Hazel Baxter

Hazel is the music lead on the Primary PGCE course at the IOE, UCL's faculty of Education and Society. She designs and teaches the music foundation subject input for all Primary PGCE students and leads the M-Level music specialism module. Hazel is also a part-time doctoral researcher at UCL. Prior to this, she was awarded a distinction and a Universal Music UK Sound Foundation Bursary for her MA in Music Education at the IOE in 2021 . In 2005, Hazel completed a PGCE in Primary Education also at the IOE. This followed her music degree at the University of Exeter (1997 - 2000) in which she specialised in solo and ensemble vocal performance. Hazel began her teaching career as a primary class teacher, music co-ordinator and TLR for Excellence and Enjoyment before specialising in music. As Head of Music, Hazel developed a thriving department at Coopersale Hall School in Epping (2008 - 2015). Parallel to this position, Hazel worked at Redbridge Music Service as a whole class music curriculum teacher, wider opportunities instrumental and vocal teacher, and whole school singing leader. Hazel has since taught music in the role of Music Lead at academies and community primary schools and continues to direct a children's choir. Hazel has designed music curricula for primary schools and has led professional development programmes for generalist class teachers as a freelance music specialist. She co-leads the music input of the Creative Writing through the Arts course, a DfE endorsed professional development programme for generalist class teachers in collaboration with the Essex Music Hub. Hazel also co-leads the Alpha Teaching School Hub's music subject forums for primary and secondary teachers. Hazel’s doctoral research focuses on the need, role and legacy of professional development and mentorship programmes in music for primary generalist teachers. Her interests also include singing in the primary classroom and the role and impact of Ofsted inspections. Hazel collaborated with Wac Arts, Camden on the UCL’s Evaluation Exchange programme during the first year of her doctoral studies. Working with two other postgraduate students, she helped to improve the organisation’s impact measurement which resulted in this student team being nominated for a UCL Volunteer Award in 2022. Hazel has presented her work at numerous conferences and seminars including the iMerc Doctoral and Post-Doctoral research seminar, IOE's Doctoral Student Summer Conference and the UCL’s Culture, Communication and Media Jamboree.

special interests

Collective singing in primary schools, the role and impact of school inspections, mentoring, initial teacher training and the professional development of generalist primary teachers in music

thesis title

Singing in the Primary classroom: Non-specialist teachers and the need for, role and legacy of workplace singing mentor programmes

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