Chiswick School Brings Caribbean Rhythms To Isleworth
Steel pan band visits Smallberry Green Primary for Black History Month
The band performed Pharrell Williams’ Happy and Bob Marley’s One Love
October 6, 2026
Chiswick School’s Year 8 steel pan band brought a burst of colour, rhythm and cross-school collaboration to Smallberry Green Primary School last week, leading a percussion workshop for Reception pupils and delivering a whole-school assembly performance that had children and staff singing and dancing along.
The visit began with hands-on music sessions in which the secondary students introduced Smallberry Green’s youngest learners to the distinctive sound of the steel pan. Reception pupils were guided through simple rhythmic patterns, encouraged to experiment with percussion, and given the chance to experience the instrument up close. The atmosphere built towards the main assembly, where the band performed upbeat renditions of Pharrell Williams’ Happy and Bob Marley’s One Love, filling the hall with Caribbean rhythms.
As part of the Black History Month celebrations, Chiswick School music teacher Samuel Dubois gave a special presentation on the origins of steel pan music. He explained how the instrument emerged in Trinidad and Tobago, shaped by resilience, creativity and cultural identity, before becoming a defining part of global musical heritage. Pupils learned how steel pan traditions continue to inspire musicians around the world and remain central to Caribbean cultural expression.
The event also carried a personal significance for both schools. Chiswick School Headteacher Laura Ellener is currently serving as Interim Headteacher at Smallberry Green, strengthening ties between the two communities and opening new opportunities for shared learning.
“Bringing our secondary students into the primary environment creates a wonderful synergy,” she said. “Watching our older students take on leadership roles and inspire young reception children through music demonstrates the true power of educational collaboration. It broadens horizons for the primary pupils while building confidence and empathy in our Chiswick students, delivering meaningful benefits to children across both of our schools.”
The initiative reflects a shared commitment to cultural education, creative arts and cross-phase experiences that enrich learning for pupils of all ages. For Smallberry Green’s youngest children, the visit offered an early encounter with live music and Caribbean culture; for Chiswick’s Year 8 musicians, it provided a chance to lead, teach and perform in a new setting.
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