Infant

Reception

This term the children have thoroughly enjoyed our topic Once Upon A Time. The children have been learning about traditional tales, such as Little Red Riding Hood, The 3 Billy Goats Gruff, The Ugly Duckling etc. The children particularly enjoyed The Gingerbread Man where the story was told alongside ‘Zorba the Greek’ music. As the tension in the story heightened, the tempo of the music quickened. This really helped add to the drama of the tale.

The Children also enjoyed watching Miss Helen’s performance of The 3 Little Pigs. Everyone got to join in with building the houses and blowing them down in character as The Big Bad Wolf. The music used really supported the children as they them expressed themselves.

Year 1

The children this half term have loved continuing their learning in music focusing on finding the pulse and beat. The children have learnt and sung lots of new songs all focused around getting ready! They have loved singing songs, such as ‘Brush Our Teeth’ and ‘Dress Up’, and have liked moving their body to find the pulse. The children have even tried playing some percussion this term by playing some beaters. They focused really hard when listening for the steady beat and then practiced hitting the beaters in time with the pulse. They did really well with this!

Also in singing assembly, the Year 1 children had been practising singing ‘God Save the Queen.” They did such a great job of it that they also performed to the whole school on the field when planting our jubilee tree!

Watch the video below of the wonderful singing of our national anthem!

Year 2

As part of our Art ‘Around The World’ topic, all of the children in year 2 listened to sounds of the South American rainforest. They listened carefully and thought about which instruments they could use to recreate the same rainforest sounds in the classroom. The children were very focused and made excellent choices, transporting us all to the Amazon Rainforest.

In music this half term, DC2 and ZK2 have been learning to play the ocarinas. The children learnt how to hold the ocarinas correctly and how to blow into them. They have thoroughly enjoyed it and have perfected notes D, B and G.

PA2 have been learning about how music can teach us about our neighbourhoods and have enjoyed learning songs such as, ‘The music man’ and ‘Helping each other’.

Reception

This term in Reception the children have been excited to play on the new drum kit in the outside area. They have been focusing on how to make loud and quiet sounds, keeping a rhythm and following a beat. They have also been making up own games, such as musical statues or pretending to be part of a band.

Also in maths, the children have been learning patterns, and making up their own body percussion patterns such as clap, stomp, clap stomp. Please see the video of Mrs Goddard’s class making their own body percussion pattern.

In the last week of term the children went on a bus trip so we taught them the song, “The Wheels on the Bus” and they had the opportunity to sing it on an actual bus! Watch see the video below of their performance.

Year 1

During this half term, year 1 have celebrated a wide range of musical styles. The children have listened, sung, composed and performed both familiar songs like the lullaby, Hush Little Baby and new songs like learning the Days of the Week. They have once again enjoyed playing the chime bars, as well as discovering high and low notes in some of the songs they have learnt the lyrics to and performed. 

Year 2

Over the next three half terms each Year 2 class will have the opportunity to learn how to play the ocarina. The first class started this half term and thoroughly enjoyed it! One child has even asked their parents if they can buy one so they practise at home! The children learnt how to hold the ocarina and how to blow into it correct so it doesn’t squeak! They also learnt the notes D, B and G. They have learnt how to play songs using these notes and performed them confidently. The other two classes are really looking forward to their turn over the coming weeks.

During this term, the children in Reception have been learning about Chinese New Year and enjoyed their online lesson from Miss Helens in music and movement. The children experienced dancing with fans, listening to instruments they like to use in China and pretending to feed a Chinese dragon wanting to eat cabbages! 

The children have also enjoyed listening and dancing to sea shanties during Pirate week and ‘Heroes Unite’ during superhero week!

In Year 1 the children have enjoyed introducing Tempo and Dynamics into their lessons and celebrating a wide range of musical styles. They have enjoyed listening, singing, playing, composing and performing to a variety of music which has included Reggae and Funk. The children loved performing Funk music using the chime bars.

In Year 2 this half term the children have been focusing on the theme ‘How Does Music Make the World a Better Place?’ We learnt to sing and perform the songs ‘Rainbows’, ‘Hands, Feet, Heart’ and ‘All Around the World.’ The children also learnt how to play the notes for these songs on the chime bars, focusing on learning A minor. The children enjoyed finding out about a steady beat, and following rhythmic and melodic patterns. They enjoyed listening to a range of songs from different genres and we discussed our opinions about these songs.

At the end of Spring 1, the federation was involved with learning how to sing and perform (using British sign language BSL) “Reach for the stars” by S Club 7. The children took part to show awareness of sign language and how it is seen as a language in itself. They practised very hard for 3 weeks, please see the link below to watch their performance.

On the 15th November Reception children enjoyed taking part in Nursery Week. Every day for a week everyone got to listen to, discuss and enjoy different nursery rhymes and well known songs such as, ‘The Wheels On The Bus’, ‘Down In The Jungle’ and ‘5 Little Ducks’.

For Christmas, the children practised singing and signing ‘Santa Shark’, ‘I’m a Little Snow Man’ and ‘We Wish You A Merry Christmas” and developed their performance skills.

In Year 1 the children focused on finding the beat in different types of music styles, whilst continuing to find the about pulse and rhythm in songs that they had learnt in Autumn 1. The children also concentrated on their listening and singing skills also performing such songs as ‘1-2-3-4-5’, ‘head shoulder knees and toes’ and ‘Shapes’. Before Christmas, the children enjoyed learning and listening to songs from pantomime, especially ‘Mr Blue-sky!’

Year 1 have also mastered the signs and lyrics to ‘Jingle Bells’, which they then performed in a video that was shared with their grown ups along with photos of clay snowmen the children had made.

In Year 2, the children have been focusing on dynamics and tempo. They have been thinking about the question, ‘How does music teach us about the past?’ whilst listening, singing, composing and performing. The children have learnt several different songs including, ‘Sparkle In The Sun’ and ‘The Orchestra Song’.

The children enjoyed learning how to perform ‘The Orchestra Song’ using the notes C, G and B♭ on their glockenspiels; building on notes C, D and E that they learnt when performing the song ‘Music in my Soul’ in Autumn 1.

At the very end of term, the whole Federation was able to be part of the audience for a pantomime performed for us and other schools across Norfolk. This musical version of Jack and the Beanstalk was thoroughly enjoyable and a wonderful way to end the term. Children from Reception right through to Year 6 enjoyed being part of this event and demonstrated their listening, singing and signing skills whilst enjoying the traditional and quite silly jokes!

We’re aware that at the moment not all families are able to experience a live pantomime for many reasons so it was lovely to be able to share this experience with children across the Federation.

Here are some of the comments children made after seeing the panto!

Reception:

“I liked it when the lady did a whizz pop!”

“I liked it when Mary and the cow got trapped in the giant’s castle.”

Year 1:

“I liked the singing”

“I liked when they sang Mamma Mia because we learned it before.”

“I liked when Jack climbed the beanstalk.”

Year 2:

“I like it when they were running from the giant.”

“I liked it when they chopped down the beanstalk so the giant couldn’t get them.”

“I thought it was funny when they kept turning around and the giant wasn’t there.”

“I really liked the songs”