Drum Lessons for Schools

Tom has been teaching at The Malling School on and off for the past eight years. Tom is an excellent teacher, both in his professionalism and his relationships with the students. He teaches a wide variety of students within our school, ranging from Year 7 beginners to Year 11 students who have been learning previously. He is able to tailor his teaching style and approach making his lessons inclusive and accessible for all. Tom has taught and continues to teach students with SEN needs which can include autism, speech and language needs, behavioural needs and dyslexic students. He has also successfully entered students for drum exams with the different awarding bodies. 

Tom is also willing to support the school and the students outside of his teaching commitments, helping with school productions and other performances, and running demonstrations to large groups of children.

Tom has prepared many students for the performance component of the Edexcel GCSE Music exam over the past 8 years and is therefore aware of the criteria and marking scheme. His students are always well prepared and confident in their performances.

Tom makes good relationships with students and they tend to keep having lessons with him until they leave the school. He runs two lunch-time ‘Drum Line’ drum corps sessions for us and they have performed at several concerts at the Academy. Tom is always very supportive of his students and again, ensures that they are always very well prepared

My class of thirty year 6 children thoroughly enjoyed an afternoon learning to play the African Djembe drums led by Tom. All pupils were keen to participate and loved every second. Tom did various games with them including a “Drum-Off” where half the class competed against the other – he has a natural talent at teaching the drums, engaging children and managed the class brilliantly (I got to relax and watch it all with no worries).

Furthermore, the children learnt about the different drums, tuning a drum and Tom even wowed them with a little demonstration. My class have not stopped talking about it since and it has provided excellent cross-curricular opportunities such as recount writing in English, and learning about different drumming throughout the world and its background (geography/history). My class and I are thankful to Tom for this experience.