World Music Day
At The Avenue we understand how music can enhance children’s development in all areas of learning. Children experience music in their everyday lives and we have created a rich and stimulating music curriculum that enables children to explore all strands of music set out in the national curriculum.
Our music curriculum encourages children to develop a love of music through listening to a range of key composers, genres and traditions, learning to play tuned and un-tuned instruments, singing, performing and composing. We aim to build confidence, creativity and achievement through our music programme.
We embrace music at The Avenue by providing the children with a variety of opportunities to become musicians through performing, listening to a wide range of the musical canon, singing, playing and composing. Through performing, children build confidence and a sense of achievement. We encourage this by school events such as the Harvest festival, Carol concerts, the Nativity and in spring we have a motivation competition where staff vote for the best class performance with a reward of £50 towards a day of fun!
We also participate in outside events such as Snappy Spring which is led by TVMS and we also support the community by performing in church concerts.
We have worked closely with Music Makes Me to create a music curriculum which outlines the progressions throughout each strand of music (inter-related dimensions of music such as pitch, dynamics, notation etc.). If you would like to view our music progression, please click here.
Our music progression is followed by Mrs Norris (Music Makes Me) through her weekly singing sessions and by the school’s music lead/specialist who teaches Reception through to Year 6 in the summer term. The music progression is taught through singing, playing tuned and un-tuned instruments and by reading and writing rhythms and melodies. We build upon prior learning so that when the children reach Year 6 they have a wide knowledge and experience of music to experiment and compose with.
Our tuned instruments are:
The children are welcomed into assembly by the sound of key composers throughout history. We listen to pieces from the Baroque period to present. Below is an example of some of the composers we listen to.
There are key facts and information about the composer with questions to encourage critical analysis of what they are listening to. In class, Year 3 and 5 create presentations on music derived from different traditions, genres and even film music.
Charanga
This is a scheme of work that is endorsed by TVMS and is used during the summer term. It is a world leading music teaching and learning platform that has a vast library of resources, songs and instrumental courses. It is an interactive tool which aids the class teacher in teaching a scheme of work which concentrates on learning a song which is broken down to teach different elements of music.
Music Makes Me
The Avenue Primary School has a great partnership with Music Makes Me. Music Makes Me is led by Helen Norris. She is our very own composer and has composed our school song. Mrs Norris runs a weekly keyboard club for the children, after school, every Tuesday.
Throughout the year, Music Makes Me teaches weekly singing sessions on a Tuesday afternoon. These sessions teach children to use their voices expressively and with control including ukulele lessons with Year 4. Mrs Norris adapts modern songs to suit all abilities teaching them to play, sing, read music notation and to appreciate music.
Choir
Mrs Norris leads choir sessions for children in Key Stage 2 after school on a Wednesday. The choir have performed for Nunthorpe church at a luncheon and at the school Christmas fayre. We look forward to providing the choir with more opportunities to perform next academic year.
TVMS – Tees Valley Music Service
The Tees Valley Music Education Hub is part of the Tees Valley Music Service. They work with schools to provide the best possible musical opportunities for the children and young people of the Tees Valley. It is one of 122 national Music Hubs created to deliver the National Music Plan. They are fabulous service who have provided music resources, training and private music lessons across school.
Currently, TVMS provide a specialist guitar teacher who comes into school and tutors in small groups. These lessons are private and are at the discretion of the parents who will pay directly to TVMS. Should your child wish to have lessons with TVMS please contact them directly. Email: tvms@tvms.org.uk
TVMS provide a specialised drumming teacher to come into school for ten weeks and teach Taiko drumming to Year 3. The children are taught to play together, read musical notation and learn a new instrument. In addition to this, TVMS are providing Reception and Year 2 with a 2-week taster session in music where the children engage in fun musical games.
