Peaslake School children benefit from a half hour music lesson from our music specialist, Mrs Heaton. Lessons are dedicated to learning musicianship through a variety of singing games, exploring instruments and participating in fun musical activities.  The afternoon ends with a ‘feel-good’ singing session for the whole school. 

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Lessons are joyful, happy and playful with a good dose of humour and plenty of opportunity to perform to their peers and parents in assemblies, plays and festivals.

 

Our music curriculum follows the Kodaly Approach, whereby the voice is considered to be the first instrument.  The children learn to pitch their voices accurately using hand signs and tonic solfa. As well as pitch awareness, numerous aspects of musicianship are covered in a 30 minute lesson through simultaneous learning, building on experience and understanding of concepts, unconsciously learnt.

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Each week the children take part in a “Creative Steps” dance lesson, all the lessons are fun and lively as staff use a variety of stimuli to inspire, engage and encourage creativity.   The benefits of dance go beyond the physical aspects of co-ordination and fitness.  Children’s personal, social, and emotional skills are developed as they work collaboratively in groups, in pairs, or independently, exploring movement in an expressive and imaginative way.  Dance helps to build confidence and solve problems, empowering children to make creative choices. Through dance they learn to respect each other, appreciate, and celebrate differences. 

 

The children experience listening to a wide range of music styles, from Big bands to Bollywood, from Charleston to Contemporary, they are given the freedom to move and explore the different shapes their bodies can make creating imaginary images and shadows. They learn to respond to different moods of music and describe how it makes them feel through movement. They develop the ability to regulate the speed and quality of their movements, changing from sharp, spiky shapes to more fluid, flowing lines, automatically counting beats and responding to rhythm.  This can be quite challenging for young children. Working in groups, with partners or independently inspires confidence and self-esteem as they are given opportunities to watch and support each other when they perform and present their pieces.   

 

 We get together with other schools to put on musicals and perform to the whole community at the Peaslake Village Evening every December.

 

Music is highly valued at Peaslake Free School - as a powerful learning tool which helps build children’s confidence, team-work and language skills.