Southwold Primary School logo

Music

Music is a very important part of school life. Lessons are typically practical with singing and playing a variety of tuned and un-tuned instruments to develop a broad range of skills.

Our Music curriculum is designed to follow a sequence that builds upon and revisits previous learning. To ensure that pupils develop a secure knowledge, it is organised into a cyclical and progressive model that provides breadth and balance, ensuring the development of musical concepts, knowledge and skills alongside a love for music.  

We provide purposeful opportunities for all children to create, play, sing, perform and enjoy music, to develop the skills, to appreciate a wide variety of musical forms and genres, and to begin to make judgements and evaluate quality of music.

They explore how music is created, produced and communicated with increased complexity over time, including through the interrelated dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations. 

EYFS

  • EYFS follows the Early Years Foundation Stage framework.
  • Through Expressive Arts, children are taught to sing songs, make music and dance. Children are given opportunities to experiment with ways of changing sound and develop an understanding of pulse, rhythm and pitch.
  • They are encouraged to use everyday objects to make music and create sound and to experiment with sound using objects made from different materials such as wood, metal and plastic.  

KS1

  • Music at KS1 is divided into 3 strands.
  • Singing – pupils are taught about pitch, range, response to visual directions, tempo and dynamics.
  • Composing and improvising – pupils are taught about rhythmic and pitch pattern, how musical notation represents sounds and how to create and improvise music.
  • Musicianship and performing – pupils learn pulse and beat linked to tempo. Pupils are taught rhythm and introduced to dot notation in order to recognise and match notes on a simple instrument. 

KS2

  • Music at KS2 builds on learning in KS1 and is divided into 5 strands.
  • Singing – pupils are taught to sing in rounds, sing in unison, sing different time signatures and perform songs.
  • Improvising – pupils are taught to structure their musical ideas, refine the types of sounds made (staccato/legato), create music with a beginning/middle/end, make compositional decisions on their improvisations, incorporate dynamics and improvise in collaboration with other. 
  • Composing – pupils are taught to compose song accompaniments, combine known rhythmic notation to create rising and falling phrases, composing music to a specific mood or desire effect, use minor and major chords, explore more advanced features of notation and time signatures by composing melodies enhanced with rhythmic or chord accompaniment.
  • Instrumental performance – pupils are taught to play and perform using tuned percussion or melodic instrument, play melodies following staff notation, develop the skill of playing by ear and engage with other through ensemble playing or singing. 
  • Reading notation – pupils are taught to read music, follow rhythmic scores, read and perform pitch notation within an octave understand getting slower and faster and dynamic contrasts and read and play from notation a four-bar phrase. 

Pupils are offered a wide range of enriching and engaging experiences which are designed to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world around them and the concepts taught within Music. Enrichment opportunities are a secure enhancement to core provision through choir, one to one music tuition and engagement in a wide variety of concert and performance opportunities. 

Music Gallery

  • 2nd December 2024

    Autumn Adventures With EYFS

    Autumn Adventures With EYFS

    EYFS had a fun seasonal walk to Millfields Park! With checklists in hand, they spotted colourful leaves, nests, cobwebs and berries. Back in class, they started using the leaves to…

    2nd December 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 28th November 2024

    Make Igloos With EYFS

    Make Igloos With EYFS

    EYFS had fun with their parents and carers to create igloos for DT Day. They explored different building techniques and decorated their igloos with cotton wool for snow.

    28th November 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 15th November 2024

    Odd Socks Day 2024

    Odd Socks Day 2024

    Southwold had an incredible Odd Socks Day! Pupils and teachers wore their most vibrant, bold and mismatched socks to show support for Anti-Bullying Alliance. A huge thank you to everyone…

    15th November 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 12th November 2024

    Wear Odd Socks This Friday (15th Nov 2024)

    Wear Odd Socks This Friday (15th Nov 2024)

    Join us for Odd Socks Day on Friday, 15th November to show support for Anti-Bullying. Simply wear your brightest, boldest or most mismatched socks to help raise awareness about bullying.…

    12th November 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 5th November 2024

    Nursery Spaces Available for 2024/25

    Nursery Spaces Available for 2024/25

    We are currently open to nursery admissions! Our vibrant and rich curriculum is designed to foster children's confidence and passion for learning, and we invite parents and carers to experience…

    5th November 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 4th November 2024

    Harvest Festival Donation

    Harvest Festival Donation

    A massive thank you to everyone who donated goods for our 2024 Harvest Festival! Thanks to your generosity, we were able to donate 113kg worth of food to The Hackney…

    4th November 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 22nd October 2024

    Celebrate Cultural Dress Day 2024

    Celebrate Cultural Dress Day 2024

    Last week, children celebrated World Week by coming to school in their cultural and traditional outfits. They had a great time sharing their heritage and proudly showcased their attire at…

    22nd October 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 2nd October 2024

    EYFS Become Superheroes

    EYFS Become Superheroes

    EYFS loved creating superhero cuffs in Art. They designed their own emblems, cut them out and fitted the cuffs to their wrists. Now they are ready to unleash their imaginations…

    2nd October 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 27th September 2024

    Bring A Significant Male To School 2024

    Bring A Significant Male To School 2024

    A huge thank you to all the adults who joined us for Bring a Significant Male to School Day!

    27th September 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 18th September 2024

    Welcoming EYFS

    Welcoming EYFS

    Well done to all of our EYFS children for settling so smoothly into their new classrooms. They have adapted to their new routines, made friends, and embraced the start of their exciting…

    18th September 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 18th July 2024

    JOIN the Great Hackney Libraries Quest

    JOIN the Great Hackney Libraries Quest

    JOIN the Great Hackney Libraries Quest! We are calling all young adventurers. This summer, children of all ages can embark on exciting reading challenges. Get your library journal and have…

    18th July 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 17th July 2024

    Summer Fayre – 19th July 2024

    Summer Fayre – 19th July 2024

    SAVE THE DATE! Join us at our annual SUMMER FAYRE this Friday, 19th July at 3:30pm. If you would like to assist, please speak to our Friends of Southwold team.…

    17th July 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 15th July 2024

    Celebrate Our Federation’s Music Festival – 16th July 2024

    Celebrate Our Federation’s Music Festival – 16th July 2024

    We are delighted to invite all parents and families of Southwold Primary to join us at the Federation's Music Festival tomorrow, Tuesday 16th July at 1:00pm at the Round Chapel…

    15th July 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 5th July 2024

    Hispanic Day 2024

    Hispanic Day 2024

    Children enjoyed Hispanic Day on Tuesday where they had the opportunity to experience Spanish-speaking history, culture and traditions through the curriculum. It reinforced the importance of languages and provided a…

    5th July 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 5th July 2024

    Keeping Healthy With EYFS

    Keeping Healthy With EYFS

    EYFS loved getting flexible in their gymnastics class and made Olympic medals at the art table!

    5th July 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 28th June 2024

    Hispanic Day – 2nd July 2024

    Hispanic Day – 2nd July 2024

    Click here to view our special lunch menu that will be served on Hispanic Day!

    28th June 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 21st June 2024

    EYFS Train To Become Superheroes

    EYFS Train To Become Superheroes

    EYFS loved taking part in their Superhero Training workshop. They learned all about what it means to be a superhero and how they can be real life superheroes by looking…

    21st June 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 20th June 2024

    EYFS Celebrate Eid

    EYFS Celebrate Eid

    EYFS celebrated Eid this week! They wrote party lists, designed mehndi patterns and ended with an Eid party, tasting new foods like dates and pakoras.

    20th June 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 14th June 2024

    Art Coffee Morning

    Art Coffee Morning

    Thank you to all the parents/carers who came to our Art Coffee Morning today! Children showed their parents their creative skills, producing portraits of their adults.

    14th June 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 12th June 2024

    Movie Night At Southwold – Thursday 20th June

    Movie Night At Southwold – Thursday 20th June

    Parents/Carers, join us for Movie Night at Southwold on Thursday 20th June! A fun evening of entertainment and snacks with friends and family. Tickets are available at the main office…

    12th June 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 12th June 2024

    Grow Herbs With EYFS

    Grow Herbs With EYFS

    EYFS became gardeners this term, growing mint and basil plants. They made observational drawings, tasted their herbs, and loved smelling their mint leaves which reminded them of toothpaste! 

    12th June 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 7th June 2024

    EYFS Create Worm Tracks

    EYFS Create Worm Tracks

    EYFS have been reading 'Superworm' in Literacy. They created worm tracks just like the story using string and pipe cleaners, dipping it into paint and creating various effects.

    7th June 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 5th June 2024

    EYFS Become Scientists

    EYFS Become Scientists

    EYFS had fun being scientists. First, they mixed washing up liquid, food colouring, and milk to create beautiful patterns. Next, they tested liquids to see if they were acids or…

    5th June 2024
    Fabiha Sultana

  • 24th May 2024

    EYFS Take Care Of Chicks

    EYFS Take Care Of Chicks

    EYFS loved watching the process of eggs hatching. They took great care of the little chicks such as feeding and reading to them but they have now left to go…

    24th May 2024
    Fabiha Sultana