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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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'.

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

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

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

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

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.

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. 

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. 

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.

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. 

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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 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. 

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. 

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

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..

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..

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

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

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. 

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

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 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. 

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.

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.  

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. 

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.

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

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.

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'.

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

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.

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!

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.

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!

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

The children in year 5 have enjoyed learning the iconic theme tune to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. They have played dancing games to identify the beat and rhythm of the song and played along on the glockenspiels using the notes A and D. Take a look at children in action.

Reception childrfen learnt the song, 'We Gather Together' They took musical instruments outside and used them to accomany the song. 

What a fantastic, enjoyable and amazing experience the children in our choir from Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 had at Young Voices at Sheffield Arena. Not forgetting the teachers and parents too! From the rehearsals to the performance, everyone was enthusiastic and joined in with songs, dances and routines. It was a truely inspiring event!

Year 1 have enjoyed listening to music, following the beats by acting out different actions and clapping to the beats. We have also explored different pitches to our voices, singing high pitch and low pitch whilst following along to the music. 

Year 5- Dancing in the Street

Calling out around the world- are you ready for a brand new beat?

Year 5 certainly are! 

The class enjoyed listening to a range of Motown hits and discussed the songs before picking their favourite. We then explored the history of Dancing in the Street and played games to find the beat before learning the first verse and bridge. We can't wait to perform the song later in the term.

Year 4 have started to learn their new song on Charanga which is Blackbird by The Beatles. We listened to the song, found out some interesting facts and then played some pulse and rhythm games. The children then started to learn the song verse by verse and the chorus. The children did really well learning this song so quickly!

Year 5 loved playing glockenspiels!

Year 5 have really enjoyed finding the pulse in a piece of music and then playing glockenspiels to the pulse.