Music

At Sutton-at-Hone C of E Primary School, our vision is that Music is fully embedded in every aspect of school life and our aspiration is that every child adopts a lifelong love of music. Through the teaching of Music, we promote our Christian values by demonstrating Perseverance when achieving our personal best and Community when performing together within the School and local venues.

Music is taught from YR-Y6 and covers the 6 areas of the curriculum; singing, playing, improvising, composing, listening and SMSC. Sutton-at-Hone have teachers and support staff that can deliver their own lessons or use resources from ‘Music Express’ and ‘Espresso’. The children participate in singing, tuned and untuned percussion work, composition, and listening to live and recorded music. All children are taught the skills to be able to compose using musical instruments. When the children are ready, musical notation is taught and children are taught correct musical terminology e.g. rhythm, melody, pitch, dynamics. It is our aspiration that all children will be able to read and understand music notation, including graphic notation by the time they leave Sutton-at-Hone Primary School. Children have the opportunity to learn songs in different languages, celebrating the different cultures within the school. We also welcome visitors into school whenever possible so the children can listen to live music from all cultures.

Singing is highly important part of our day. Children sing every day during our Collective Worships where hymns and songs around festivals are taught and sung during the year. Year 5 take part in the choral project where they have an opportunity to sing at the Orchard Theatre in Dartford.

Year 6 take part in the end of year production where they have a chance to shine in singing and dancing!

We have a school choir with 40 members ranging from Year 2-6. They meet each week as an after school club and are very dedicated and keen to perform at events in and outside of school. The choir have sung at Young Voices at the 02 Arena and at the Woodville Halls for the Trust concert. They have also sung in the community at a local care home for the elderly and in enjoyed a Christmas concert at the Mick Jagger Centre with Dartford Symphony Orchestra. They will continue to be part of these events again this year.

 

Instrumental enrichment

We have visiting Music specialists who deliver the music curriculum for Year 4 (recorders) and they have the opportunity to perform to the while school. In addition, we have a specialist teacher from Rock Steady Music School who delivers lessons to 30 children in groups once a week. These groups learn and perform band instruments and singing to their parents and whole school every term.

Class teachers deliver lessons of varying abilities for the Ukulele and Ocarina. There are several children who learn a range of instruments outside of school (clarinet, saxophone, piano/keyboard, flute and guitar) or are self-taught.

We encourage parents to support and inspire musical talents by encouraging children to listen, practise and appreciate music both within and outside of school.

In the future, your child could be a musician, teacher or producer so let’s nurture their talents!