6 ways Jazz North supported northern music educators in 2025-26
Helena Summerfield, Programme Manager (Learning & Participation) for Jazz North. Photo credit: Emanuela Redaschi.
Jazz North’s Learning & Participation team have been busy during the 2025-26 academic year, supporting northern music educators to explore jazz and improvisation in the classroom and within their professional practice. Here’s a rundown of what Jazz North, and Programme Manager Helena Summerfield, has been up to and what’s coming next…
1 - Free Learning Resources
“The activities worked really well, children engaged. We used tuned percussion for the improvisation”. KS2 teacher feedback
Our Learning Resources Area provides free, downloadable resources for all music educators keen to engage with jazz and improvisation. Our initial focus has been on creating materials for Key Stages 1 and 2 and First Access instrumentalists. For ease of navigation the resources are split into 6 sections - Instrumental, Vocal & singing, Aural & listening, Model Music Curriculum, Lifetime learners and Jazz North recommends. More resources will be added in September for the start of the new academic year.
“The group chose to play 'Celebration' above other pieces they've been working on this term”. Music teacher feedback
The Sound of Sustainability
June is the perfect time to give your music lessons an environmental focus. Several environmental days are observed during the course of the month covering themes of climate change, pollution (air, water, plastic) and the conservation of natural resources. This resource explores creating Soundscapes and performing Samba rhythms on junk percussion instruments.
Milestones - the Playlist project
How about introducing your students to jazz during October for Black History month or April for Jazz Appreciation month? Milestones - our active listening scheme of work for Key Stage 2 is designed to introduce primary aged children to jazz and improvisation. The playlist contains 5 seminal jazz tracks with associated activities - Movement, Vocal, Creative, Brain-break - to encourage children to listen, explore and create. These activities only use vocal and body percussion so that they are accessible to all and not dependent on school resources. The project concludes by watching an interactive video with live band performance.
“I felt the project helped them deeper understand the songs they listened to in a way we haven't done before” KS2 teacher feedback
Building improvisation skills from scratch (article)
Our Learning & Participation Programme Manager Helena Summerfield, was approached to write an article about improvising with your beginner pupils for the woodwind special August edition of Music Teacher magazine.
In the article, she explores why improvisation is often overlooked and when it should be introduced (spoiler alert - straight away!) and share some simple activities that teachers can try in their lessons plus two recommended resources - In the Gap by Hannah Brady and Beginner Jazz Soloing for Saxophone & Clarinet by Buster Birch. Read article here.
2 - Online Educators’ Forums
Our termly forum meetings are safe spaces for all involved in music education to discuss your thoughts, network and learn from inspiring jazz educators. Recent guest speakers have included Beth Ismay (NYJO), Bess Shooter and Michael Wright.
Join our next Educators’ Forum on Tuesday 22nd September at 4.30pm. This forum will be led by Helena Summerfield and give an overview of Jazz North’s Learning & Participation offer and Learning Resources Area.
Book your free ticket here (or click button below): https://www.trybooking.com/uk/GRHF
St Helen’s Youth Brass Band workshop
3 - Jazz Workshops
“The activities got the children listening to each other and improvising their own musical responses and I think it’s opened them up to new possibilities on their instruments, their attitude to music making and that improvisation is something they can all do”. Music Service tutor
4x Jazz taster session workshops were delivered for SOUND! Music Hub (Sefton Music Service, Knowsley Music Service, St. Helen’s Music Service and Resonate, Liverpool)
1 x Jazz taster session workshop was delivered for St. Helen’s Youth Brass Band
“What a fantastic experience for our children. Everyone who participated had a really valuable and fun introduction to Jazz on International Jazz Day!” Head of Primary Music
Team member Helena was delighted to be invited to deliver a bespoke Jazz day on International Jazz Day in April.
Jazz Camp for Girls. Photo credit: Molly Summerfield.
4 - Jazz Camp for Girls
“It’s become part of our daughter’s musical calendar and identity as a musician. It inspires her to try new things.” parental feedback
5x jazz camps took place in Gateshead, Hull, Liverpool, Scunthorpe and Trafford over our main Jazz Camp for Girls weekend in March 2026. This was followed by a 3-day summer camp in Sefton in partnership with SOUND! Music Hub in July 2026.
“My favourite part of camp was the sharing and making our own song.” 2026 summer camp participant
Since joining the international ‘Jazz Camp for Girls’ project in 2019; 45 camps have taken place across the north of England in 16 different regions - Beverley, Bury, Cumbria, Doncaster, Grimsby, Huddersfield, Hull, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Prescot, Rotherham, Scunthorpe, Sefton, Sheffield, Trafford - and over 700 girls have attended a jazz camp so far!
“What I like about jazz camp is you get the opportunity to improvise without getting judged.” Returning summer camp participant
5 - Presentations & Conferences
“I loved your presentation at the Expo, it was by far the best thing I saw that day.” Music & Drama Expo session attendee
Helena Summerfield presented ‘Improvisation is for everyone’ at the Music & Drama Expo, London, encouraging delegates to engage with jazz and improvisation aimed at Key Stage 1-3 teachers and educators.
Helena also visited music students at the University of Manchester as part of MUSICA Festival and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, to deliver a seminar on ‘Gender balance in the music industry’ alongside an improvisation workshop, in celebration of women and gender diverse musicians for International Women’s Day.
6 - One-to-One Advice Sessions
Did you know that you can book a one-to-one meeting with Helena Summerfield to discuss the ways that Jazz North can support your education strategy? Email - helena@jazznorth.org