St. Mary of the Angels Catholic Primary School

Tri-Borough Music Hub

The school provides Music teaching in line with the national curriculum. We work in partnership with the Tri-Borough Music Hub (TBMH) and Westminster Schools Singing Programme to facilitate a full Specialist Teacher Music Programme from Nursery to Year 6.

Our TBMH Music Teacher, Ms McCarthy, teaches curriculum music lessons to Nursery to Year 4 and an Orchestra after school club.

Ms McCarthy, in partnership with class teachers, leads weekly singing worship sessions for Key Stage 2 and Foundation/Key Stage 1 where children learn and enjoy singing a range of traditional and modern hymns linked to the liturgical calendar.

Our music offer is further enhanced through opportunities for extra-curricular instrumental tuition provided by specialist teachers from the TBMH. Ms Lorimier and Ms McCarthy teach small group tuition in cello and violin respectively.

About the Tri-borough Music Hub (TBMH)

The Tri-borough Music Hub is the award-winning lead organisation that oversees the delivery of music education in the three West London boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, and the City of Westminster. We work with schools, pupils, music educators and the community to provide engaging music activities for children and young people across the three boroughs. We are a centralised Local Authority service which receives core funding from the Department for Education via Arts Council England. We operate a shared-services model across three Local Authorities to deliver an expansive programme of musical learning, in and out of school.

Curriculum and Strings teaching

Over many years, the TBMH has developed its own Whole Class Instrumental Learning (WCIL) resources through the commission of bespoke programmes from composer Sally Greaves. The groove‘n’play (https://www.groovenplay.com/) class ensemble series gives pupils the opportunity to develop their music skills, knowledge, language and understanding, as well as developing instrumental technique. The groove‘n’play vocal and instrumental programmes, provide a music curriculum that supports musical progression in line with the National Curriculum for Music.

Each programme includes:

performance through playing and singing (sticks & songs, multi-instrumental programmes)
reading and playing from notation with an understanding of the inter-related music dimensions (e.g. dynamics, tempo, structure)
range of music styles, genres and traditions to increase knowledge and understanding of music
extended listening and extension activities related to music and other curriculum areas

The high-quality curricular resources are intended to support the development of a child’s musical talents and skills as performer, creator, and listener. This is achieved through the scaffolded learning that groove ‘n’ play classroom programmes provide.

Children will be able to:

understand and demonstrate initial instrumental and playing technique
sing in a range of musical styles both in unison and parts (sticks & songs, multi-instrumental programmes)
respond to musical directions and notation linking sound and symbol
perform as part of a whole-class ensemble

Children will also:

develop their ability to work effectively as part of a team
build increased confidence and self-esteem through engagement in varied activities and performance
gain experience in how to attain high standards of performance and an improved understanding of the process and the work that is necessary in order to achieve this
through self-evaluation, analysis and increased musical understanding reach the attainable and challenging goals

Foundation Stage

Rastamouse

The Rocksteady Reggae School is a classroom music resource based on the popular animation series, Rastamouse. Sally Greaves, has adapted Andrew Kingslow’s music and devised the Rastamouse classroom programme to provide a hands-on musical experience.

The programme supports the early stages of music skill development and builds up a class ensemble incorporating sound and symbol, singing, chanting, action songs and playing instruments.

Instruments: ukuleles, egg shakers, drums and wooden spoons

Featuring: Bandulu’s Pie, Cookin’ and Jammin’, Take It Easy.

Key Stage 1

Ukuleles Sticks & Songs

Ukuleles sticks & songs builds up a class ensemble and incorporates singing (unision to 2/3 part), playing improvisation and performance.

The songs cover a variety of musical styles with lyrics that support music learning and understanding. Ukulele parts include open strings and one finger chords with the option to extend to more advanced chords. Basic notation concepts are introduced, together with percussion parts, that start with simple rhythm patterns, with the scope to progress to more complex rhythms through improvisation.

Instruments: ukuleles, sticks, egg shakers.

Lower Key Stage 2

Recorders sticks & songs b

Recorders sticks & songs builds up a class ensemble and incorporates singing (unison to 4 part), playing, improvisation and performance.The songs cover a variety of musical styles that support music learning and understanding as well as linking to other areas of the National Curriculum. Recorder notes are gradually introduced (unison to 2 part). Breathing technique is developed to support both singing and playing. Notation animations support music reading skills for both percussion and recorder parts.
Instruments: recorders, sticks, egg shakers

Westminster Schools Singing Programme

We also work in partnership with the Westminster Schools Singing Programme provided by Westminster diocese. Mr Dec Foster, our choir leader, teaches curriculum music lessons to Year 5 and 6 which includes music for school liturgies blended with interactive music education games and secular repertoire. Classes support the national curriculum and enhance educational attainment and progression.

Mr Foster also leads our School Choir made of selected pupils from Key Stage 2. The choir are regularly invited to sing with other school choirs at Westminster Cathedral.

Music Mark

We are very proud to be continue to be a Music Mark School. The Music Mark is awarded by the Music Subject Association in recognition of the value that St. Mary of the Angels places on music and for ensuring pupils are able to access and engage with a high-quality music education. It also recognises our dedication to offering and delivering a broad and balanced curriculum.