“We don’t just help kids to make great music, we use music to help make great kids!”

Welcome to the first edition of our Music Roundup! It’s been a very musical start to the year, with everyone having weekly music lessons, singing our hearts out in assemblies, wowing the crowds at our harvest performances, and joining in with some amazing clubs. This has all been a great reminder of the importance of music in our lives, and as a school we are delighted to see so much brilliant music happening everywhere!

Music Lessons Around the School

Years 5 and 6 have been learning all about different genres of modern music: Blues and Jazz, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Reggae, Rock and Pop! As we’ve explored these genres we have been doing related musical activities using a range of instruments, to further our understanding of some very important concepts such as chord sequences, time signatures, polyrhythms, improvisation and composing catchy melodies. I’ve been super impressed, years 5 and 6. Here are some pictures of year 6 playing the 12 Bar Blues on guitars, and improvising on xylophones. Look at the concentration on those faces!

Year 4 are very lucky this term – they have a visitor every Friday from Dorset Music Service who is providing a full hour of Ukulele tuition each week. DMS have provided a whole class set of Ukes for the term! This sounds super exciting year 4, and we can’t wait to hear the results!

Year 3 have been doing amazing lessons with Mrs Murray. Following the award-winning Charanga music scheme, the class have been focussing on the song “Home is Where the Heart Is”. Not only have they been learning to sing the song, they have learnt to play selected melodies on xylophones, and listened to and discussed other related songs, too! Well done Year 3!

In Year 2 we have been having a howling good time learning to sing Hound Dog by Elvis Presley, as well as listening to some very interesting pieces of classical and world music. We’ve also been singing our do-re-mi-fa and playing those notes in groups on the chime bars – as well as making some great rhythms with shakers and playing some challenging musical games! Here they are in action – keep on rockin’ year 2!

Year 1 have been musical maestros! We’ve been playing musical games such as ‘I can find the cupboard key’, in which the class sing with varying dynamics to help the searcher find the hidden key! Using the notes from this game, we then go on to sing and play our do-re-mi to help understand that notes don’t have to belong to words. They have been doing an amazing job at playing some tricky rhythms with percussion instruments, and let’s not forget our favourite singing exercise: Boom Chicka Boom! We also love to listen to all kinds of music and explore how we can move to the beat. It’s a constant musical party with year 1!

Reception are finding their musical feet by moving to music, copying rhythms and singing some great songs. They also do a great job at telling me when i’ve sung the wrong words to a song, and singing the correct words back to me! That’s some excellent listening skills reception, well done. Mrs Puddick gets this amazing class singing each week, in groups or on their own, and they are becoming total pros at matching pitch and following melodies.

Singing Assembly

Each Tuesday I have had the pleasure of singing with the whole of KS2 in the hall! We’ve been learning to sing “I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to Be Free” by Nina Simone. Years 3 to 6 have made a huge sound, and learnt to sing the song with energy and positivity. Thanks KS2, it’s been a pleasure! KS1 have their turn with me after the half term break, up until Christmas.

After-school Clubs

We’re delighted to have the opportunity to work with the fantastically talented and highly experienced Stacey Hobday this term, who is coming in once a week to run the Southill Choir. 30 very vibey pupils are taking part in this incredible club, and are making a HUGE sound! Ranging in age from years 3 to 6, pupils are having a brilliant time singing songs by American Authors and Bruno Mars.

Southill’s very own Rock Band have got off to a great start. This enthusiastic bunch of rockers have all had the chance to try drums, bass, guitar and singing, and now we’re settling the line up for our first full and song – Twist and Shout by the Beatles. After the half term break we will be working on Learn To Fly by the Foo Fighters, and all the while we are singing “Don’t Stop Believing” as a group. I’m super impressed with my band this term, and I can’t wait to show you all what they can do when they perform these songs at the end of term.

Happy half term everyone! I’ll keep you updated on music around the school on a regular basis.