Music

Music at London Fields Primary School

Music is an exciting and integral part of life at London Fields Primary School and we are proud to have achieved Artsmark Gold Status and the Music Mark award. We provide a wide range of musical opportunities through our ambitious curriculum, live concerts and performances, along with an extensive extra-curricular offer.

We introduce the children to a wide range of genres from Baroque through to Blues. As children progress through the school, they will deepen their understating of how music has developed through time, making links between musical genres whilst appreciating how music is influenced by the great composers. We select and celebrate composers, conductors, musicians and performers that challenge biases in music and promote diversity in this field. Children listen to and deconstruct pieces of music and do so with an ever expanding repertoire of musical language and understanding. Taking inspiration from great composers and musicians, children explore and create sound and consider ways to record musical ideas through transcribing. 

It is important that children experience music performed live and they therefore attend a whole host of concerts, workshops and performances from The London Symphony Orchestra at The Barbican to BBC Ten Pieces at The Hackney Empire. Not only do children watch performances but they also take part in performances with all children performing to families and carers every half-term in our popular Playground Performances. All children take part in a weekly music assembly, exploring a different musical genre each half-term. Examples include folk music, musical theatre, pop and choral music.  Children enjoy the opportunity to sing together and our half-termly Playground Performances are always a  great opportunity to showcase our love of music. 

It is the aim of our curriculum that pupils leave London Fields Primary School with these essential characteristics of musicians: 

• The ability to use musical language (for example, dynamics, texture, pitch) to interpret compositions and accentuate their individuality.
• The ability to create music confidently.
• The ability to explore and create sounds, develop and deconstruct ideas and communicate through performing.
• An impressive knowledge and understanding of other composers and musicians.
• The ability to think and act like creative practitioners by using their knowledge and understanding to inform, inspire and interpret ideas, observations and feelings.
• Independence, initiative and originality which they can use to develop their musicality.
• The ability to select and use instruments, processes and techniques skilfully and inventively to realise intentions and capitalise on the unexpected.
• The ability to reflect on, analyse and critically evaluate their own work and that of others.
• A passion for and a commitment to the subject.

How Music is taught at London Fields Primary School

Every year group has music topics that focuses on a particular style of Music, for example Samba in Y5, or a particular piece of music, for instance ‘The Spark Catchers’ by Hannah Kendall in Y6. Each Music topic is carefully planned to allow children to accumulate and continuously build upon their musical knowledge and develop their musical skills.

The ‘Big Ideas’ that underpin Music are:

• Describing Music
• Composing
• Performing
• Transcribing

Learning knowledge in each of the ‘Big Ideas’ categories allows pupils to express and demonstrate their understanding of the Big Idea. These ‘Big Ideas’ are returned to over and over again so pupils gradually build an understanding of them. 

Music is introduced to children in EYFS where children listen, move to and talk about music (including well-known nursery rhyme and songs from around the world). Children are taught how to match pitch and how to make different sounds with their voices. Alongside this, children explore environmental sounds and discover different ways to produce sound using percussion instruments and natural materials. Musical storytelling and reciting poetry further supports the early recognition of rhythm and rhyme. Children watch live music performances, including LSO musicians retelling  stories such as Oliver Jeffers Lost and Found through their compositions. Throughout their experience of music at London Fields, children will explore a vast selection of tuned and untuned percussion instruments from around the world, alongside the opportunity to learn the recorder in Year Two.

Children that are interested in progressing their musicianship further can join the KS2 Choir (Y3-Y6), which rehearses weekly after school to prepare for performances throughout the year.  

Click here for more general information about the curriculum. 

Music Trips, Visitors and Workshops

We are always looking for opportunities to promote Music in the school by organising trips, visitors and workshops.

Previous enriching experiences have included:

• Visiting concert halls, for example the Barbican to listen to and perform with the London Symphony Orchestra
• Performing at Hackney Music Festival
• Watching Opera UP Close
• Taking part in workshops with a local secondary school, Bridge Academy
• Working with the Apollo Music Orchestra, which includes classroom workshops, special assemblies and concert performances
• Welcoming inspiring musicians to the school, including the Kanneh-Masons and Errolyn Wallen
• Taking part in Body Percussion workshops with Beat Goes On
• Watching BBC Ten Pieces perform

Music at Home

Music has many benefits for good mental health. Listening to music or singing along to your favourite tunes is relaxing and provides a good stress release. Share with your children what you listened to growing up and your favourite musical styles.

You may also want to explore classical music together and discover the knowledge your child has developed at school. The below links provide family activities and high quality performances for all to enjoy.

LSO Discovery

BBC Ten Pieces

LSO Play

Music Tuition

We offer piano, violin, viola, guitar, ukulele and singing (Musical Theatre)  instrumental tuition for children in Y1-Y6. There are a number of different options available including individual, partner and group lessons. We encourage families entitled to Free School Meals to get in touch as we are committed to providing opportunities for all children to learn an insturment should they wish to do so. Children who have instrumental lessons will have the opportunity to perform to families and carers throughout the year. 

Music lessons are managed by Sessionista (James Flinton). For more information or to sign up for instrument lessons, please email information@londonfields.hackney.sch.uk with your child's full name, the instrument they would like to learn and whether you have an individual or paired preference.