Our Curriculum | English | Mathematics |
Science | PSHE | Music | PE |Art | RE | MFL | D&T | Geography | History | Computing | Extra-Curricular |
Science | PSHE | Music | PE |Art | RE | MFL | D&T | Geography | History | Computing | Extra-Curricular |
MUSIC
At Dulwich Hamlet we are widely known for our high quality music provision.
Music is an integral part of daily life at our school. We aim to guide all of our children to acquire an interest in and curiosity towards music from a variety of different styles, times and places, consequently developing an appreciation of music that will stay with them beyond their years with us. Children participate weekly in class music sessions and singing sessions. They have the opportunity to learn one of a wide variety of instruments in small groups with a peripatetic tutor. All children who learn a musical instrument in or out of school are encouraged to perform individually in weekly assemblies. |
Facilities
Our music rooms are incredibly well-resourced and contain a wide range of percussion from different cultures, a keyboard laboratory and iMacs with music software. There are separate soundproofed spaces for peripatetic lessons and exams. Ensembles and choirs Children are all welcome to participate in choir and many are invited to join ensembles when they are ready. Choir and instrumental ensembles have a variety of performance opportunities throughout the year, including domestic and local concerts alongside other local schools as well a number of highly regarded festivals and competitions like the Mayor's Totally Thames Festival and the Primary Proms at the Royal Albert Hall. Ensembles take place before or after school as well as during lunchtimes. Children have the opportunity to join a steel pan ensemble in Y4-6. In Year 4 they can be part of a one term taster group and in Y5-6 they commit to a group either after school or rotating between lunchtime and afternoon lessons on a Wednesday. This is the only ensemble that we charge for. To put your child on the waiting list for this, please fill in this form and return to the school office. |
Music Mentors
A select few children in year 6 are chosen to be Music Mentors, a role which promotes the good practice of music lessons and ensembles as well as being there to support children’s instrumental learning. If you would like your child to work with a music mentor, please make a note in their green Communication Book or get in touch with Miss Campbell via the school office.
A select few children in year 6 are chosen to be Music Mentors, a role which promotes the good practice of music lessons and ensembles as well as being there to support children’s instrumental learning. If you would like your child to work with a music mentor, please make a note in their green Communication Book or get in touch with Miss Campbell via the school office.
CURRICULUM MUSIC
At Dulwich Hamlet all children are encouraged to become enthusiastic music makers. Each child is taught to compose, perform, listen to and appraise music from a variety of cultural backgrounds.
Each topic involves children being exposed to music from a particular genre, culture and/or time. All topics have listening, appreciation and performance aspects and most also involve an element of composition.
Throughout their time at Dulwich Hamlet, children’s learning is supported by having opportunities to listen to live music, including from professional musicians, both in school and through visiting other venues.
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Singing
All children are exposed to a wide variety of song genres during weekly singing lessons with a specialist teacher. They learn aural skills and are taught how to sing correctly, learning how to use their whole body to apply vocal techniques to create effects for a variety of purposes. Singing is also incorporated into our whole school productions and assemblies where children get to experience the wellbeing benefits that singing with others is proven to deliver.
All children are invited to join the choir without an audition, which performs at various venues throughout the year including local schools, The O2, Tower of London and The Scoop.
Each topic involves children being exposed to music from a particular genre, culture and/or time. All topics have listening, appreciation and performance aspects and most also involve an element of composition.
Throughout their time at Dulwich Hamlet, children’s learning is supported by having opportunities to listen to live music, including from professional musicians, both in school and through visiting other venues.
Year 3
- What Music is to Us (learning about rhythm, pitch, dynamics & tempo as well as concert etiquette)
- Environment (timbre and effect)
- China (pentatonic scale, pitch and notation)
- Digital Music (manipulating sound digitally)
- Building (beat, rhythm and timbre)
- Ancient Worlds (structure, ostinato, accompaniment, balance)
Year 4
- Natural Disasters (body percussion, notation, structure, effect)
- Poetry (rhythmic accuracy, emphasis, balance, beatbox, notation)
- Time (metre, structure, syncopation, effect, writing for movement)
- 2Sequence (creating a soundscape for a story)
- Gamelan (Indonesian music, cultural awareness)
- Hindustani Music (Ravi Shankar, Indian music and instruments, structure)
Year 5
- Cyclic Patterns (African music, African drumming)
- BandLab (music production using loops and midis)
- Calypso (Caribbean music, chords, accompaniment, steel pans)
- At the Movies (structure, effect, timbre, composition)
Year 6
- O-Generator (Music technology, song-writing)
- Next Step Drumming (drumming techniques, notation)
- Samba (South American music and instruments, ostinato, structure, layers, notation)
- Musicals (genre, history, purpose, role of music)
- Singing and playing for performance
Singing
All children are exposed to a wide variety of song genres during weekly singing lessons with a specialist teacher. They learn aural skills and are taught how to sing correctly, learning how to use their whole body to apply vocal techniques to create effects for a variety of purposes. Singing is also incorporated into our whole school productions and assemblies where children get to experience the wellbeing benefits that singing with others is proven to deliver.
All children are invited to join the choir without an audition, which performs at various venues throughout the year including local schools, The O2, Tower of London and The Scoop.
PERIPATETIC MUSIC LESSONS
Children are able to learn a range of string, brass and woodwind instruments with our fantastic team of peripatetic tutors, and we have a track record of encouraging enthusiastic pupils to fulfil their musical potential.
After two or three years of learning an instrument in school, and if their tutor considers them to be ready, children have the opportunity to undertake formal grading. This is coordinated with the examination board ABRSM. Exams take place annually within school, usually during the second half of the spring term. |
Approximately three-quarters of our pupils are learning a musical instrument in school. We currently offer tuition in small groups in the following instruments:
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To apply for your child to take up lessons in any of these instruments, please fill out the application below and return to the school office. Printed copies are available in the Reception area.
Instrumental tuition application form For information on how to support your child's musical tuition, including top practice tips, download the leaflet below. Supporting your child's musical tuition leaflet |
MUSIC TIMETABLES
All our music timetables can be found in the children's instrumental Google Classrooms or be downloaded below, with printed copies available outside the music room and in every classroom. Children's class teachers will be notified of any changes to the timetables, which may be due to school trips, visitors, sporting fixtures or examinations. Changes will also be available on the children's Google Classrooms.
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ASSISTED INSTRUMENT PURCHASE SCHEME (AIPS)
The Assisted Instrument Purchase Scheme is a government initiative that enables parents and carers to purchase musical instruments without paying VAT, therefore making a saving of 20%.
We open this scheme for a limited period every year for our Year 6 pupils, with a deadline to apply of March 13th for 2022. To be eligible, pupils must be receiving musical tuition in the instrument at school. Parents and carers must first select and reserve the chosen instrument from a retailer participating in the scheme. The parent/carer pays the VAT-free cost of the instrument to the school, which then purchases the instrument and reclaims the VAT. For full information on how to apply please download the leaflet below. Assisted Instrument Purchase Scheme leaflet |