Nucleo in north kensington
Since its launch in 2013, our North Kensington programme has grown from just four members to 389
Today we continue to support young people with free music-making sessions and ensemble rehearsals six days a week.
We offer:
● For ages 0-2: weekly baby and parent/carer classes help children develop musicality from birth
● For ages 3-4: children can begin to learn an instrument in a group class, alongside their weekly musicianship sessions
● For ages 7+: students become part of an orchestra, accessing a full programme of weekly instrumental classes, musicianship sessions and ensemble rehearsals, and as they grow and progress, can advance through the ensembles and opportunities we offer at every level
Most students join Nucleo as complete beginners (although young musicians with prior experience are also welcome), and our immersive programme aims to quickly forge their relationship with their instrument and introduce them to the world of opportunity, community, personal growth, friendship and enjoyment that music has to offer.
“When you are in Nucleo, you never really feel excluded from anything.”
Our aim
Nucleo is built on unity and diversity, strengthening our community through connection.
As a free programme, Nucleo’s aim is to remove all barriers to entry so that any child can access our programme and receive a high quality musical education, with all the benefits that this brings. Playing an instrument helps develop many key skills for learning and life, as does being part of a team (or ensemble)! We are proud to see our students developing their focus, creativity, perseverance, work ethic, leadership and teamworking skills, courage, confidence, empathy and so much more alongside their growing musical abilities. Above all, we are proud to see them growing together, building friendships and communities of their own, and being motivated and inspired by one another.
Our Community
Nucleo was built here in North Kensington to bring together young people from all parts of our community. Our local area is richly varied and diverse, but rarely unified. At Nucleo, our students join us from all corners of this remarkable little universe - between them, they speak 42 different languages, attend over 100 different schools, and now are learning 14 different instruments in our programme.
Kensington and Chelsea is a borough typically associated with affluence and wealth, but it encompasses areas of severe deprivation. In fact, it has the highest level of income inequality in London, and several neighbourhoods – particularly in the north end of the borough, where Nucleo is based – rank in the top 10% of the most deprived areas in England. The contrasts are stark and concentrated: 50% of children in Kensington and Chelsea attend private school, but one in four children here live below the poverty line.
All are welcome at Nucleo, as we endeavour to bring our disparate community together, but we also strive to increase access for students whose opportunities – for a top quality musical education, or in general for educational, extracurricular and enrichment activities – may be limited, and we therefore prioritise places for students living in areas in the lowest 20% nationally on the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index. Currently 50% of Nucleo students fall into this category.
Get Involved
Our programme is often fully subscribed, but we run active waitlists and strive to include as many students as we can. If you know a young person who would like to take part in our North Kensington programme, please register your interest using the form found here: https://forms.office.com/r/283BkM2pdz
If you’re under 18, please ask for a parent/carer’s help completing the form.
Have a question? Take a look at our FAQs to learn more.
“I’m proud of how much Nucleo means for our children and this part of London.”