Musicians

Our Intent

Our intent is to instill and develop a love and appreciation of music in our pupils and develop their musical skills.  We engage and inspire children to appreciate, compose and perform music exploring different music genres. 

Pupils learn to:

  • 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

“Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. A high quality music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. As pupils progress, they should develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon.”

National Curriculum Music (2014)

Our Approach

In at least one enquiry each year, music is an integrated key focus.  When teaching other enquiries, music is taught discreetly using the Charanga music resource.  Charanga is an award-winning, high quality resource that supports teachers to inspire pupils and develop their musicality.  More information on Charanga is available here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EorNyoYLtxs

We offer extra curricular instrument lessons and have a vibrant, enthusiastic choir who perform regularly at school events.  More Information on these can be found in the ‘Children’ section of the website (Extra Curricular Clubs/Instrumental Lessons).

Curriculum Map

Music Whole School Map 2019

How you can help at home:

Singing is absolutely key in improving your child’s musicality.  Sing along to the radio in the car, sing in the bath, sing your child a lullaby at bedtime!  For ideas see ‘Bring the Noise’ and ‘Friday Afternoon Music’ below.  Make some time to listen to and enjoy music.  You could ask children what instruments they can hear when listening to music.  Play them the music you love and don’t forget to dance and sing along (makes washing up go much quicker!).

Music Websites:

Want to know more about music across Bristol?  Bristol Plays Music is the place to go.  It’s website is a hub for all sorts of music groups and tuition across the city.

https://www.bristolplaysmusic.org/

BBC’s ‘Bring the Noise’ is a great place to start if you want to find more musical activities.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/bring-the-noise

‘Ten Pieces’ is a wonderful project from the BBC introducing children from ages 7-11 to ten engaging classical pieces of music using video, dance and high quality performance.  Check it out!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ten-pieces

There’s a great song selection to be found here:

https://www.fridayafternoonsmusic.co.uk/

David Walliams does a podcast with a written quiz sheet. It is funny and informative. Episode 1 is Mozart.

http://marvellousmusicalpodcast.com/

Sea Mills Villanelle
John Hegley a famous performance poet, comedian  and musician visited Sea Mills in December and worked with our children to improve their poetry skills. 
Whilst here he began writing a villanelle poem (a 19 line poem) about our wonderful children which he has now turned into a song. 
He has recorded his brilliant poem/song with a Bristol band and sent us the audio. Have a listen and a sing along to ‘Sea Mills Villainelles’.

A Sea Mills Villanelle with extra portions
by John Hegley
 
With two classes of children, in Sea Mills
With paintings, pencils paper and some Pritt
And with our basic education skills
 
Malaika and I came down from the hills
And happily, our faces seemed to fit,
That Wednesday, in December, in Sea Mills.
 
Along with poetry – some other frills:
Drawing, songs and drawing upon wit
And Clare there, with her observation skills
(and a bit of folk guitar).
 
For a fan of local football thrills
We incorporated Bristol City
With an Edvard Munch and scissors, at Sea Mills.
 
We opened up the doors to Psyche’s inner ills.
Malaika played a winner – eyes were lit,
with everyone assembled – it more than paid the bills.
 
It has been said that poetry distils.
It boiled down to us all doing our bit:
Our team, the gleaming children of Sea Mills
And teachers with their burning and discerning and their entertaining skills
And Clare there with a bit of folk guitar.
Take a look at our Sea Mills Primary Musicians…

Our choir and musicians regularly perform to the school and the wider school community.

Being a musician starts early.  Nursery often enjoy playing their musical instruments.