Sounds of Intent

Did you know that Sounds of Intent’s founder, Prof Adam Ockelford, has visited over seventy different schools since the beginning of 2021? That’s at least one per month, every month, for five and a half years.

We’ve crunched the numbers and we think that about 3,729 children and young people have been present for a workshop run by Adam.

Collaboration with schools is what contributed to the founding of Sounds of Intent, almost ten years ago, and remains the bedrock of our work. We’re very proud to have sustained this commitment.

This close engagement with schools is essential for our work to be relevant, well-judged, and genuinely useful for real-world contexts - which is our goal.

Stay tuned for more insights about Sounds of Intent’s impact!

Image description: Adam and a teenage pupil smile at one another during a classroom music session.

#SpecialEducation #Impact #MusicEducation

5 days ago | [YT] | 1

Sounds of Intent

From special school sessions to the Royal Opera House stage!

Rosie was already a music practitioner when she discovered the Sounds of Intent framework - but it was our Postgraduate Certification with the ‪@RoehamptonAcUk‬ that really transformed how she works.

Since graduating, Rosie has:

- Helped submit the first whole class groups for ‪@TrinityVideoChannel‬ Inclusive Music certificates, and now works as an assessor for the awards
- Been commissioned to train music leads across South Yorkshire, staff at Live Music Now, and music leaders at Sheffield Music Hub
- Begun her PhD, exploring musical creativity and its place in the Sounds of Intent framework, with learners with profound and multiple learning disabilities
- Worked with the ‪@RoyalBalletAndOpera‬ on their project to deconstruct the magic flute for learners across the spectrum of needs and abilities

Rosie said: "It was due to being on the PgCert that I was offered the work."

If you are ready to make music accessible to every learner, consider applying for the PGCert. It’s part time, delivered flexibly online, over the course of one year. Applications for September 2026 are open now. Link here: www.roehampton.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught-cou…

#PGCert #Postgraduate #SpecialEducation #TeachingMusic

1 week ago | [YT] | 0

Sounds of Intent

Since 2013, Sounds of Intent has produced more than fifteen different resources and books.

Our mission is to transform lives through music, by turning our research into actionable activities that make music accessible to all learners. One of the most powerful ways we do this is by creating resources, strategies, cards, videos, ebooks, schemes of learning, ebooks, songs, and animations. Many of these are freely available, and some have been published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Routledge and Trinity College London Press.

We’re very proud of this collection of work. You can find many free resources, as well as links to others, on our website soundsofintent.org/en/home/index

#MusicEducation #SpecialEducationalNeeds #ElderlyCare #MusicTherapy #InclusiveEducation

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 0

Sounds of Intent

Did you know that sounds of intent offers a postgraduate certification with the ‪@RoehamptonAcUk‬? It’s a masters-level course that is delivered part-time and 100% online. It’s worth 60 credits, which is about halfway to a masters.

Sarah is a student who has just finished. She said she’d been “awakened” by the course. She studied for it alongside teaching full-time, and noticed “how much the Sounds of Intent framework has permeated” her work for the better.

Every student on the course will complete a placement. Sarah described how she felt on her placement:
“I had the moment when I was on my placement of ‘this is exactly the thing I want to be doing’”

If you’re passionate about inclusive music education, and want to learn more, follow the link in our bio to apply for the course. Feel free to email social@soundsofintent.org to enquire about your eligibility.

www.roehampton.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught-cou…

#PGCert #SpecialEducationalNeeds #InclusiveEducation

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 1

Sounds of Intent

Did you know that Sounds of Intent has reached Nigeria?

The Darkos Music Foundation, led by Daniel Darkos, is based in Lagos, Nigeria. The foundation supports and promotes music education for all learners. In this photo, from September 2025, students in a junior school in Lagos are enjoying a musical training programme, using clapping and singing to explore music.

Daniel has used Sounds of Intent to understand how all his learners, including those with diverse needs, engage with music. He told us it has “significantly developed” the engagement of his students. In recognition of their inclusive music curriculum, the Darkos Music Foundation has also been the successful recipient of one of our Awards for Schools - congratulations!

Sounds of Intent’s mission is to use an understanding of music to change people’s lives. We couldn’t be happier that Daniel discovered the framework and is using it to change lives in Lagos - congratulations!

Image description: About 20 children wearing green and white uniforms sit in a circle on the floor with two adults, clapping hands and smiling.

#Nigeria #MusicEducation #ChangingLives

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 2

Sounds of Intent

Did you know that Sounds of Intent offers a postgraduate qualification? tinyurl.com/SoIPGCert2026

This is a part-time course taught online and worth 60 credits. It’s designed for educators, musicians, therapists, clinicians, parents, carers and anyone committed to inclusive practice.
You will build both theoretical understanding and practical expertise of inclusive musical development. It’s taught flexibly over the course of one year.

We’ll be sharing insights from graduates soon - in the meantime, follow the link above to find out more about the course!

Image description: A photo of our founder, Adam, in a classroom standing behind a young boy who sits at a piano. His hands are placed on the boys which are on the keys and the boy is grinning widely.

#MusicEducaiton #SpecialEducation #SoundsofIntent #InclusiveEducation

1 month ago | [YT] | 1

Sounds of Intent

Did you know that this term, Sounds of Intent ran the first ever iteration of our Awards for Schools scheme?

The awards celebrate schools providing inclusive music education. They recognise Bronze, Silver, and Gold level achievement in this area.

We wanted to run the awards scheme for a few reasons: to provide some much-deserved congratulations, and to spur on progress.

But another reason was to connect a community of like-minded, passionate, dedicated teachers who might not realise how many colleagues they truly have.

Now, at the end of the scheme, we’re so proud to be able to see how far the awards have reached. What an incredible community all across the UK!

We’ll keep working to bring this community together and support it with resources and research.

The awards will reopen in the Autumn term, so stay tuned and visit soundsofintent.org/en/awards-for-schools/a-mark-of… for more info!

Image description: A map of Ireland and the UK covered from top to bottom with 37 red pins above the text, "Our Sounds of Intent School Awards map"

#InclusiveEducation #SpecialEducation #MusicEducation #SoundsofIntent

1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 1

Sounds of Intent

Live Music Now is seeking a Project Manager to oversee the Tuning In to Autism project, which is a collaboration with Sounds of Intent. Please follow this link to find out more and apply. The deadline for applications is the 13th of July, 2026. www.livemusicnow.org.uk/jobs-and-opportunities/

Tuning In to Autism offers an exciting opportunity for someone who wants to help shape and champion an emerging area of inclusive music practice.

The Project Manager will lead and coordinate the national delivery and
development of Tuning In to Autism. The post holder will help build awareness and engagement with the project through partnership working,
training, communications and events. They will also play an important role in translating research and theory into practical, accessible approaches for practitioners and families.

The role would be great for: a primary phase teacher or an early years’ specialist, someone with experience of autism and social communication approaches within education, or someone with lived experience of autism and a passion for inclusive creative practice.

#Autism #CharityJobs #MusicJobs

1 month ago | [YT] | 1

Sounds of Intent

We are thrilled to have hosted Sounds of Intent's first ever conference on Tuesday the 9th. It was an invigorating day of connection and inspiration. Thank you to all the delegates for the warm atmosphere, evident passion, and commitment to changing lives through music.

For our inaugural conference we couldn't be happier. Watch this space as we'll be sharing some of the expertise and research, as always, on our social media in bite-size pieces!

#Inclusivity #MusicEducation #SpecialEducationalNeeds

2 months ago | [YT] | 0

Sounds of Intent

We’re delighted that our next webinar will be hosted by a PhD student who works with Sounds of Intent - Claire Marie Bowes.

She will cover her PhD research on effective memorisation strategies for blind children learning piano, exploring effective memorisation and the importance of including learning from memory in instrumental lessons.

If you’d like to understand the processes involved in memorisation and how to teach memorisation effectively, do come along! Attendance is totally free.

Wednesday 3rd June at 4:30pm - sign up at the link here: forms.cloud.microsoft/e/mvv2TU8Fgs

#Blindness #Memory #Music

2 months ago | [YT] | 0