Songwriting & Music production Workshops in Kent — The Songwriting Charity
Every Child Has a Song Inside Them. We Help Them Find It.
The Songwriting Charity is a registered UK charity (No. 1146228) based in Greenhithe, Kent — and we believe that every child, regardless of ability, background, or confidence, deserves the chance to express themselves through music.
Founded by award-winning songwriter and educator Nathan Timothy, we deliver professional songwriting and music production workshops in schools, community settings, and specialist environments across Kent, the South East, and beyond.
In over 15 years of delivery, we've reached more than 25,000 young people — and we're just getting started.
Whether you're a school in Dartford, a community group in Gravesham, or a parent in Sevenoaks looking for something truly different for your child, we'd love to work with you.
What We Offer in Kent
Our workshops are hands-on, inclusive, and professionally delivered. Every session is tailored to the group — and every child leaves having contributed to something real.
School Songwriting Workshops
Full-day collaborative songwriting workshops for primary and secondary schools across Kent. Pupils write lyrics, explore melody and rhythm, record their voices, and leave with a professionally produced original song. We work with schools in Dartford, Gravesham, Swanley, Sevenoaks, Medway, Maidstone, Tonbridge, and across the wider South East.
Bully Beat — Anti-Bullying Songwriting Programme
Our flagship anti-bullying programme uses songwriting to explore kindness, empathy, and respect. Pupils create an original anti-bullying song that becomes a lasting resource for the whole school. Bully Beat has been delivered across Dartford CIL Area Schools and is available to schools throughout Kent.
Stem Hub — Remote Music Mentoring
One-to-one and small group music mentoring sessions delivered online, supporting young people's mental health and creative development through songwriting and music technology. Available to young people across Kent and Medway.
Songs That Speak
Our flagship school programme for primary schools — collaborative songwriting workshops that build community, strengthen school identity, and give every child a voice. The final song reflects the school's values, experiences, and identity.
Community Music Workshops
We work with community groups, youth organisations, holiday clubs, and summer schools across Kent — including sessions at Kings Hill and Maddingford Summer Schools and Holiday Clubs in Medway. If you're based in Greenhithe, Dartford, or anywhere across the county, get in touch.
Music Production & Recording
Every workshop gives children an insight into professional music production and recording techniques - pupils hear their words and voices transformed into a finished, broadcast-quality song.
Who We Work With
We work with a wide range of settings across Kent and the South East:
Primary schools — KS1 and KS2, including whole-class and year-group workshops
Secondary schools — KS3, KS4, and sixth form, including PSHE and creative arts integration
SEN and specialist settings — tailored sessions for children with special educational needs and disabilities; we have an ongoing relationship with Nexus Foundation Special School in Tonbridge and have delivered at Ifield School in Gravesend
Pupil Referral Units — inclusive, non-judgmental creative sessions for young people in alternative provision
Community groups and youth organisations — holiday clubs, after-school programmes, youth centres
NHS and mental health settings — songwriting as a therapeutic and emotional wellbeing tool
Parents and families — through community events and open workshops
We are fully DBS-checked, safeguarding-trained, and carry full public liability insurance. Our safeguarding policy is reviewed annually.
🎵 Bully Beat
Our award-winning anti-bullying songwriting programme. Pupils explore the emotional impact of bullying, develop empathy and resilience, and create an original song together — one that becomes a lasting anti-bullying resource for the whole school. Proven to reduce bullying behaviours by 40%. Available to primary and secondary schools across Kent.
🎵 Songs That Speak
Our flagship collaborative songwriting programme for primary schools. Pupils work together to write lyrics, explore their school's values and identity, and record a professional song they can be proud of. Every child's voice is included — by design.
🎵 Stem Hub
Remote one-to-one and small group music mentoring for young people aged 11–18. Combining songwriting with music technology, Stem Hub supports emotional wellbeing, creative development, and digital skills. Available across Kent and Medway.
🎵 Harmonious Minds
A wellbeing-focused songwriting programme designed for young people experiencing anxiety, low mood, or emotional difficulties. Delivered in partnership with schools, CAMHS, and community mental health settings, Harmonious Minds uses music as a safe, non-clinical space for emotional expression and resilience-building.
🎵 Encore
A programme for older young people and teenagers — exploring identity, aspiration, and self-expression through songwriting and music production. Ideal for secondary schools, sixth forms, and youth organisations in Kent looking for something that genuinely engages young people aged 13–18.
🎵 Connections
A community-focused programme bringing together young people from different backgrounds, schools, and communities through the shared experience of creating music. Connections is designed to reduce isolation, build belonging, and strengthen community ties — particularly relevant for community groups and organisations across Dartford, Gravesham, and Medway.
How Songwriting Supports Wellbeing
Our research consistently shows that creative music-making supports children's mental health, emotional development, and social skills. Here's what we see in every workshop:
Emotional Expression
Songwriting gives children a safe, structured way to name and process their feelings — without the pressure of a clinical or academic setting. Many children who struggle to talk about their emotions find it easier to write them into a song.
Confidence and Self-Esteem
Hearing your own words and voice transformed into a professional song is a powerful experience. Our evaluations consistently show a 23.2% average confidence shift following workshops — and over 90% of participants report feeling more confident and capable.
Resilience
Creating something from nothing — especially as part of a group — teaches children that their ideas have value, that mistakes are part of the process, and that they can achieve something they didn't think was possible.
Belonging and Inclusion
Every workshop is designed so that every child contributes. Children who are often disengaged, quiet, or marginalised in traditional classroom settings regularly emerge as natural leaders in our sessions. Songwriting levels the playing field.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
For young people experiencing anxiety, low mood, or social difficulties, songwriting offers a non-threatening creative outlet. Our Harmonious Minds and Stem Hub programmes are specifically designed to support young people's mental health — and we work alongside schools, NHS settings, and community organisations to ensure the right support is in place.
How to Book a Workshop in Kent
For Schools and Academies
We work with primary schools, secondary schools, SEN settings, and PRUs across Kent — from Greenhithe and Dartford to Sevenoaks, Maidstone, Tonbridge, and Medway.
To book a workshop:
Get in touch via our website or email us at info@songwritingcharity.org
Tell us about your school, your pupils, and what you're hoping to achieve.
We'll recommend the right programme and send you a quote.
We handle everything — just give us a date and a room.
Workshops start from £575 for a full day (up to 30 pupils).
Funded places are available for schools in areas of high deprivation — ask us about grant-funded workshops.
📧 Email: hello@songwritingcharity.org
📞 Call(+44): 07779 103 986
🌐 Website: songwritingcharity.org
For Community Groups and Organisations
We work with youth organisations, holiday clubs, community centres, NHS settings, and local authority teams across Kent. Whether you're planning a one-off event or a longer programme, we can design something that fits your group and your goals.
Get in touch: hello@songwritingcharity.org
For Parents
If you're a parent in Greenhithe, Dartford, Gravesham, or anywhere in Kent and you'd like your child to take part in a songwriting workshop, the best route is through your child's school. Share this page with their teacher or headteacher — or contact us directly and we'll point you in the right direction.
We also run occasional community workshops and open events. Follow us on social media to stay up to date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do children need any musical experience to take part?
Not at all. Our workshops are designed for everyone — regardless of musical ability, confidence, or background. We've worked with children who've never sung a note in their lives and watched them walk out beaming with pride at what they created. The only requirement is a willingness to give it a go.
What does a songwriting workshop actually involve?
A typical full-day workshop takes a group of up to 30 pupils through the entire songwriting process — from brainstorming ideas and themes, to writing lyrics, exploring melody, recording vocals, and hearing the finished song played back. Every child contributes, and every child's ideas are included. The final song is professionally produced and given to the school as a lasting resource.
Can you deliver workshops in our school in Dartford, Medway, or Sevenoaks?
Yes — we're based in Greenhithe and regularly deliver workshops across Dartford, Gravesham, Medway, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Swanley, and the wider South East. Travel is included in our workshop fee for most Kent locations.
What is Bully Beat and how does it work?
Bully Beat is our anti-bullying songwriting programme. In a single day, pupils explore the emotional and social impact of bullying, develop empathy and kindness, and create an original anti-bullying song together. The song becomes a lasting resource for the school — used in assemblies, PSHE lessons, and anti-bullying week. Our data shows a 40% reduction in bullying behaviours following Bully Beat workshops.
Is the Stem Hub available to young people in Kent and Medway?
Yes. The Stem Hub is our remote music mentoring programme, available online to young people across Kent and Medway. Sessions are one-to-one or small group, combining songwriting with music technology to support emotional wellbeing and creative development. Contact us to find out more or to refer a young person.
How much does a workshop cost, and is funding available?
A full-day workshop costs £575, which covers everything — facilitation, music production, recording, materials, travel, and evaluation. We actively seek grant funding to subsidise or fully fund workshops for schools in areas of high deprivation. If cost is a barrier, please get in touch — we'll do our best to find a solution.
Ready to Bring Songwriting to Your School or Community?
Whether you're a headteacher in Dartford, a youth worker in Gravesham, or a parent in Sevenoaks — we'd love to hear from you.
Every child deserves to be heard. Let's help them find their song.
📧 Email us: hello@songwritingcharity.org
📞 Call us: (+44) 07779 103 986
🌐 Visit: songwritingcharity.org