Parkwood Hall School

Parkwood Hall School is a special state school located in Swanley, Kent.  Its Local Education Authority (LEA) is the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

The school steelband was formed in the1980s and is called Parkwood Hall Steelband. 

Its aim was, and still is, to provide an inclusive activity that gives the students the opportunity to:

• perform as part of a team
• take their music into the community

The steelband is currently taught in-house by class teacher Mrs Hollands, with the support of other school staff and the pupils practice once a week for one hour.

Every month the steelband plays to a different local school (primary and secondary). After the performance the students work alongside pupils from the host school to teach them how to play, which then culminates in a performance with pupils from Parkwood and the host school involved.

All students who play in Parkwood Steel Band have Special Educational Needs ranging from severe to moderate learning difficulties. Many students have Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

What pupils say?

“They make me feel good”

“I feel proud when I play out”

“I like playing at the London Marathon and the Grosvenor Hotel”.

Information supplied to My Panyard by Parkwood Hall School