SUPAJAM
SUPAJAM: MUSIC IS MY SANCTUARY
Music is my sanctuary, music is my life”, sings Gary Bartz in his 1977 jazz classic. Music as a sanctuary applies to many people’ s lives’, no more so than the students at SupaJam. If there were a music sanctuary, SupaJam’ s colleges would be the place.
SupaJam is for students aged 16-25 with an Education, Health and Care Plan( EHCP) and, importantly, who have a passion for music.
It was founded by David Court and Nick Stilwell, who established SupaJam with the aim of creating a music-focused, inclusive, learning environment for young people with additional needs.
Step out of Earls Court tube station and walk five minutes along Warwick Road and you’ ll find SupaJam’ s newest college. Tucked among the busy streets of West London you might miss it, but behind its
From a basement project to a handful of colleges that offer a gateway into the music industry for those with specialist learning requirements, SupaJam is now set for further expansion. Max Steventon meets SupaJam’ s founders, supporters and students, at its new West London facility.
doors are recording studios, rehearsal spaces and classrooms providing young people with additional needs a place to learn, create and perform.
Earls Court is one of five SupaJam colleges, with the others based in Swanley, Brighton, Wandsworth and Canterbury. All feature bespoke music and sound equipment, classrooms and learning spaces.
In a time when accessibility in music and live events, whether physical accessibility or career pathways, is under the spotlight more than ever, SupaJam proves its worth as a crucial educational setup.
“ You have to accept young people for who they are, you can’ t pass judgement on them,” said Stilwell.“ It’ s our job to encourage them to start to think about who they want to be, where they want to go, and how do they work within their neurodiversity.”
Education built around music and additional needs
Students attending the college all have an EHCP and come from a wide range of backgrounds and support needs. Many are neurodivergent, including young people with autism and ADHD, while others have experienced
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