Snow

In the event of there being heavy snowfall making it impossible to reach a venue or making driving conditions too dangerous, customers will be notified of cancellation by text message where possible, and if not by phone. Please make sure that you have provided an up-to-date mobile number to your class teacher and please check your phone for messages. If you haven't received a text or call, but are in doubt as to whether a class is running, please contact Val on 01494 814174 before setting out.

Cancellation of Classes

Jo Jingles Beaconsfield reserves the right to cancel classes without refund in exceptional circumstances beyond our control (e.g. fire, flood, adverse weather conditions etc), but if possible we will run a "catch up" class at an alternative time.

How It All Began

Little did I know that when I started running classes in April 1993, then known as Musical Minors, that I would still be doing so this many years later! It was to be a stop gap before returning to the classroom, but I never anticipated that I would find so much enjoyment and reward in working with such young children, not to mention the fact that it was a job that fitted around my family, always allowing me to be there for them.

From a very young age I knew that I wanted to teach in some capacity, and that it had to involve music! After A levels I went to Music College, and followed that with a teacher training course, becoming a primary school teacher with responsibility for music in September 1980. I stopped teaching in July 1986 to have the first of my three children and I started running music classes when the youngest was three, thinking that I would go back to formal teaching when he was five. Ben is now nineteen and is at Birmingham University studying Civil Engineering. Charlotte, my eldest, has completed her Masters in Sports Science with Psychology at Liverpool John Moores and is now embarking on a PhD whilst also working at the university. Emma, my middle child, has been a nursery nurse since August 2006 and is a qualified NVQ 3 with ever increasing responsibilities in her nursery, and has now started an Open University course in management. All of my children were exposed to music from before birth and have all shown themselves to be musical in various ways (the girls did piano and danced, and all three can sing well and have a great sense of rhythm), but it is only my son, a drummer, who has learnt an instrument seriously and now plays for enjoyment, having decided not to pursue a music career after all.

I have owned my business since January 1994 and have had a number of teachers since April 1996. I currently have one class teacher to assist me, Alison Howard, who runs the classes in Marlow Bottom and assists with Forty Green classes when needed. I run all of the classes in Forty Green and work in a local nursery one morning a week. Once a week I visit Marlow Opportunity Playgroup which benefits children with various special needs from age 1 to 5 years and I also run sessions at Merryfields Family Support Unit in Cressex, High Wycombe which benefits 5 to 18 year olds with various disabilities. I find working with these children both rewarding and very enjoyable.

Since September 2004, I have worked with SureStart Children’s Centres in and around the High Wycombe area and more recently in the Ivers, Farnham Common, Little Chalfont, Stoke Poges and Chesham. Alison also assists with some of the SureStart sessions.

Residents in Amersham, Winchmore Hill, Coleshill, Holmer Green, Kingshill and Hazlemere

Have you tried our beautiful Penn Street Village location?

JO JINGLES IN YOUR NURSERY OR SCHOOL

If you would like Jo Jingles to come to your nursery or school, please call for details.

AFTER SCHOOL CLASS FOR 4½ to 7 YEAR OLDS

I am hoping to start an After School class at Forty Green on a Tuesday or Wednesday (depending on demand) at 4:00 pm, or 4:15 pm if a slightly later time is preferred. It will run for 45 minutes and children who have not previously attended Jo Jingles classes are welcome. Children may be left and collected later, but parents are welcome to stay if they wish.

As always, the emphasis is on having fun while the children learn. The classes will have one or more of the following things each week - rhythm work, multi-instrument songs, use of the hand bells and chime bars, classical music appreciation, music and movement and action songs, incorporating lots of our favourite props. Some of the songs used are familiar ones, but some are new and much more suited to older children.

Some First Schools are unable to provide much in the way of music for Reception to Year 2, so if your child has started school, really enjoys music and would like to experience more, please call for more information and to register your details.