What teachers say:

This course has lifted a veil on many musical mysteries! It’s a well thought out method which builds on good pedagogical practise. The whole of the country (world!) should adopt this method.

A fantastic weekend, Thank you! I have gained a deeper knowledge of Music theory and good understanding of the Stave House method. I feel equipped to teach levels 1 and 2 and I now have the tools to further my own music playing.
I feel I could teach the higher levels in the future. I am looking forward to being a better musician

– Marion Rourke, The Bishops Catholic Primary School, Essex

The work displayed by these academically non-selective groups is impressive.

Ruth has developed a highly professional scheme of work and her aims and objectives are educationally sound.

All the children are given structured learning which is significantly above the National Average for their cohort. They understand and enjoy what they are taught, and the outcome is musical accomplishment of high calibre.

I saw positive reinforcement throughout the sessions, and an all-inclusive involvement by the children. It was abundantly clear they are acquiring excellent musicianship skills. I cannot endorse and commend Ruth’s achievements and aspirations too highly.

I have examined LCM candidates for Ruth Travers for two consecutive years now, and her professionalism is second to none. I am particularly impressed with the way in which she instils confidence and a sense of purpose in the work of her students, and their all-round musicianship is evident in their performing.

Her attention to detail is both personal and precise and demonstrates a real sense of awareness of the individual’s ability,aptitude and personal strengths.

– Joshua Brown

I covered for the class music teacher yesterday and did Stave House with the whole of nursery. They LOVED IT. I’m with them again next week and they’ve already had the teacher email to say, “Can we play in Stave House again!”

– Melissa Whennell

Thanks for a really useful course, I am really excited about setting my school off on a ‘Stave House’ journey

– Vanessa Welch, Duncombe School Hertford

Such an accessible system to teach Music notation and rhythm. Fun and engaging for even the very young children

– Carrie Handscombe, Bentley CEVCP

Truly Inspirational Ruth . I am excited that Stave House will be used in our school

– Clair Cooper, Springfield Junior School, music coordinator

I am in awe of the creativity you have ! I can’t wait to pass your ideas and passion for music onto the children in my school.

– Diane Robson, Thurston CEVCP, music coordinator

Thank you very much -this method is an inspirational way for people to teach music. It makes the teaching of theory fun too!

– Genevieve Wich, Thurston CEVCP, music coordinator

I am particularly impressed with the easy and natural way the Nursery children acquire the understanding of musical notation and how quickly the knowledge becomes embedded with everything else they are learning at that stage! I am aware that very young brains have the capacity for enormous learning- it just seems obvious to me to include music in that stage.

– Diane Robson, Thurston CEVCP, music coordinator

I absolutely love teaching the key signature cafe song- I must have taught it to 5 children this week. Some of these are in year 6. They love it.

– Tina Phillips

Stave house is the best teaching method I have come across ! I love talking about it!

– Ruth Swain, Glasgow

What schools say:

In my many years of working in music education, I have had experience of all the best known systems for music learning with very young children. I can truthfully, and enthusiastically, say that Stave House is the most impressive of all.

Here are some of the reasons: children love the content and the wonderful materials; it is a comprehensive and integrate learning system, which starts at the beginning, and extends upwards in a seamless manner; it teaches notation, sight reading and playing, encourages creativity, and unites performance with musical literacy.

Overall, it enables children to have access to the language of music, something they will use throughout their lives.

– Professor John Howard, Chief examiner for LCM

The children absolutely love learning music now that we are using Stave House! What is more impressive teacher’s feel that they can teach music in an engaging and creative way. The progress the children have made in a short time is remarkable – children in Key Stage 1 love Ferdie and his friends; this has enabled them to begin to read sheet music and play music independently and collaboratively as a class.

– Justin Wrench, Head Teacher, Shalford Primary School

Ruth has been teaching at The Bishops’ for four years now, using her Stave House Method, and teaching our children through song and playing. What has been very exciting has been that her method teaches children to read standard notation right from the age of four, when they come in to school.

This obviously sets them up for playing any instrument later on. At The Bishops’ Ruth has taught our youngest children using angel chimes, and she has also taught small groups the violin. In her second year with us Ruth took a Year 6 choir which was predominately boys, many of whom were challenging pupils who would not readily have joined a choir.

She enabled them to sing contemporary songs- which she had composed- and they really enjoyed coming. She has also enabled our school choir to work alongside another school to have an experience of recording choral music, again which she had composed.

What is special about Ruth’s teaching is that she has tremendous belief in the ability of young children to develop musical understanding, and her no-nonsense approach means that the children develop the self discipline and the skills which are so essential to creating the foundations for future musical achievement in young children. Her materials are designed to inspire enjoyment, imagination and thorough understanding which is transferable to other instruments. The assessors who have appraised the musical levels of the children she has taught have been very impressed with their standard and their confidence, according them the highest grades.

Add to this the fact that the children love the lessons and love to show what they are learning and can do. All this makes Ruth a tremendous musical asset to our school and the children she teaches. She also inspires the parents to be involved and to support their children.

– Greg Waters, Head Teacher, The Bishops’ C of E and RC Primary School, Chelmsford, Essex

After two terms of watching the class…

When the idea of 29 reception children learning to play the violin at the same time was introduced to me i was sceptical. However, stave house was pitched perfectly to maintain their attention and interest.

With a mixed ability class including some children with additional educational needs and coordination difficulties, it has been very positive to note that ALL the children have made significant progress. Children who struggle in other academic areas have found a sense of real achievement.

The Stave House technique of teaching to such a large group has encouraged real discipline and teamwork. The children’s fine motor skills have improved affecting cutting and handwriting .

I have been surprised at how quickly the children have picked up the skills required to play several notes and read the music confidently. They have moved seamlessly from the Stave House characters to music during just 1 lesson. Parents have been completely thrilled with the opportunity their children have been given. Many have stated that now they will support their children in learning an instrument even though they themselves are not musical….

– Annliese Webber, Newlands Springs Primary School, Essex

Stave House was introduced to the Foundation Stage and Year 1 pupils at Moulsham Infant School in January 2013.

The children respond positively to the sight of Mrs Gilbert arriving in their classroom with a huge Stave House teaching board! They enjoy the content of the lessons and enthusiastically sing the songs time and time again. They love the characters especially Dunstan the dragon!

Six weeks into the programme and the children have not only learnt all about the characters that live in the house, they have also learnt about pitch, dynamics, rhythm patterns, pulse and tempo. They have needed to co-operate in their small groups and have practised turn taking skills. Links have also been made with literacy and maths. The programme is very child friendly and the children enjoy being actively involved with the magnets and the puppets.

The children are looking forward to finding out more about the characters and the people who visit them in their house!

– Kate Gilbert, Moulsham Infant School, Chelmsford Essex

What parents say:

Id just like to say also how grateful I am for a method of teaching that can be used for non readers.

We are told so often how children soak things up at such a young age, but when seeking a tutor everyone I spoke to said they needed to be about age 6 and able to read well. Thankfully I found Joanna, obie was in reception class, fleur in year one and jasmine year 3. I love that she has been able to instruct with your methods, which have been so easily grasped by them, I tell everyone who will listen about this method as it’s just so perfect. My children are progressing so well under the tuition and loving and enjoying music. Jasmine uses what she knows to instruct her 11 year old cousin in piano and is succeeding in her own small way, which just goes to show how well she is grasping and understanding what she is learning.

Thank you.

– Haley Woodward, Isle of Wight

My daughter, who shows no interest in a standard piano lesson (much to my frustration) sat with me to sing the first two songs, used the board (LOVED the board) and after 30 minutes is naming all the note sounds for F A C and E plus D and can find D on the piano without help and play the “Dunstan the dragon” rhythm – I’m amazed.
She has also been going around singing “Amos the Ant” how fantastic.

– Stacey Minshull

My 2 children currently attend A.S Music school and are being taught to read music through the Stave house techniques by Charlotte.

They both love it and are forever singing the songs, the app looks great, im sure it will get lots of use  🙂

– John Walshaw, Sheffield

We would like to pass on our enormous thanks to Ruth for completely transforming our daughters love of music. Having had four years of traditional piano lessons she hated practising and never played the piano for fun. The first time she had a lesson with Ruth was the first time we had seen her smile whilst playing the piano, it was a joy to watch and to see her getting up early so she can spend an hour playing her piano before school is a complete revelation. The Stave House method is the perfect way to teach children to love and understand music.

– Nick & Claire Orr

Helen isn’t one to throw herself into any new pursuit happily. She is wary of anything new, be it activities or interacting with new people.
So taking her to a half hour music class (aged 4 and a half+), I was expecting it to backfire, by the end of the first lesson if not second.

However, in that first half hour with Ruth, the board, the characters and their tunes, captivated her. She sat on the mat fascinated with the names and the different floors the animals lived on. By the end of the first lesson she was pretty clear where most of the ‘animals’ lived and the next lessons just continued to reinforced her understanding.

Relating the animals and sounds in Stave House to the strings on her violin gave her no angst or confusion. With all this under her belt in just a few lessons, the transition from reading the ‘animals’ in Stave House to reading basic music from a ‘first steps’ music book didn’t phase Helen (Mum found it more difficult!)

Stave House has introduced Helen to music without her even realising that is what she was doing. A story with characters and songs has taken her on a journey into a whole new world.
I should point out that for Helen, if there is no visual element to what is being taught she just ‘switches off’ completely. Stave House has introduced Helen to music in a fun, magical way.

– Ann Clausen( mother of student Helen Matthews age 4)