Music Moves Us

Music is learnt both as a focussed activity and also as complementary means to learn the wider curriculum and also encourage and foster broader social and listening skills. Music is taught in the classroom, at singing assemblies and for a growing group of children, through ensemble and individual music lessons.

Preparing for the Performance - EYFS

Reception listened to a variety of Christmas songs including Little Donkey and other traditional carols. They explored how the words of the songs and the music itself made them feel and how they could respond in actions. They practised their songs in class adding movement and gestures to perfect their performance for the Christmas play.

Skeleton Keys - KS1

Year 1 listened to a variety of pieces of music that convey different emotions and feelings, including happiness, frisson, excitement, sadness. They listened to ‘Fossils’ from ‘Carnival of the Animals’ and sang ‘The Skeleton Dance’. They then acted out the song and played xylophones to create the sound of the skeletons. They have also started taking part in singing assembly with lower key stage 2 to great success.

Music Making Feelings Flow - LKS2

Year 4 listened to ‘Reflets dan l’Eau’ by Claude Debussy. They explored through enquiry based questioning, how Debussy was able to create the sound of the movement of water on the piano. They focussed on texture of the piano writing and then improvised sounds of their own using small percussion. Singing assembly for years 1-4 is also a highlight of the week.

Songs of Soldiers Past - UKS2

Year 6 worked on performance of the song ‘Jerusalem’. Through their project on the Second World War, they listened to songs and other music of the 1940s and explored its impact, through the music and lyrics, on the armed forces and the population left at home during the war. They performed the song during an assembly to mark Remembrance Day. Year 5 and 6 violinists and pianists are also performing in a recital to parents.