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The Smile Project, led by Caroline Waddington-Jones, aims to improve access to high-quality music education for pupils with learning disabilities in special schools by empowering generalist teachers with practical music teaching tools and confidence.
Drawing on interviews and surveys with school staff and visiting music specialists, the project has highlighted how financial pressures, narrow views of what ‘counts’ as music, and policy gaps leave many generalist teachers without the training, resources, or guidance they need. These interconnected challenges, driven by national funding decisions and a policy framework that prioritises mainstream models of provision, create self‑reinforcing cycles that resist simple solutions, even though teachers bring strong responsive teaching expertise and pupils demonstrate rich musical potential.
To begin to address this, Smile has created a free online resource that helps generalist teachers plan, deliver, and assess music activities for their pupils. The resource, underpinned by Sounds of Intent, includes themed lessons with differentiated plans. All activities were developed and tested in collaboration with Live Music Now musicians and special school staff and pupils, ensuring they are realistic and usable in busy classrooms. A longitudinal case study of three teachers has demonstrated the positive impact of the resource on teacher confidence and higher pupil engagement. The next stages of the project will continue to explore generalist teacher Music CPD and expand the Smile resource in new ways.
By unlocking teachers’ capacity to facilitate high-quality, inclusive music learning, the Smile Project shows how music education can be a powerful driver of human flourishing for pupils with learning disabilities, supporting their communication, wellbeing, and sense of belonging in school and wider communities.
Smile is funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and a SEMPRE 50th Anniversary Award
Project team:
Caroline Waddington-Jones, PI (University of York)
Karen Irwin (Strategic Director - Music in Education, Live Music Now)
Adam Ockelford (University of Roehampton)
Hannah Gibbs (University of York)
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