Practical class music of the kind we usually do in the music room has not been possible this term but instead of it being a problem I have used the opportunity to try something new and creative. For each year group, from Early Years all the way up to Year 6, I have planned music enrichment activities that include 3 musical areas:

Listening & Responding

Singing & Playing

Creating & Performing

Over the last 6 weeks children have danced, drawn and painted to music across all year groups; listened to Peter & the Wolf in Year 2 and experienced Speed Folk for the first time in Year 6;      explored apps like BBC Make some Noise and Incredibox; created our own sounds with toys &   natural objects and even told stories through music. I have really enjoyed looking at the children’s responses to the activities on seesaw and have heard lovely feedback from teachers and parents about how much everyone has enjoyed music making either at home or in school.

I was especially pleased to hear from Hampshire Music Service that 80% of children at GBPS are currently having online lessons. Some of our in school learners are even having face to face lessons or online lessons in school. Early on in the term I set our instrumentalists a little performance challenge which I can hopefully turn into a mini concert for us all to see in the near future. If and GBPS child wants to sing or share their instrument playing, whatever their level, then please upload a video to seesaw and mark it FAO Mrs Irons.

We are still singing in school and at home following the latest guidance and the best bit is that at home, we can sing our hearts out with the sound up and the microphone off! Last week Year 5    entered into a lip synching battle over an adapted version of The Bangles ‘Walk like an Egyptian’ and Year 1 learnt to sing like a robot! Whichever way you turn, music is still very much alive at Great Binfields.

In times such as the ones we are all experiencing at the moment, I believe that music has an      important role to play to whisk us all off to new and imagined lands, bringing us back happier,         calmer and more productive. In the words of a famous singing ex-nun “Music acts like a magic key, to which the most tightly closed heart opens” (Maria von Trapp)

Happy singing & playing everyone!