Music
“Music should belong to everyone”
Zoltan Kodály (music educator, composer and philosopher)
Music plays an integral role in our provision at Prendergast Primary School and our intention is that the music curriculum provides the opportunity for all children to thrive through the development of musical skill and knowledge.
Our class music provision, especially at early years and KS1, is inspired by the Kodály philosophy of music education*. Kodály believed that musical teaching should reflect the way that children learn naturally - through fun, movement, play and singing games - and this is reflective of our approach to learning across the curriculum at PPS. Core musical elements such as rhythm, beat, pitch are presented sequentially, being drawn from the songs and games that children are already having fun learning, so that they are absorbed by the children in a deep and meaningful way.
Musical notation is taught as sound before symbol - this forms part of children’s musical learning from their very first lessons, with standard musical notation (‘crotchets, quavers’, etc.) being introduced towards the end of KS1.
In Year 3 & 4, all children take part in class music through learning an instrument. In Year 3, children learn to play the recorder and in Year 4, children have at least 1 term of taster lessons on the violin. Music is taught both by ‘ear’ and by learning to read standard musical notation.
All class sessions are led by a music specialist teacher alongside children’s regular class teachers/TAs.
Our recorder club and orchestra give all children the opportunities to continue their progress on these instruments beyond year 3 / 4 if they choose to. We also offer a range of 1-1 or small group lessons with peripatetic tutors who teach piano, guitar, ukulele, woodwind. These sessions take place during the school day and the cost of these is covered by families. We host concerts at least once per year for children learning these instruments at school to perform to each other and their families.
All children take part in a weekly ‘Big Sing’, where we come together as a school community to learn and perform songs in a range of styles. We also engage in games that develop musicianship through the singing voice as well as many other skills such as concentration and co-ordination.
We all sing for Harvest Festival, festive concerts and nativities and class topic-based musicals. We also take up opportunities to sing together with children from other local schools through events hosted by Lewisham Music - these have recently included Turning of the Year concert at Blackheath Halls and Summer Song Fest at St Laurence Church, Catford. We have a KS2 choir, who sing together each week before school and take part in performance opportunities both in and out of school.
*Lucinda Geoghegan on Kodály’s concept of music education:
