Music
Psalm 95:1
Developing creativity and confidence through music and performance
Organisation of Music
Music is an integral part of our school life at Eltham C of E, from music teaching to cross-curricular activities, Collective Worship and enrichment, it is a key part of the learning. At Eltham, we use the Sing Up Music scheme which provides primary schools with the foundation to deliver a creative programme of high-quality classroom music activity. It sets out the skills, knowledge, and understanding to be gained by all pupils at each stage of learning. Children are taught music weekly with the lessons being between 30-60 minutes long.
Sing Up’s music curriculum, with a scheme of work for each year group from Nursery to Year 6, represents a progressive set of teaching resources that meets the requirements of the National Curriculum for Music and suggested approaches of the Model Music Curriculum (Singing, Listening, Composing, Performance/Instrumental Performance).
Covering a broad and diverse range of repertoire, approaches, and musical traditions, Sing Up Music supports a fully-integrated approach to musical development, connecting the interrelated strands of singing, playing, performing, composing, improvising, listening, and appraising.
Click here for the Sing Up Music Overview
We have a range of instruments for the children to use including class sets of recorders, a brand new class set of Glockenspiels, percussion instruments, guitars and many more.
Music Lessons
EYFS
In EYFS the children sing daily and have a brand new selection of musical instruments available to them during free play. Reception have music taught weekly and follow some parts of the Sing Up Scheme, including lots of singing and rhythm lessons. Both nursery and reception have iPad and stereos available to them so that the children can listen to music.
KS1
KS1 units are organised into 6 lessons and 3 lesson blocks, with the equivalent of 12 weeks teaching each term. The units are based on 40-minute lessons. The first unit in the Autumn term for Years 1 and 2 includes a ‘progression snapshot’ activity that is returned to in the Spring and Summer terms to help teachers track and evidence pupil progress. This snapshot will usually consist of the children performing a song relating to their music topic which will be recorded. The children will begin to learn different musical notes and use these to create and their own songs. They will use instruments to replicate these notes, such as the glockenspiels.
Lower KS2
In year 3, experienced musicians from the Greenwich Music Hub come in to teach the children djembe drums and ukulele. The children start the year learning both instruments and then focus on one instrument only after Christmas. These lessons are fun and engaging, and the children learn key musical skills. It means that every child will have had the opportunity to learn an instrument by the time they leave Eltham.
“I like how our music teacher is very kind and calm. If you do something wrong, he will help you.”
Arthur, Year 3
All the other KS2 units are organised into 6 lesson and 3 lesson blocks, with the equivalent of 12 weeks teaching each term. The units are based on 50-minute lessons. The first unit in the Autumn for all KS2 year groups includes a ‘progression snapshot’ activity that is returned to in the Spring and Summer terms to help teachers track and evidence pupil progress similar to similar to the KS1 snapshot.
“When you create rhythms it is a lot of fun and I love that you can be free with it and create the rhythms you want to.”
Maya, Year 3
Year 4 learn about Gospel music and pentatonic scales, and this particular unit will include the song, This Little Light of Mine. The children will listen and move in time to songs. The children will understand film themes and how they set the mood for the telling of the film’s story. They will listen to the theme tune to The Pink Panther by Henry Mancini provides the foundation for exploring musical storytelling through listening and composing activities. The children also create and compose music inspired by colour and art. Throughout the school, the children learn about instruments and their families.
Upper KS2
Year 5 learn about sea shanties, including the song What Shall we do with the Drunken Sailor? The children learn songs from around the world, including different traditions. Madina Tun Nabi is a catchy modern Nasheed (Islamic song) with a chorus in two parts. Pupils will learn to sing the song, develop their own accompaniment with a drone, chords, and improvisation, and play together with a percussion backing track. They have an introduction to song writing, including Structure (verse/chorus), hook, lyric writing, melody and are able to write their own songs. Year 5 learn about gospel music and spirituals, as well as grooves. We have access to Garage Band on the iPads which will be used as part of the Building a Groove lessons.
Year 6 learn about artists and their influences, comparing musical genres and this topic is based around the piece Shadows by Lindsey Stirling – an American violinist and dancer. They will then end the unit with a creative response using shadows. Another teaching topic for year 6 is the, Hey Mr Miller unit. This involves teaching based on Swing music, syncopation, swing rhythm, Big band instruments, scat singing, social and historical context (WWII, segregation). See the Sing up Music Unit Overview for more information on all of the year groups music units.
There are also opportunities for children across the school to attend music workshops at the Eltham Centre when they become available.
Collective Worship
Collective worship is a key part of our school day. During collective worship we often have music playing and children will learn various worship songs. We have a singing based collective worship once a week where the children will do singing warm ups, learn various new songs and sing songs with different parts. Children also sometimes have the opportunity to perform an instrument in these assemblies if they would like to.
Enrichment
Choir
Our inclusive choir is very popular amongst the children and is well attended. It takes place on a Monday lunchtime and is open to all children in the school from Years 3-6. We have taken part in a range of concerts and events including: The Greenwich Schools Music Association concert (where we performed with many other schools in the area at St Thomas More); Singing Spectacular (Greenwich 
Music Service Concert at Blackheath Halls); at our school Church Services and events and we even had the amazing opportunity of performing to the Mayor of Greenwich in Woolwich Town Hall.
At the moment, choir are preparing to perform at Singing Spectacular, Blackheath Halls, The GSMA concert and the Easter service. We have 10 collective songs to practise and two performance songs. Our performance songs are
Please find links to backing tracks and lyrics on the password protected Choir page in the Parents Pages section on the website.
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School Band
We have a fantastic Eltham pop/rock band which consists of thirteen years 4, 5 and 6 children and includes guitarists, percussionists, pianists and singers. The band practise on a Friday afternoon and are taught by the Greenwich Music Service. Eltham band had the exciting opportunity to perform at the Showcase your Sound event at Blackheath Halls this year. It was the first time they had ever performed in front of a live audience outside of school, and it was fantastic!
“I love music; it is one of my favourite things. It sounds magical when all of the music comes together and I can sing along to it. I really look forward to Fridays because I get to do band practise.”
Sofia, Year 4
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Live Music Experiences
We have had the opportunity for some outside performers to share their experiences with the children. Flintz the rapper, a finalist on Britain’s Got Talent, was able to come in and share his journey of music and give the Year 5 and 6 children the chance to ask some questions, as well as have an exclusive performance.
We are also looking forward to our International Week in the Summer term, which will involve lots of musical opportunities for the children including a live gig from a pro band! Watch this space for more information.