KATIE NEILSON
About
Background
Katie studied for her music degree at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. After working for four happy years in the music library at English National Opera, Katie enrolled at The Institute of Education where she trained to become a teacher. She began her teaching career in 1997 teaching Year 6 at Hertingfordbury Cowper in Birch Green, near Hertford.
Katie set up Little Bees in 2004 when her own children were pre-schoolers and, at the same time, began working with The Voices Foundation as an advisory teacher.
Life Today
Little Bees has grown and is thriving! It has a reputation for high quality, enjoyable classes loved by adults and children in equal measure!
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Katie now works as a freelance music specialist training teachers from children centres, nurseries and primary schools across the country. In 2016, Katie wrote Inside Music for Early Years, The Voices Foundation’s teacher handbook which won the music category of Early Years Excellence Awards 2017. It is used extensively in Early Years settings across the country. Katie is currently working on a second book of repertoire for Early Childhood which will be available in Autumn 2025.
More locally, Katie works part-time as a music specialist at Bayford Primary School. She also has the pleasure of conducting the combined primary school choirs at the Hertford, Ware and District Carol Services each year.
Over the years, Katie has continued to develop her skills and completed a part-time MA in Early Childhood Music with CREC in Birmingham in 2020. Together with Nicola Burke and Rosie Adediran she has formed The Family Music Hub which supports everyone who includes music in their work with under 5s and their families.
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In her spare time, Katie enjoys playing the cello in Hertford Symphony Orchestra. She also plays the piano and enjoys gardening, wild swimming, Pilates and sewing — but not all at once!
I love my job ... from musical moments (serious or silly) shared with babies and toddlers to my work in schools. It really is a joy to be a music teacher!