BRING DRUM WITH ALEX TO YOUR SCHOOL
Drum With Alex works with schools across West Berkshire and Hampshire to provide engaging, well-managed music tuition during the school day.
We offer drum, guitar, piano and singing lessons, giving children the opportunity to learn an instrument at school with an encouraging and enthusiastic tutor.
But we do more than simply supply a tutor.
DWA manages the music tuition programme – from registrations and parent communication to payments, progress reports and ongoing tutor support – helping schools provide a high-quality musical experience without creating unnecessary administration.
Talk to Us About Your SchoolMUSIC LESSONS CHILDREN LOOK FORWARD TO
We believe music should be enjoyable, children should feel encouraged and every student should have the opportunity to make progress at their own pace.
Our lessons are available to children from Year 1 upwards, including complete beginners.
Students can learn:
Drums
Guitar
Piano
Singing
Our tutors adapt their approach to the children they teach, helping students develop their musical skills while creating a positive experience within the school week.
Make music enjoyable. Build confidence. Give children something to work towards. Help them discover what they’re capable of.
MORE THAN JUST A TUTOR
Working with an external music provider shouldn’t create another administrative job for your school.
DWA manages the tuition programme rather than simply supplying an individual tutor.
Depending on the programme at your school, we can take responsibility for:
★ Student registrations
★ Parent and carer communication
★ Tuition fees and payments
★ Weekly term-time lessons
★ Tutor recruitment and ongoing support
★ Timetable administration
★ Practice guidance
★ Christmas, Easter and Summer progress reports
★ Exam guidance where appropriate
★ Performances and assemblies where possible
★ Equipment guidance
★ Notice and leaving arrangements
Our aim is to make DWA easy for schools to work with.
A PARTNERSHIP THAT WORKS AROUND YOUR SCHOOL
We understand that an external tuition provider needs to fit around the realities of the school day.
Lessons need to be organised effectively, communication needs to be clear, safeguarding matters and disruption to classroom learning should be kept to a minimum.
We work with each school to establish a programme that works for its pupils, staff and timetable.
DWA takes responsibility for running the tuition programme while maintaining clear communication with the school.
The same goal: giving children a brilliant musical experience.
A MOMENT THAT MATTERED
For some children, music can provide an opportunity to do something they might previously have found daunting.
Isaac was naturally shy and sensitive, and performing in front of other people was a significant challenge for him. Through his drum lessons, he developed a positive relationship with his tutor, Steve, and gradually built the confidence to perform at his school concert.
His mum, Lexi, felt that the trust he had developed with Steve played an important part in helping him take that step.
“I just want to say a huge thank you to Steve for the way he is teaching Isaac. Isaac speaks so highly of him and, being a naturally shy and sensitive soul, the fact that he felt confident enough to perform today was huge. I really feel that’s down to Steve. Thank you!”
— Lexi, Isaac’s mum
Sometimes progress isn’t just about what a child can play. It’s having the confidence to do something they didn’t think they could do.
THAT’S THE SORT OF PROGRESS WE LOVE TO SEE.
HOW LESSONS WORK
Lessons usually take place weekly during term time and are scheduled within the school day.
Depending on the school, instrument and availability, we can offer:
20-Minute Individual Lessons
One-to-one tuition tailored to the individual student.
30-Minute Group Lessons
Children learn alongside other students in a small-group setting.
30-Minute Individual Lessons
Available at selected locations where appropriate.
Students receive 33 lessons across the academic year.
The exact programme can vary from school to school, so we’ll work with you to establish the most suitable arrangement for your setting.
THE DWA WAY
Being a brilliant musician doesn’t automatically make somebody a brilliant teacher.
We look for both.
We want our tutors to be:
Patient. Engaging. Enthusiastic. Encouraging. Kind.
And our approach to teaching is simple:
Build them up.
Show more. Talk less.
Put it to music.
Fun + progress.
Progress, not perfection.
We want children to feel comfortable having a go, making mistakes and trying again.
WORK WITH THE CHILD, NOT AGAINST THEM
Not every child learns in the same way.
Some students arrive full of confidence. Others need more time to feel comfortable. Some are highly focused on learning an instrument, while others simply need to discover something that captures their interest.
We meet children where they are and help them move forward from there.
For some children – particularly those who don’t naturally thrive in a traditional classroom environment – music can become their thing: something they’re good at, something they look forward to and something that’s theirs.
KEEPING PARENTS INFORMED
DWA manages the relationship with parents and carers directly.
We handle registrations, tuition fees, payments, lesson communication, progress reports, exam information, equipment guidance and notice arrangements.
Parents also receive Christmas, Easter and Summer progress reports, helping them understand what their child has been working on and how they’re progressing.
This means the school doesn’t need to act as the middleman for the day-to-day administration of music tuition.
PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION
We want children to make progress, but we don’t believe success should be measured only by grades.
For one child, success might be learning their first beat, chord, piece or song.
For another, it might be performing at a school assembly.
For another, it might simply be developing the confidence to have a go at something they previously found difficult.
Grades and exams can provide a positive goal where appropriate, but they aren’t compulsory.
Our aim is to develop young musicians who enjoy making music, understand the foundations and have something positive to work towards.
PERFORMANCES & SCHOOL LIFE
Where possible, we love giving students opportunities to share what they’ve been learning.
That might include performances in assemblies, concerts or other school events.
Performing can give children something exciting to work towards and provide a chance for the wider school community to celebrate their progress.
We’ll work with your school to explore suitable opportunities where they fit with your calendar and programme.
FREE TASTER LESSONS
Introducing a new instrument doesn’t have to mean asking families to commit immediately.
Where available, we can offer free taster lessons, giving children the opportunity to experience an instrument and find out whether they’d like to continue.
DWA can then manage registrations and communication with interested families.
WHAT DOES THE SCHOOL NEED TO DO?
We want the process to be straightforward.
We’ll work with you to establish the practical arrangements for tuition at your school, including suitable teaching space, lesson days and timetabling.
From there, DWA can manage the ongoing tuition programme and communication with families.
A high-quality music programme without creating unnecessary administration for the school.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Our School Partnership Handbook gives schools a more detailed overview of how DWA works and what schools can expect when partnering with us.
Request Our School Partnership Handbook
INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH DWA?
Whether you’re looking to introduce music tuition for the first time, add another instrument to your existing provision or explore how DWA could work alongside what your school already offers, we’d be happy to talk.
We can discuss your school, the instruments you’re interested in and how tuition could work within your setting.