiar with the Sounds of Intent framework – which sets out how learners engage with music, at different levels and in different domains – and commit to inclusion. The Bronze award is designed to be achievable for the vast majority of settings and attracted 32 applications in the scheme’s first year. Schools that are already using Sounds of Intent to guide curriculum and teaching may be better suited to the Silver or Gold, which come with more support.

The Music Lead at a special primary school in Kent spoke to their motivations for applying: “We went for the award because music plays such an important role in the lives of our young people. It is also one of the areas where learners with PMLD can make meaningful progress, and it felt important to advocate for that.”