Music

Our intention at Hayes is to foster a passion for the universal language of music. We aim for all our children to leave Hayes inspired to explore and produce music for the rest of their lives. Finally, we hope that our music will build self-confidence, creativity and a sense of achievement in each and every one of our children.

The National Curriculum for Music aims to ensure that children:

•  perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians

•  learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence

•  understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.

Subject Implementation:

• Weekly, high quality, inspiring lessons (including a weekly singing assembly) taught by teachers with an expert knowledge of the subject.

• Appropriate music vocabulary used by both the teacher and the children at every suitable opportunity

• Knowledge and skills planned and taught systematically

• Children having the opportunity to explore and play a variety of tuned and untuned instruments

• Children given opportunities to produce digital music

• Children given opportunities to reflect upon their learning; asking questions, giving opinions and making decisions eg. deciding on the structure and dynamics for a class performance piece

• Cross-curricular links planned for and embedded where appropriate

• Children given opportunities to perform both outside of school and in school productions

• Children given opportunities to see and hear live performances from a variety of musical genres and styles

• The history of music (including the works of the great composers) will be taught chronologically as part of the weekly music lesson and Singing

Y3 Pupil learning to play the ‘Ping Pong’ steel pan. This is usually reserved for Y4 children, but our most skilled Y3 musicians get the opportunity to begin their journey playing these instruments earlier.

This Y3 class are learning to play In the Jungle. Listen to the altos playing the melody, the tenors providing a tuned rhythmic accompaniment and the bass helping to 'hold it together'. The level of musicianship required and demonstrated is exceptional at this age. Our music at Hayes is something we are incredibly proud of.

These Y3 children are learning to play Everything is Awesome from The Lego Movie. The music is in three parts: Bass, Tenor and Alto. In this lesson, the children are having to listen really carefully to each other as we work on 'putting the piece together'. A way to go yet but they are doing really well.

At the end of Y6, the children perform a Leavers’ Show of various Performing Arts with a focus on playing the marimbas & steel pans and singing.  When playing the instruments, we use UV lighting, stage smoke and lasers to take their performance to the next level.  This year’s singing performances were themed around the musical Matilda. This video is a montage of the 2023 show.

Y6 Leavers Show ‘Naughty’ from Matilda.

Y6 Leavers’ Show ‘Lean on Me’ performed on our marimbas and steel pans.

Y6 Leavers’ Show ‘Save Your Tears’ (The Weeknd) performed on our marimbas and steel pans.

Y6 Leavers’ Show ‘Master of the House’ from Les Miserables.

Y6 Leavers’ Show ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ from Les Miserables.

Y6 Leavers’ Show ‘Prologue’ from Les Miserables.

Link to X account with videos of other KS2 Music lessons:

https://x.com/MrB_Perf_Arts?t=vO6FjvyxgnfrvqM3EGWZMQ&s=03

Enrichment

In Key Stage 2, the children participate in a Christmas and Easter service at Paignton Parish Church.

 

Mrs Hixon runs a weekly after-school ukulele club for children from across the school.  (Video to come soon)

Miss Sedgebeer runs a weekly choir in the Friday enrichment sessions. (Video to come soon)

Year 6 have after school music preparing them for their Leavers’ Show.

Pupil Voice: 

EYFS: ‘Singing makes me feel happy’

Y3: ‘I love how loud our music is.’ ‘I love working with my friends, helping each other to learn the music.’

Y4: ‘It’s so much fun discovering new songs and learning to play them with your friends.’

Y5: ‘Music is important because it opens up a new world of wonder and inspires people to be stars.’

Y6: ‘The Leavers’ Show is probably the most exciting thing to have happened to me in the whole of my life! Performing on the marimbas and steel pans as well as singing and dancing to Matilda songs was just incredible. I am so lucky to have had this opportunity.’