Mayor celebrates the Power of Music: Waves Music Therapy at Warden Park Primary Academy

On Friday 20th June, Warden Park Primary Academy proudly hosted a special event to celebrate the inspiring work of Waves Music Therapy and its impact on pupils at the school. The morning brought together staff, students and the Mayor of Haywards Heath for a meaningful look at how music is making a real difference in the lives of children with additional needs.

The event began with a guided tour of the school, offering our Town Mayor, Cllr Duncan Pascoe, an insight into the inclusive and nurturing environment at Warden Park. He had the opportunity to meet one of the pupils currently receiving music therapy support - a touching moment that brought the power of this work to life. Zoe Jones, the school's SENCO, commented: "One of our pupils took the time to discuss music therapy and the positive impact it has had on him. He delighted in sharing that he has been able to stay in the classroom and focus on his learning despite previously finding this challenging at times. He described how the music therapy sessions have allowed him to explore some of his thoughts and feelings and think about some of the behaviours he was doing which were distracting his classmates. He has most recently been working on composing a piece of music to accompany the thoughts and feelings of the characters in his comic strip. He took great pride when showing this to the Mayor, who was suitably impressed!"

The day continued with a meeting with Lori Standen from Waves Music Therapy, who shared insights into the therapy’s approach and how recent funding has helped sustain and grow this valuable programme. Their conversation highlighted not only the therapeutic benefits of music for children with special educational needs, but also the creativity and emotional growth it inspires.

Zoe Jones (Warden Park Primary Academy's SENCO), Town Mayor Cllr Duncan Pascoe, a student and Lori Standen (Waves Music Therapy)

The focus then shifted toward the future, with a discussion led by Zoe Jones on how the school can continue to meet the needs of its pupils through specialist support. She emphasised the importance of ongoing funding to ensure that music therapy remains a consistent and accessible resource for children who benefit most.

The presence of the Mayor underscored the community’s support for inclusive education and innovative approaches to pupil wellbeing. The event was not only a celebration but also a call to action, to recognise the transformative role of music in education and to rally continued support for this vital work.