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Catholic Primary School

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Slideshow

Music

Intent

Our intention is that children gain a firm understanding of what music is through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing, and composing. We believe that all children are capable of becoming confident, expressive performers. We intend to allow the music curriculum to flow through the entirety of the school. We want to ensure that music is closely intertwined with each class topic to build an immersive learning environment.

Young Voices 2025

The School choir represented the school when they attended 'Young Voices 2025' in Sheffield. All children thoroughly enjoyed themselves and behaved impeccably, well done! 

Year 6 - Theme and Variations

Year 6 - Theme and Variation

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In Music - Theme and Variations - Year 6 enjoyed using lots of different way of body percussion and voices to create different sounds and tone...

Year 4 children have improvised in a Calypso style using a pentatonic scale.

Year 4: Caribbean instrumental

Year 4 recognised and performed quavers from staff notation. 

Year 4: Caribbean instrumental

Year 4 have understood how and why percussion instruments can be used in Calypso music.

Year 3: Developing singing technique- Vikings

In this lesson, the children enjoyed using the notations to use simple rhythmic notation to compose a Viking battle song.

Year 1: Percussion and Drumming Session

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Year 1 loved getting the opportunity to learn about and play the percussion instruments. They developed their understanding of rhythm and how to play different rhythms on the instruments. 

Year 3: Bob Marley‘s 80th Birthday

Year 3 enjoyed taking part in the live birthday celebrations for Bob Marley‘s 80th Birthday, with young voices global worldwide singalong.

Year 3: Developing singing technique- Vikings

In this lesson, the children enjoyed understanding simple rhythmic notations to compose a Viking battle song.

Year 2: Orchestral instruments

Year 2: Orchestral instruments

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Year 2 enjoyed learning all about Orchestral instruments. They selected from a range of instruments to pair with a script they devised to retell the story of Jack and the Beanstalk, well done Year 2!

Music in Reception

Children in Reception used percussion instruments to represent the sounds in the story, 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt'. Children chose an instrument to represent the grass, river, mud, forest, snow and the cave. They decided which instrument would be best, explain why and decide if they would play it loud of quiet and quick or slow. The children played their instruments at the correct part in the story.

Year 3: Developing singing technique

So far in our music unit, we have been looking at how to sing in time with others, and understanding simple rhythmic notation to compose a Viking battle song. The children enjoyed adding actions to our performance.

Year 5- The Blues

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It was so nice to hear the children in year 5 performing what they had learnt about chords by playing together as a class. As they took turns, they supported their partners when changing notes and keeping to a beat.

Year 1: Musical symbols: Under the sea performance

Soundscape for animals under the sea.

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The children consolidated the key musical concepts from the unit in a final performance.

Year 1: Musical symbols: Using pitch

The children learnt about pitch and rhythm by adding a new character to the underwater piece.

Year 5- The Blues

The children in year 5, learnt about chords and how they are structured from different pitches of sound. They then used this information to learn the first line of the 12-bar blues.

Year 2: Music Orchestral instruments

In this lesson, children explored how music and sound effects can tell a story. 

Year 1: Musical symbols: Rhythm

The children listened to and clapped out different rhythms of a clicking camera while keeping the beat.

Year 5- The Blues

The children in year 5, spent their first lesson of the unit learning about the genre of Blues music and its key features. They explored its history and then learnt a famous Blues song from The Simpson, with some children taking the opportunity to sing solo.

FS1 - Moving to Music

We listened to the lyrics and melody of “Teddy Bear’s Picnic” by John Walter Bratton and Jimmy Kennedy. We enjoyed moving to the music on our own, with a partner and all together in a circle. We talked about the music made us feel. 

Year 2: Orchestral instruments

Year 2 enjoyed listening to an orchestra and discussing the tempo and dynamics of the music. They then explored using instruments focusing on changing the tempo and dynamics. 

Year 1: Musical symbols (Theme: Under the sea): Exploring dynamics

Year 1 explored dynamics to represent the different fish under the sea. They carefully listened to the music and described which fish might match the dynamics and tempo of the different parts. They also thought about which instrument could be used.

Year 1: Musical symbols (Theme: Under the sea): Showing tempo

 In this lesson, the children explored tempo changes through movement. The children played the role of the diver and ‘swam’ around the room to the music.

Year 6 - Dynamics, pitch and tempo

Year 6 now know that the conductor beats time to help the performers work well together, understand that improvisation means making up music ‘on the spot’, that texture can be created by adding or removing instruments in a piece and can create the effect of dynamic change and that timbre can also be thought of as ‘tone colour’ and can be described in many ways.

FS1: Celebration Music - Christmas Music

The children have learnt about traditional Christmas music. The songs involved singing, voice sounds and playing musical instruments.

The School Choir- Frenchgate Shopping Centre

The School choir visited Frenchgate shopping centre to sing carols and raise money. It was an enjoyable morning for all, the children even had a special visitor....Father Christmas and one of his elves who joined in for a song! So many parents also attended the event and as ever we are so grateful for the generous donations. 

The School Choir- ASDA

The School choir visited our local ASDA to sing carols and raise money to fund our 'Young Voices' trip. It was lovely to see so many people joining in with the carols, well done. 

The School Choir- Dr Anderson Lodge

The School choir visited Dr Anderson Lodge, a local care home to sing carols, everyone enjoyed it and joined in. The children were extremely grateful for the juice and cake as a treat at the end, well done. 

Reception - Music - Christmas Songs

Year 1: Keeping the pulse: Singing a Sound Pattern

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The year 1 children learnt how to keep a pulse and show a sound pattern using bodies and voices. Here is a video of them singing the end of the friend name game.

Y3 Ballads

Year 1: Keeping the pulse: Finding the pulse

FS1 - Celebration Music

In Music the children have been learning about music from a range of cultural and religious celebrations, including Diwali and Hanukkah. We enjoyed dancing with streamers to Diwali music and playing traditional Jewish instruments.

Year two: Music call and response

In this lesson children copied and created their own sound patterns. 

In this lesson, children were looking at what a ballad is, and using musical vocabulary to explain the stylistic features of a ballad. The children created a story board to describe each stage of a song.

In this lesson, the children have been performing a Ballad. The children have been exploring how actions can impact a performance.

Year 2: Call and Response, animals

Children used a range of instruments to create short sounds with varied dynamics that represent an animal.

Year 4 have composed rhythmic patterns for a gumboot dance.

Year 4:South Africa instrumental

Year 4 have recognised and played semibreves by ear and from staff notation. 

Year three Black History

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Year three enjoyed having a focus on Music for Black history week in school. The children have enjoyed learning about influential musicians Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Armstrong. The children have been focusing on performing and composing the famous piece of music by Louis Armstrong ‘What a wonderful world’. The children also enjoyed showcasing their learning to children and staff members at Holy Family School.

Year 2: Harvest class assembly

Year 2 enjoyed presenting their class assembly, focusing on the theme of harvest. They were brilliant at remembering their lines and spreading the important messages of thankfulness and the important job our farmers do for us.

Year 4: South Africa instrumental

Year 4 have used glockenspiels to recognise and play minims, by ear and from staff notation, moving up and down by step.

Year 1: Pitch and tempo: Superhero theme tune

Children considered the features of superhero theme tunes before working in groups to create their own superhero compositions.

Year 2, Myths and Legends

Year 2 enjoyed selecting from a range of instruments to compose and perform their pieces in small groups. 

Year 1: Pitch and tempo: Faster than a speeding bullet

Pupils develop their superhero theme tunes by adding tempo changes to make them sound more exciting.

Year 1: Pitch and tempo: Pitch patterns

Using their understanding of pitch, children created a simple superhero theme tune using a low note and a high note.

Year 1: Pitch and tempo: High fliers

Children were introduced to the concept of pitch and learn to recognise low and high sounds in a superhero theme tune.

Year 2, Myths and Legends

In this lesson, year 2 enjoyed using different ways to represent and create a graphic score based on different pieces of music. 

Year 5- Composition to represent the festival of colour

The children in year 5 had fun learning how to represent music visually, in a graphic score, using colour as notes while describing what they think the music looks like and why.

Y3-Traditional instruments and improvisation

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The children in year 3 have been getting better at performing a piece of music using musical notation.

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The children in year 3 have been getting better at performing a piece of music using musical notation.

Y3-Traditional instruments and improvisation

In this series of lessons, year 3 were introducing the tal and adding a drone, to improvise and create a piece of music using a drone, rag and tal.

After being introduced to traditional Indian music and instruments, and forming an option on Indian music, the children were getting better at playing a rag. The children were using improvising skills using notes.

Children were introduced to the concept of pitch and learnt to recognise low and high sounds in a superhero theme tune.

The children explored how music can be experienced visually by associating sounds and songs with different colours and ideas. They listened to different music and then shared their ideas as a class.

Year 2: Myths and Legends

In Year 2, children enjoyed listening to the story of George and the Dragon, they then created their own rhythms. 

Year 4 - Samba, carnival sounds and instruments

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Year 4 have performed rhythmic breaks within the samba piece. 

Year 4 - Samba, carnival sounds and instruments

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Year 4 have composed a basic rhythmic break and performed as a class. 

Year 4 - Samba, carnival sounds and instruments

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Year 4 have played syncopated rhythms through clapping and performed this as a class. 

Music Showcase

The whole school showcased their Spring music learning and put on a wonderful show for our parents. The children describe their musical journey and even performed to show off their musical progress.

Year 5- South and West Africa

Lesson 5- The children created an eight beat break to play alongside traditional African music.

Year 5- South and West Africa

 

Lesson 4- The children really enjoyed learning how to play call and response rhythms, clapping and drumming together.

Year 5- South and West Africa

 

Lesson 3- The children used tuned percussion instruments to play as an ensemble after warming up by learning traditional African dancing.

Year 5- South and West Africa

Lesson 2- The children used tuned percussion instruments to play a chord progression using the A major, D major and E major chords.

Year 5- South and West Africa

Lesson 1- The children listened to traditional songs sung in the Xhosa language, joining in by singing the songs themselves. 

Year 6 - Baroque

Year 6 - Baroque - Lesson 2

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Year 6 - Baroque - Lesson 3

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Year 6 - Baroque - Lesson 4

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Year 6 - Baroque - Lesson 5

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Year 1: Timbre and rhythmic patterns: Keeping the pulse

Children showcase their work throughout this unit by using instruments in a class performance of 'The Three Little Pigs', with the focus on keeping the pulse of the rhythm.

Year 1: Timbre and rhythmic patterns: Responding to music

Children learn to identify how timbre is used to represent the different characters in 'Peter and the Wolf'.

Year 1: Timbre and rhythmic patterns: Rhythms

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Year 1: Timbre and rhythmic patterns: Rhythms

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Year 1: Timbre and rhythmic patterns: Rhythms

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Clapping the syllables in given words and phrases, pupils work in groups to create rhythmic patterns and phrases to tell the story of The Three Little Pigs, before performing whilst the story is told.

Y2- Musical Me!

Y2 enjoyed completing their Musical Me unit of learning. They researched and composed a melody using the glockenspiels. 

Y3-Pentatonic melodies

In year 3, the children have completed their final performance using tuned instruments to perform their final compositions.

Year 1: Timbre and rhythmic pattern: Starting with instruments

Building on their understanding of timbre, children carefully select and play appropriate instruments or body percussion to help tell the story of 'The Three Little Pigs'.

Y3-Pentatonic melodies and composition

The children have been getting better at using scarfs and rhythm to perform a group composition, in the form of a dragon dance.

Y3-Pentatonic melodies and composition

The children have been getting better at letter notation, and writing and perform a pentatonic melody.

Year 1: Timbre and rhythmic patterns: Character voices

Children explored timbre through the familiar story of The Three Little Pigs by creating different character voices.

Y2: Musical Me!

In this lesson the children used glockenspiels to focus on dynamics and timbre, creating their own little melodys. 

Y3-Pentatonic melodies and composition

In this lesson children in year have been getting better at pentatonic scale, and learning to use a tuned instrument to play the scale together as a class.

Year 2: Musical Me!

In this lesson, Year 2 enjoyed playing the 'name game' and then singing songs using different expressions. They focused on the timbre and dynamics of songs. 

Year 2: Musical Me!

In this lesson, Year 2 listened to a song 'Once a man fell in a well', they then learnt the song and played some untuned percussion instruments alongside the song. 

Y3-Pentatonic melodies and composition

In music year 3 children have been performing the dragon dance. After watching the ‘Story if Nian’ the children danced traditionally to celebrate the festival. The children moved in response to the musical elements: crescendo, tempo, and duration.

Year 4- Body percussion

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Year 4- Body percussion

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Year 4- Body percussion

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In Year 4, the children have studied 'body percussion'. They have created simple tunes about each layer of the Amazon Rainforest. Then, they have then built and improved their compositions through peer feedback. 

Year 6 - Theme and Variations lesson 6

In lesson 5, Year 6 used music notation to create visual representations of TIKI-TIKI, TI-TIKI and TIKI-TI rhythms 

Year 6 - Theme and Variations lesson 4

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In lesson 4, Year 6 learnt to play TIKI-TIKI, TI-TIKI and TIKI-TI rhythms

Year 6 - Theme and Variations lesson 3

Year 6 performed a theme using body percussion and then added vocals

Year 6 - Theme and Variations - lesson 3

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Year 6 - Theme and Variations lesson 2

In lesson 2, Year 6 related sounds of different instruments to pieces of pop art

Year 3-Perform like a Viking: Developing singing technique

Year 3-Perform like a Viking: Developing singing technique

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In Y3 the children have been performing in groups using music. Y3 have performed with confidence and discipline, whilst keeping in time and tune with others.

Year 1: Pulse and rhythm: Practice makes perfect

In pairs the children used instruments to demonstrate the different musical terms they had learnt.

Year 1: Texture and structure: Coral reef

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The children investigated layering to imitate the different textures of a coral reef. The children had time to experiment to create their sounds using their chosen instruments. As a class, the adult used a pointer to move across the picture. When the children saw the pointer pass their plant/sea creature they should play their sound.

Y3-Developing singing technique

In Y3, the children have been performing rhythms from notations. They have been getting better at using simple rhythmic notations to compose a Viking battle song. The children enjoyed layering these rhythms to create a piece of music.

Year 1 Musical Vocabulary: Pitch and rhythm: Underwater world

In this lesson, the children were learning about pitch and rhythm by adding a new character to the underwater piece. The children made upward and downward cascading sounds to show a deep sea diver going under the sea to take photographs of the sea creatures. See videos below.

Year 1 glissando

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Year 1 glissando

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Y3-Developing singing technique: Viking Notation

In Y3 today they have been getting better at recognising simple rhythmic notation by ear and by sight.
They have been using Viking-themed phrases to learn new rhythms, develop understanding of stave notation and learn to recognise note names by sight and sound. We have been using Minims, Quavers and Crochets in our performances to create long and short beats.

Year 2- Orchestral instruments

Year 2 have explored how to select appropriate sounds to match events, characters and feelings in the story of Red Riding hood. 

Year 4 - Body and tuned Percussion

Year 4 have explored how they can make music with their bodies. They have worked in teams to compose and perform musical rhythms about the Tropical Rainforest.

Year 4 - Body and tuned Percussion

Year 4 have rehearsed and performed ‘boom, snap, clap’ to their peers.

Year 4 - Body and tuned Percussion

Year 4 have listened and appraised pieces of music made through body percussion. The children have identified the structure of the music and identified the number of layers they heard in each piece of music.

Year 6 - Theme and Variation

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Year 6 explored musical concepts of theme and variation and practised rhythm in lesson 1 of Theme and Variation

Year 1: Dynamics and timbre: Underwater world

The children selected instruments with the timbres they think best represent the sparkling, colourful fish.

Y3-Developing Singing Technique: Sing like a Viking

Children in Y3 have been getting better at singing in time with others. Y3 have rehearsed ‘Here the Vikings come’, and practiced warming up their vocals. Y3 have also started to include actions to contribute to the rhythm of the song.

Year 5- The Blues- Playing a Chord

Year 5 enjoyed learning how to play the first line of the 12-bar Blues. They had to practice the chord of C , knowing that it is made of the notes C and E, and play it 16 times altogether. It was wonderful to hear everyone playing together as a class. 

Year 2: Orchestral Instruments

Children in Year 2 listened and analysed an orchestral version of Goldilocks and the three bears, we also used actions to retell the story in line with the music. 

Year 1: Pulse and tempo: Dive into danger!

The children used pulse and tempo to tell a story about a brush with sharks.

Y3-Singing Technique: Here come the Vikings!

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Before Y3 rehearsed their song, they enjoyed understanding about the importance of rhythm. Whilst one child clapped the other children made sure to keep in time with the rhythms of the clap, as they preformed their rowing movements. After this, the children then rehearsed their rhythm skills with their voices by experimenting with pitch and tempo.

Year 6 - Dynamics, pitch and tempo

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Year 6 - Dynamics, pitch and tempo

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In lessons 4 and 5, Year 6 composed their own piece of music as a group, using different instruments to create pitch, dynamics and texture. One member of the group was a conductor who kept the class in time. We then reflected and gave constructive comments to improve our performances..

Year 6 - Dynamics, Pitch and Tempo

In lesson 1 of our Music topic (Dynamics, pitch and tempo), Year 6 appraised the work of a classical composer - Felix Mendelssohn. We discussed what we liked and disliked about the music and thought about what the music was about..

Year 1: Pulse and Rhythm: Practice makes perfect

After identifying the pulse in several songs, the children practise performing either the pulse or rhythm to highlight the differences between the two.

Year 5- Composition Notation- Egyptians

The children in year 5 explored different forms of musical notation, creating and improvising their own piece of music using hieroglyphs. 

Year 2: Music African Call and Response

 

In this lesson, year 2 performed our call and response song and then planned and shared ideas about the unit. Creating mind maps on the features of a call and response song. The children were focusing on how to add dynamics (volume) to a structure of rhythms. 

Year 1: Pulse and rhythm: Happy

Using the call and response method, the children listen out for rhythms and then repeat them.

Y3-Singing their Ballads

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Year 4 - Caribbean instrumental- Calypso quavers

Year 4 have found out how and why percussion instruments can be used in Calypso music. The children have played a four-note repeating pattern and then progressed to playing this in time as a class. 

Year 4 - Caribbean instrumental - Calypso quavers

Year 4 have used the glockenspiels to perform quavers from staff notation. The children were able to listen and perform for each other and offer helpful feedback to improve their performances. 

Nursery - Exploring musical instruments

In Nursery we have been exploring different instruments. We have learnt how to play them, the sounds they make and we are getting better at knowing their names.

Year 2: West African call and response

In this lesson Year 2 were getting better at creating rhythms based on call and response. The children thoroughly enjoyed learning more traditional songs and then using the African call and response genre.  

Year 2: West African call and response

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The children in Year 2 listened to some traditional African songs and then learnt and sang the song together. 

We then deepened our learning by adding instruments. 

 

Singing Nursery Rhymes in FS2

Children in FS2 love singing, especially nursery rhymes. They learn new words, develop non-verbal communication skills, 

early maths skills along with learning different beats and rhythms.

Year 2: West African call and response

The children in Year 2 are getting better at copying a short rhythm. 

Y3-Music-Lesson 3

In Music, Y3 have watched a short story clip, which they used to participate in the activity. The children planned a musical structure inspired by this short story (Soar, by Alice Tzure). They discussed feelings emotions, and actions. The children then explored writing sentences to accompany a storyline. The children then read and ordered these sentences using the story mountain.

Y3-Music-Lesson 2

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Y3s final performance of Twinkle little star, and Space oddity. Y3 also performed a whole class presentation.

Music- Composition Notation- Egyptians

The children have really enjoyed the first lesson of their new music topic- Composition Notation.

They took part in warm up activities, pretending to dig the foundations of the pyramids and lifting the stones to build them. They then practised vocal warm-ups before listening to and singing the song, 'Gift of the Nile'.

Year 1: Pulse and rhythm: My favourite things

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In this lesson the children played multiple voice control games exploring pulse and rhythm.

Year 1: The Name Game

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Nursery - Drumming with sticks

In Nursery we have been exploring drumming. We watched someone drumming fast, slow, loud and quiet. He also drummed on different things. We found some sticks in our outdoor area and practiced drumming fast, slow, loudly and quietly on different things just as he did to discover the different sounds we could make.

Year 2 Music- West African Call and Response Song

For lesson 1 in our new music unit, the children in Year 2 created short sequences of sound using a range of percussion instruments. 

We then developed our learning by seeing if we could change the pitch of the instruments. 

Year 5- Livin' On A Prayer

The children were eager to perform their rendition of the famous Bon Jovi track Livin' On A Prayer. They were enjoying themselves so much that they were even caught dancing along!

Y3-R and B soul music

Year 5- Livin' On A Prayer

The children in year 5 enjoyed using movement and clapping to identify the beat and rhythm of the music.

Live music at Holy Family!

The whole school had a lovely visit from the Music Hub! We listened to live instruments being played and we even had the opportunity to ask lots of questions. It was great fun and we even had the opportunity to dance to some of our favourite songs!

Year 2- Friendship Song

Year 3 - Bringing Us Together

Year 4- 'Lean on me'