Whītau School is collaborating with The Muse Community Music Trust to employ a music specialist, Nikki Berry, to provide a 30-minute intensive Music lesson to all our Year 1 to 5 tamariki. In 2026, this will be extended to all years as students progress through the school.

In 2024, we were fortunate to have received funding through The Creatives In Schools Programme. The Music lessons are based on the Kodály approach. This approach, which is based around singing games, is a highly structured programme that allows the children to sequentially build skills and understanding, becoming fluent lifelong musicians who can read, write, sing, play, and compose to a high level. It is an approach that leans heavily on the abilities of the teacher, who must be an excellent musician and thoroughly understand the best practice music teaching pedagogy. 

After thirty years of running adult courses and choirs and ten years of study, Nikki completed her Kodály Certification training. She and The Muse Trust have chosen Whītau School to be their 'Lighthouse School' to demonstrate the benefits to children of participating in a regular, high-quality Music programme.

Nikki says, 'Teaching at Whītau School on Fridays is the highlight of my week. The students are enthusiastic, kind and respectful and we are growing together as I learn about working in this way, and the children develop their musical skills. I am grateful for this opportunity and look forward to many years of collaboration.'

We plan to have some 'open classrooms' where parents can observe. Nikki is also keen to meet with parents who may like to share songs from their culture that she can incorporate into the programme. 

For more updates about the music programme at Whītau, see themuse.org.nz/whitau-music. For more information about the Kodaly approach, themuse.org.nz/kodaly

The Muse is on the look out for people who want to train as music specialists. This includes classroom teachers who wish to develop their musical skills or experienced musicians who would like to develop their teaching skills. Feel free to reach out to Nikki to discuss