Come and join the fun and play with us on our big drum!
Early Years music classes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers that support your child's learning development through musical play
Rachel Pollard (Founder)
Hello, my name is Rachel, and I am the founder of Kiddibops. I have had a passion for music since I was a child. Music runs in my family, and my Grandad, who was a talented violinist, taught me how to play the violin when I was seven years old. I have always enjoyed singing and playing musical instruments and developed my love for choral singing under the guidance of Jeffrey Skidmore of Ex Cathedra. I continued to study music throughout my adult life, completing a degree in music and a post-graduate degree in music education, culminating in a PGCE in Music from the University of Huddersfield in 1991. I taught music in secondary schools for over 20 years, holding the position of Head of Music at schools in Oxfordshire and Warwickshire. After leaving secondary school teaching to have my children, I moved back to my hometown of Sutton Coldfield.
Rachel Pollard MA Ed. (Early Years Music) PGCE (Music) QTS BA Hons, DipHE,
After becoming a new mother, I searched for music classes to introduce my children to music. Disappointed by the quality of existing classes led by non-musicians that focused more on entertainment than the essence of music, I felt the gimmicky elements did not align with my musical ethos. I wanted my children to have meaningful musical experiences from the beginning. This inspired the creation of Kiddibops – my initiative to provide families and young children with a high-quality musical foundation. My passion for early childhood music led me to the Centre for Research in Early Childhood, where I dedicated three years to studying children's musical development from birth to age five. This journey resulted in an MA in Early Years Music Education with distinction. Currently, my focus as an early childhood music researcher, is on the significance of early years musical play for children with special educational needs and disabilities. I will be presenting my research findings in November this year at the MERYC (Music Educators and Researchers of Young Children) Conference at Newewcastle University. I am now undertaking a PG Cert in Music for Children with SEND at the University of Roehampton.