Music​
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Music at our school is very important. On a weekly basis, each class is taught Music. In line with the new curriculum for Music, the children learn musical skills through an integrated, practical, exploratory and child-led approach to musical learning, through performing, composing, listening and appraising. The lessons are interrelated and thread through the units and years, to encourage the development of musical skills as the learning progresses through listening and appraising, differing musical activities (including creating and exploring) and performing.
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The musical learning is built around pulse, rhythm, pitch, tempo, dynamics, timbre, texture, structure and notation. These dimensions are at the centre of all the learning.
In addition to class curriculum lessons, there are opportunities, through the Wider Opportunities Music scheme, for classes in KS2 to learn a brass instrument or the violin for a term, as a whole class. A specialist brass and violin teacher visits a class for 10 weeks during a term, teaching the children the skills needed to play simple tunes, starting as beginners and progressing to play, and perhaps read music, accompanied by a variety of musical recordings from different musical genres.
There are other opportunities for children to learn a variety of instruments with a specialist instrumental teacher, who visits the school on a weekly basis. These lessons take place on an individual or small group basis. Over the last few years, the range of instruments being taught has grown, and we currently offer lessons in violin, piano, keyboard, guitar and ukulele. Informal termly and annual concerts are held, both in and out of school time, to showcase individual children’s talents – all abilities perform, from beginners to examination players.
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Our school choir have a very good reputation locally and perform annually in the school Christmas and Summer Fayres, in concerts at local residential homes for the elderly, around the village Christmas tree and in the local church with local adult choirs. They have also taken part in workshops at the annual Devon Music Festival at Westpoint, and in conjunction with the learning community and wider Devon school communities in workshops in Exeter Cathedral. T
The Helen Foundation is a local Arts Charity, which has worked with us on a number of occasions and provides a Year 6 leavers Music award for the most talented arts pupil in the school. We also hold annual Autumn Harvest Festivals and Christmas Carol Concerts in the local church - St. Peter's.
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