Music

At St Clare's, 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.  

 

During Autumn 2, we have dedicated our music lessons for our Christmas/Advent activities, to allow all children to rehearse for these performances including, the nativity, Christmas service and Christmas concert.
As well as this, year 6 will dedicate their music time in Summer 2 to rehearsing for their end of year show, which includes singing, acting and much more!

 

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 children from Y1 to Y6 receive a weekly music lesson supported by Charanga. In EYFS, music is taught through their topics.

 

At St Clare's, we have now been able to offer exposure to learning an instrument such as violin, drumming and recorder to specific year groups for one term. This allows the children to create, explore and perform using a tuned instrument. 

 

Here is our music curriculum overview:

Music Overview 2023-2024

 

EYFS Curriculum overview for Music: 

In EYFS, children learn a range of musical skills through their topics. The skills which they cover have been highlighted below in the EYFS expressive arts and design key knowledge and skills document. 

EYFS Music

 

 

The Big Sing 2024

 

Our wonderful Choir children had a fantastic time at the 'Big Sing 2024'. This year's theme was Country. We had so much fun! 

 

 

2C African Drumming Showcase 2024
Class 2C have had the wonderful opportunity to learn how to play the African drumming as part of their music curriculum. Thank you all who came to see their amazing talent and to their amazing drumming teacher.

 

Young Voices 2024
Our school choir had a wonderful time in AO Arena, singing at the Young Voices choir concert!

 

Christmas Showcase 2023
Thank you to everybody who attended our Christmas showcase and I hope you had a lovely morning listening to the fantastic musical talents we have here at St Clares. Our morning was filled with singing from each year group and choir and amazing playing from our violin, trumpet and drumming students. We are very lucky to have such wonderful specialist teachers working with our children and our showcases show the amazing work they do! 

 

 

Choir Showcase 2023

On Thursday 18th of May, our choir put on a wonderful showcase for their parents and our year 1 and 2 children. The children in our choir are very talented and did amazing throughout their performance. Many of our year 1 and 2 children commented on how much they enjoyed it and how they cannot wait to be apart of the choir when they are older! Thank you to the wonderful children and staff for putting on an amazing show. Well done!

 

Halle Orchestra 2023

Our year 6 violin and trumpet players had the amazing opportunity to go and watch the world famous Halle Orchestra perform at the Bridgewater Hall on Wednesday 8th March 2023. The performance was based on 'The Green Planet' and explored environmental issues facing planet Earth and considered what we human beings are doing to try and remedy the situation. 

 

Young Voices 2023

Our school choir had a wonderful time in AO Arena, singing at the Young Voices choir concert!

Young Voices

 

Year 5 violin lessons Autumn term

Year 5 have had the wonderful opportunity to learn how to play the violin with our specialist teacher! The children had this experience from September to December as part of their music curriculum and many have been chosen to form our new year 5 violin group. Well done!

Y5 Violins

 

Music in class.

During class lessons, children take part in learning to sing songs and place the glockenspiel. We cover a range of music genres and perform at the end of every lesson! Here are some photos of the children enjoying their lessons!

 

 

My Hub Manchester Music Centre. 
Within Manchester, My Hub run a number of music centres available for all children to have access to music outside of school, including learning to play instruments, being a part of bands and choirs and to improve their musical skills. 

There is a centre which is based in the Co-Op Academy on Plant Hill road for the children in our school to access every Thursday. 

This year, the centre is FREE for all children to join, from 3 to 18 years old. 
 

Attached is the website to allow you to see what the centre offers; the children will thoroughly enjoy having access to more music and be able to improve on their skills, excelling in their musical talents. 

 

North Music Centre – Manchester Music Hub (myhub.org.uk)

 

Music at Home 

Below are a list of different websites that you may find useful for learning music whilst at home.

Press CTRL+Click on the blue italics to follow the links:

 

• BBC Teach Ten Pieces Tasters 

The BBC's Ten Pieces at Home website suggests weekly activities for schools and parents to try. Every week there's a Ten Pieces film to watch and a linked creative activity – writing a poem, drawing a portrait, trying some body percussion – to be completed by children at home (no special materials or preparation required). A free, easy way to keep listening, enjoying and creating music at this time.

 

 

• BBC Teach Bring the Noise 

Free primary school music resources - Bring The Noise - BBC Teach
This website offers a range of free, fun and simple online music resources that can be used flexibly at home. The website offers interactive and inclusive activities for EYFS, KS1 and SEND pupils. Over the coming weeks, children are invited to take part in the ‘I am a Robot’ sing, sign and dance challenge,  where adults can send in videos of their child’s robot performance for the chance for it to be included in a new BBC Teach Bring the Noise music video.

 

 

• Meet the Orchestra – Royal Albert Hall

Watch video introductions to the orchestra from Albert’s Band, from the Royal Albert Hall. Each member of the band presents their instrument, explains how they make their sound and plays a few short pieces. From trumpets and trombones to violins, which instrument will steal the hearts of your family members?

For more about the instruments in the orchestra you can also read and watch BBC Teach's Bring the Noise guides to Orchestral Families for a brief description of the most recognisable instruments in an orchestra, music performed by the BBC Philharmonic and information about the history and sounds of each instrument.

 

 

• Classics for Kids

Classics for Kids® is designed to help you introduce children to classical music through games, musical definitions, audio samples, kids' guides to styles and eras, guidance for choosing an instrument and lots more. 

The interactive music games are free and help children learn more about rhythm, musical terms, musical instruments and composer.

 

 

• Sing Up 

Sing Up at Home has themed playlists of songs to fit every mood – including songs to calm and relax you, songs to get you moving, and empowering songs to lift you up. There are also songs and activities for learning about topics and every week, a new Song of the week will feature an engaging teaching video and audio tracks, lyrics, musical score and various activities that go along with it. 

 

• Out of the Ark

Out of the Ark Music are sharing free songs and resources to help parents build a daily singing routine. Each week they are providing at least 7 songs with activities/challenges to keep everyone singing and learning. Songs are provided with full Words on Screen videos together with some activities to go with each song. We love using Out of the Ark at St Clare’s!

 

• Voices Foundation Virtual Singing Assembly

A LIVE daily 10-15 minute sing for children, parents and teachers! Join Voices Foundation every weekday at 1:00 PM (BST) from wherever you are for some fun, uplifting singing led by their VF practitioners. Music brings us all together, so please share #VFVirtualSing with friends and family and let’s get everybody singing! Subscribe to their YouTube channel to ensure you don’t miss out on this daily content.

 

• Beat Goes On 

Beat Goes On are running online Body Beats body percussion sessions streaming live daily. Join in here.

 

• Royal Opera House

The Royal Opera House is offering creative home learning available on their website.

 

• Myleene's Music Klass

Myleene's Music Klass is a video series from musician and mum Myleene Kass's home to yours – with lots of support from her children she introduces dynamics, major and minor keys, basic rhythms, melodies and more. Fun, accessible and curriculum-based.