Children develop their creativity, musical skills and a passion for music through our Charanga scheme, which is the basis of our work in music. This passion and creativity is extended through whole school singing and participation in school performances, which develop musical, drama and performance skills further. Every child has the opportunity to explore and develop their individual skills further by taking part in additional music lessons and after school clubs, including dance and choir.
Music in the EYFS
Through Expressive Arts, children are taught to sing songs, make music and dance. Children are given opportunities to experiment with ways of changing sound and develop an understanding of pulse rhythm and pitch. Children follow a scheme of work from Charanga Music School and enjoy listening and responding to different styles of music, learning to sing, joining in with nursery rhymes and action songs which leads to playing classroom instruments and performing for others. Children are also encouraged to use everyday objects to make music and create sound, children enjoy exploring our music wall outdoors and experiment with sound using objects made from different materials such as wood, metal and plastic. Children experiment with water buts, kettles and pans, piping, guttering, bin lids and many different types of beaters.
Music in KS1 and KS2
Please see our Music overview below.
Aims and Objectives
Music and Performance is a very special way of communicating that can enthuse and stimulate children in their learning. It is a way of expressing oneself and it can hugely influence the personal development of people. We provide opportunities for all children to create, play, perform and enjoy music, to develop the skills to appreciate a wide variety of musical genres and to begin to form opinions and critic the quality of music.
Our Music aims enable children to:
- Know and understand how sounds are made and then organised into musical structures;
- Know how music is made through a variety of instruments;
- Know how music is composed and written down;
- Express feelings, ideas, experiences and beliefs in a variety of ways;
- Improve coordination, flexibility, agility, strength and fine motor skills.
Durham Music’s Big Play
On the 21st June 2021, we joined 1000’s of children from Durham and Darlington for Durham Music’s Big Play. This was such an exciting event as we decided that we were going to make our very own musical instruments from recycled objects. This allowed us to find materials that we could combine different sounds with to experiment with feelings and moods.
We also listened to music throughout the decades to inspire which instrument we would make. We travelled right back in time to the Medieval style of music and all the way up to modern day music, comparing what was similar and what was different.
Our children created instruments such a ukuleles, drums, shakers and guitars! Please take a look at some of our recycled, creative instruments below.
Music Club
This term, we are so excited to start Music club after school! Each week, children are welcome to come along and learn different songs from different decades. Singing is a great way to express emotions and relax. Music club is an opportunity to sing with others in a range of musical styles. The aim is to have fun and improve confidence and self esteem!
In our very first week, we have started to learn a very powerful, inspiring song from Billy Elliot the Musical called ‘Electricity’, stay tuned for some beautiful singing videos from our rehearsals!
Durham Music Christmas Choir Competition 2021!
This year, Durham Music created a choir competition for Primary and Secondary Schools to enter to have the chance to go to Durham Cathedral to sing for their School! This was such an exciting opportunity for us to take part in and the children in Music Club worked so hard! We are so very proud of them all!
