A charity based in Watford that creates music experiences with learning disabled people is to launch a ground-breaking education initiative for mainstream schools across the UK.

Electric Umbrella’s new equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) programme is a series of seven off-the-shelf lessons designed for primary school-aged children. 

The content for Electric Umbrella Express has been co-created by Electric Umbrella members who have worked alongside children at Sarratt Primary School and resources have been robustly tested over the last six months. 

Watford Observer: Electric Umbrella is a charity that creates music experiences with learning disabled Electric Umbrella is a charity that creates music experiences with learning disabled (Image: Electric Umbrella)

All of the resources including full lesson plans and accompanying notes will be available from electricumbrella.co.uk/licence. An individual school licence costs £200.

Electric Umbrella member Miles Jay Riley said: “I find it really enjoyable.

“I love working with the kids, it’s changing people’s lives.”

The new programme will launch on Thursday, April 27 at a unique ‘Un-convention’ at Watford Palace Theatre. A morning session will be attended by around 50 education leaders.

Mel Boda, Electric Umbrella’s CEO, said: “We believe Electric Umbrella Express will be an essential resource for primary schools, as well as helping to meaningfully challenge young people to have open, honest conversations."

In the afternoon the new songs will be ‘premiered’ in a multimedia extravaganza by children from Sarratt Primary School, who will perform alongside members and accompanied by Electric Umbrella’s house band.

Tickets for this part of the day are available from Watford Palace Theatre.

Mo Serby, deputy head teacher at Sarratt Primary School who led the development of the teacher resource pack, said: “It was equally important to ensure that the resources that have been developed are teacher-friendly.

“I work in a small school, teaching a Year 4 class full time, in addition to my leadership responsibilities. I get it: the demands, stresses and challenges.

“It’s therefore brilliant that the resources really speak to teachers, providing them with clear learning intentions for each lesson, key questions, ideas for assessing learning - as well as the brilliant music!”

EDI is a complex topic, and so the programme has been designed to provide teachers with resources and support to enable meaningful and engaging learning opportunities for students. 

As well as individual plans, each lesson will come with a new song that has been written by Electric Umbrella members with pro-musicians to inspire discussion about each theme. 

Over the last year, the charity has interacted with more than 40,000 school children, teachers and staff.

In doing so, they’ve taken the knowledge of a decade working with learning disabled people and built a powerful mix around a simple idea: there’s no such thing as normal.