"These are the claves (points). You tap them like this (demonstrates)!" Max 

"I like dancing!" Lillian

"This is a shaker. You shake it to make a sound. My favourite is the drums becuase it make a loud noise! You use your hands to make the sound!" Rupert 

"I liked singing Old MacDonald...my favouirte animal is the horse and it goes 'neeeeeeigh'!" Jesse

"I like singing and playing at the same time. The slap tone is a high sound. The bass sound is a low sound. The bass is better when you put the drum between your knees. We played rhythms - you can change rhythms. The pulse is keeping the beat!" Harry

"We have been learning the djembe drum. We have been learning songs like Jamawaile. My favourite thing is when we learned new sounds using bass, tone and slap (demonstrates). A rhythm is a different pattern!" Hazel 

"I like everything in Music! I like playing the glockenspiel and listening to drums and trumpets! I like the song Rainbows the best - it makes me feel happy!" Jesse

"I like the song 'Music Man' because I like the instruments. My favourite is the drum. I like improvising on the glockenspiel - this means you make up your own song. I used the notes A, B and C for Music Man!" Olivia 

"In Music, I like the beat of 'Music Man'. The beat is the pulse of the song. I also like playing different notes on the glockenspiel (points to right for high pitch and left for low pitch). I liked listening to Rainbows!" Bertie 

"In Music, I like it when we listen to different songs. I like the slow songs because I can hear the words. My favourite song was the Music Man because it is sung in a funny voice. The instruments I like best in the song are violin and piano (demonstrates how to play each instrument)!" Charlotte

"I think it was fun learning the tune for Rainbows on the glockenspiels as it is calming. I used the notes C, D and E. Sometimes we make up our our tunes and rhythms - so some long and some short!" Grace 

Intent

At Wheatfields Infants' and Nursery School, we aim to build the foundations for a life-long love of music through our Music Curriculum and the provision of a range of musical opportunities and experiences for our pupils.

We strive to be a musical school which has music at the heart of school ethos. Through music, we seek to create a school that is happy, inclusive, vibrant and positive! We nurture and celebrate the achievements of our pupils and seek to develop the confidence of our children through a love of music. We maintain strong musical links between with our local community and the Music Hub to provide enriching musical experiences for our children. 

Implementation 

Curriculum Music 

In Nursery and Reception, our children are encouraged to play with instruments and explore the sounds they make. They learn about the beat and practise clapping and beating patterns of rhythm. They listen to a wide range of music and are encouraged to respond to the music through dance, discussion or performance. Singing is an integral part of every day and the children are encouraged to sing familiar songs such as nursery rhymes and learn and perform new songs. Furthermore, our children are provided with opportunities to engage in music technology through both adult-led activities and independent play and will start to engage in simple composition activities through stories. 

In Key Stage 1, our children will engage in a whole class project 'First Access' provided by the Hertfordshire Music Service for two terms. This provides the opportunity for all children in Year 1 and Year 2 to learn how to play two instruments, taught by a specialist teacher. This academic year, Year 1 children will be taught how to play the djembe drums in the Autumn Term and the recorder in the Spring Term. Year 2 pupils will receive instrumental tuition for the djembe drums in the Spring Term and Ukulele in the Summer Term. 

In the third term, children will follow the Charanga Musical School Scheme. The children are given the opportunity to  listen and respond to a wide ranging variety of music from classical and jazz to pop, hip hop and reggae. We have class sets of glockenspiels and the children are taught to play their instruments alongside learning to sing the songs. The children are given opportunities to improvise, compose and perform music both in small groups in class and on a larger stage at class assemblies and year group performances.

Instrumental and Vocal Lessons and Ensembles

Instrumental lessons take place each week in school and are offered to Year 2 children. From September 2023, there will be opportunity to engage in a choice of individual, paired or group lessons in singing, keyboard or cello, taught by an external music specialist from the Hertfordshire Music Service. 

If you would like further information or to sign up, please visit:

https://ukhertfordshire.speedadmin.dk/registration#/courselist/3

In addition, children will have the opportunity to attend an informal ensemble group such as percussion or drumming. The instrument will be decided and confirmed following feedback from parents/carers. 

Singing Strategy

Singing is the golden thread which weaves throughout our curriculum. Children partake in weekly singing assemblies through which they develop the necessary understanding and skills when learning how to sing. They enjoy engaging in singing as part of a large group and explore a broad repertoire of songs. 

Many of our children are part of the school choir which is run by Mrs Chalk and rehearses each week. The choir has members from Reception through to Year 2 and works towards a performance opportunity each term either in whole school assemblies or for a special event in the calendar.

Furthermore, the after school club, Sing with a Smile run by Mrs Thomaidis, meets each week to enjoy singing together and movement to music. They enjoy sharing projects with the wider school community. 

Impact 

At Wheatfields Infants' and Nursery, our music provision:

• instills a sense of community, pride and confidence in our children
• enables our children to learn about the culture and history of different ethnicities around the world
• provides opportunities for the enjoyment of music and self-expression through creating and performing. 

Resources to Support and Develop Musical Learning and Understanding in the Home Environment 

In March, we enjoyed a fantastic, whole-school visit and performance from the Electric Umbrella. The performance was co-presented by a team of learning disabled and professional musicians and challenged the staff and children to think differently about learning disabled people and explored how we can celebrate difference and help to build a world that is more inclusive. The interactive performances were so inspirational and included a range of live music. The children have been singing the songs ever since! 

The themes included:

• Can you sing like no one is listening?
• Can you dance like no one is watching?

ELECTRIC UMBRELLA SONG LYRICS

LA LA LA LA LA LA LA

I SAW IT IN MY DREAMS THOSE COLOURFUL SCENES AMAZING AMAZING ELECTRIC FUN

WITH LOTS OF ENERGY

SO COLOURFULLY

FANTASTIC FANTASTIC FANDABBYDOZY

LA LA LA LA LA LA LA

ELECTRIC UMBRELLA

LA LA LA LA LA LA LA

ELECTRIC UMBRELLA