Music
Since 2020 we have adopted the scheme Charanga to support and improve the quality of music teaching that children receive at our school. Charanga works seamlessly with the national curriculum ensuring that learners revisit the interrelated dimensions of music: pulse, voice, pitch and rhythm- building upon previous learning and skills. The learning within this Scheme is based on: listening and appraising, musical activities, creating and exploring and singing and performing.
Music is taught as a separate subject, but links may be made to other learning such as the children’s topic work for that term. All learners from EYFS to Y6 receive a weekly music lesson supported by Charanga. KS2 learners are taught music for approximately 1 hour a week and Key stage 1 for 30 minutes a week.
The Charanga music scheme allows children to experience a new topic and style of music every half term. These lessons provide children with the opportunity to listen and respond to different styles of music, use their voices and instruments to listen and sing back and have a go at composing their own pieces of music. The lessons are planned so that each year children follow on from the learning they completed the previous year and clear progression is evident across the school.
KS 2 children learn to play either the Glockenspiel, Recorder or Ukulele. This is something that is part of their charanga lesson. Children spend the first few weeks learning about the instrument they are going to play and also have a chance to practice the notes and rhythm. Year 3 – 6 children have the opportunity to perform for the school and families in both Spring and Summer.
In Years 4-6 Primary Robins come in it will be the start of a three / four-year musical journey. We have 10 songbooks that include a variety of music - songs from great musicals, to traditional folk songs, via Disney songs and songs by The Beatles. The children start with Songbook 1 and learn songs like The Muffin Man and Three Blind Mice both great introductions to rhythm and pitch. By Songbook 4 they are singing songs like Danny Boy which requires lovely legato singing and a greater vocal range and My Favourite Things which needs contrasting dynamics and lots of storytelling. From Songbook 7 there are songs are in two parts – teaching the children about harmony. Each book contains a song in a foreign language.
Primary Robins will also be providing our KS1 Choir on a Wednesday lunchtimes with Mrs Joyes.
Totally RAD Music also comes to All Saints Blackheath to offer fun, engaging professional music tuition to children of all ages. We have approximately 50 students who have taken up this provision. Yanna and Rebecca are highly skilled session musicians working actively in the music industry. They offer a fantastic opportunity to learn from some talented individuals.
Hannah Bray also comes in teach Flute and Clarinet and she has 10 students.
In addition to the taught music curriculum learners listen to a range of music styles and genres in assembly, as well as having a singing assembly every week.
At All Saints we arrange termly musical showcases / concerts where the year groups can share and celebrate their musical journey showing both confidence building and progression through their time at school.
