Music is a thriving subject at YWJS with all pupils taking part in a musical activity every week. Year 6 classes are taught by a music specialist once a week to further inspire and facilitate their musical development and curiosity. The children all learn to sing a variety of songs from a range of styles, genres and cultures. They also have the opportunity to learn a selection of musical instruments taught by specialists, such as violin, guitar, drums and keyboard. As a whole-class, pupils receive lessons for recorder and ukulele.
By engaging children in making and responding to music, we offer them opportunities
to:
develop their understanding and appreciation of a wide range of different kinds of music so that they can find their own style and musical preferences,
give constructive feedback on the work of their peers that teaches them respect when delivering the feedback, and resilience when listing to their peers’ comments,
develop skills, attitudes and attributes that can support learning in other subject areas and that are needed for life and work, for example listening skills, the ability to concentrate and follow instructions, creativity and curiosity, intuition, aesthetic sensitivity and the dedication needed to master an instrument.
Years 3 and 5 are taught music in 6 half-termly units. Each unit contains opportunities to cover, in increasing depth, the main strands of the NC programmes of study for music. Each unit links songs to a thematic structure allowing children to sing, listen to, compose, perform and evaluate a wide range of musical genres across different times and cultures. We use the Get Set 4 Music scheme of work. Years 3 and 6 are taught whole class recorder and ukulele respectively, building on the skills of learning an instrument, reading music and performing. All classes receive an hour of music a week.
We ensure that we incorporate technology into our music curriculum by using iPads to record and edit performances, as well as using programmes such as Sing Up and Garageband to broaden their musical and computing skills.
Extracurricular music is popular at Yeadon Westfield Junior School with a thriving choir. As part of the Aireborough Learning Partnership Trust, our choir sings at many festivals and celebrations around the local area, such as carol singing in local residential homes, and at the ALPT celebration exhibition each summer. For many, the challenge of performing to an audience outside of the school setting builds resilience and confidence, thus preparing them for secondary school and beyond.
What do our pupils think about music in school?
"Everyone has the chance to learn an instrument. I learn drums and I love it!" Melissa Yr 5
"I like Samba because everyone can play a different instrument but all play it together." Sam Yr 5
"Sing Song is a fun way to end the day every Wednesday." Toby Yr 5
"What I like about piano lessons is that you learn lots of new tunes and you can earn music awards." Mia Yr 5
Spring Term 2025 - Year 5/6 Appletreewick - Ukulele Composition
We composed our own songs on the ukulele - but they had to be on the chord of C!
Summer Term 2024 - Whole School Event - The Royal Opera House
The whole school participated in a fantastic creative day along with 500 other schools in the country run by the Royal Opera House. A lot of preparation went into the day learning songs and dances and making props. It went brilliantly and the children thoroughly enjoyed themselves learning new skills and being artistic.
Summer Term 2024 - Year 4I - Reading With Sounds
4I had a visitor who explained how the British Library operates. She then read from a book with the pupils adding sound effects which they had created.
Summer Term 2024 - Year 6 - The Dunwells
Music duo The Dunwells visited us again. They spent time writing songs with both Year 6 classes. They then performed the songs for the whole school.
Get Into Guitar
Get Into Guitar came into school and led some workshops in Year 3. They then came and did a whole school assembly at the end of the day. The hall was rocking!
I'm Blue
Freed From Desire
Year 3 learning the guitar
Spring Term 2024 - Year 6 - Musical Muddy Puddle Day
It was very, very cold!!! In the morning we learnt a call and response song with Miss Swallow. We then made up percussive sounds using our bodies that we all copied. We created compositions where we went for a walk along different natural objects and created sounds for them. We all sang YMCA .
Spring Term 2024 - Year 6 - Musical Muddy Puddle Day Part 2
It was very very cold in the afternoon as well! We spent the afternoon creating our own orchestras using natural and man-made instruments.
Christmas 2023 - Carols at Weavers Court
A group of pupils entertained the residents at Weavers Court on Green Lane in Rawdon.
Carol singing at Ghyll Royd
Summer Term 2023 - Year 5 - Samba Time
We went to the John Charles Stadium as part of 450 children from Leeds Schools to get our groove on and perform our Samba solo. We had a great time all playing 'in time together'!
Summer Term 2023 - Year 6 - Music Concert
All the children in Year 6 have been learning the ukulele. Some of the children have also been learning other instruments. Here are some clips from their recent concert. Enjoy.
Summer Term 2023 - Year 3 and Year 4 - Assembly Music
Here are Year 3 singing Yellow Submarine, and Year 4 playing, singing, and signing The Eye of the Tiger. Enjoy.
Summer Term 2023 - Music in Assembly
Some of our pupils have keyboard lessons. Here are two performances in assembly.
Spring Term 2023 - Year 6 - Musical Muddy Puddle Day Part 1
We spent the day in a variety of musical activities. This is the morning video.
Spring Term 2023 - Year 6 - Muddy Puddle Day Part 2
We spent our Muddy Puddle Day on a variety of musical activities. We also got wet. This is the afternoon session.
Autumn Term 2022 - Year5/6 Singers - Carols In The Community
A group Year 5 and Year 6 pupils have visited various community groups in the area and entertained them with some Christmas carols. Both the singers and the audiences had a great time.
Autumn Term 2022 - Year 6G - The Dunwells
We welcomed the Dunwells back into school. They led song writing sessions with 6M and 6G, and sang to the whole school. There are 3 videos to watch.
Autumn Term 2022 - Year 6M - The Dunwells
We welcomed the Dunwells back into school. They led song writing sessions with 6M and 6G, and sang to the whole school. There are 3 videos to watch.
Autumn Term 2022 - Whole School Concert with The Dunwells
We welcomed the Dunwells back into school. They led song writing sessions with 6M and 6G, and sang to the whole school. There are 3 videos to watch.
We attended the 'Big Samba' event at John Charles Stadium in Leeds. It was a scorching day so rather than perform in the centre of the stadium we played in the stands. Over 350 children from schools across Leeds came together to play Samba music that we'd been learning. Last half term, our topic was Brazil and it was great to play our Samba grooves with other children. The 'hip hop' beat we'd been learning was just right for the lovely Summer sunshine. We played what we'd practised and learnt another of the Samba grooves on the day. A big thank you to ArtForms and Louder Than Life for the tutorials and the performance experience!
Spring Term 2022 - Year 6 - Ukulele Orchestra
Year 6 have been working hard at combining strumming with singing this term. This time, Miss Freitas has been teaching them the fabulous Octopus' Garden by The Beatles. Pupils start by learning the chords and are given time to practise in pairs. There are often some tricky chord changes that require quick fingers! They then learn the lyrics and tune to the catchy song. Finally, they put it all together. Year 6 look forward to performing their ukuleles in assembly before Easter.
THE DUNWELLS
On Thursday 27th January, we had a wonderful treat in the form of Indie/Rock band The Dunwells who came to school for the day. The Dunwells, Joe and Dave, are brothers from Pudsey who have been lucky enough to turn their passion into a career. They spent some time in Year 6 writing a song all about moving onto high school which the children entitled 'The World's Next Chapter'. The brothers are going to edit this song and record it for us, so look out for it on here!
They then gave a whole school concert of some of their hits which the children joined in with. They even asked Miss Swallow to come and sing one of their songs with them! The children were so excited and elated after the performance and said it was 'the best day ever in school!'. Joe said that they had had a 'great day' with us and they were both so impressed by the behaviour and enthusiasm of the children. I think some of our teachers are now official groupies!
The videos of the concert, workshop with 6G and comments from the pupils can be viewed in the Video Resource Centre.Click here to go to the videos: The Dunwells.
The Dunwells will be performing at Leeds University on Saturday 9th April for any parents who might like to go along and all their albums, merchandise and tickets for the gig are available to buy on their website.
To watch our talented pupils singing, acting and performing musical instruments, please watch Scrooge and Stable Story on the Video Resource Centre. This can be found under the Children tab on the main menu.
The children listened to Mars and learnt about ostinatos (a repeated pattern), diminuendos (a sound becoming gradually quieter) and crescendos (a sound becoming gradually or suddenly louder). The children listened and identified examples of these from the music and then had a go at performing examples of their own. We were really impressed with their ideas and fantastic performances!
Artforms offer individual and small-group instrumental lessons in school each week. Lessons are usually scheduled during lunchtime breaks. The instruments on offer are: violin, cello, ukulele, guitar, drums, clarinet, flute, keyboard and saxophone.
If you would like further information, please contact Eleanor Irwin: e.irwin@yeadonwestfieldjuniorschool.co.uk
Instrumental lessons in school.
Spring 2021
Spring 2021 - 6G - Ukulele Band
The 6G ukulele band accompany Katie Perry.
Spring 2021 - Year 5 - Music and Earthquakes
We set a poem about earthquakes to music.
Better Late Than Never
Here are Bella from Year 5 and Martha from Year 6 showing their skill with strings at Christmas.
Haunted House Music
This half term, in Year 6, we have been looking at scary pieces of music to build up to creating our own haunted house music. We have listen to Saint-Saen's 'Danse Macabre' and Peer Gynt's 'In the Hall of the Mountain King' and then created body percussion sound effects to a haunted house poem. For our final piece, we followed a graphic score to create an eerie composition. Have a listen to the work we have created both at home and in school.
Y6 Haunted House fast.mp4
These are some of the final compositions we created at home for our graphic score eerie composition. The children had to make up sound effects for each of the pictures and then put the sound effects together when following the graphic score.
Nicky
Milly
Alex
Sarah
Oliver Ch
Caitlin
Frankie
Jude
Lilly
Harry
Ryan
Callum
Flo
Elliot
Ollie
Poppy
This is the same graphic score the children in school followed with some of the instruments these chose for the sound effects.
These are some of the percussion instruments the children chose to make their sound effects.
Today in music, Year 5 discussed different instruments, their features and their sound by listening to musical extracts.
We talked about the organisation of orchestras and considered how families of instruments are seated together and why.
In small groups, the pupils were given pictures of each instrument and worked together to sort them into their instrument families. These were either brass, percussion, strings or woodwind.
---------------------------------------------------- Music 2019-2020 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Year 6 ukulele playing Roar by Katy Perry
ALPT Choir
Children from YWJS are part of the Aireborough Learning Partnership Trust Choir and were priviledged to sing at Guiseley Morrisons for the local community.
The Greatest Day
Ukulele!
Year 6 are learning to play ukueles - here are some of their first attempts are playing together, brilliant.
8C147EBF-E204-4C4C-9599-28B860A4EBC6.MOV
Weekly instrumental lessons
Musical performances around the Christmas tree.
The staff, pupils and parents thoroughly enjoyed listening to the choir and Year 3 pupils performing in Sing Song Assembly. The choir performed 'show tune' songs and Year 3 performed songs about Egyptian Mummies.
"I really enjoyed singing in front of the choir, especially as my family came to watch. I wasn't nervous at all. It sounded really good as we sang in sections that overlapped." Year 5 pupil
"I got to play percussion along with the Egyptian songs. It was great fun." Year 3 pupil.
Year 3 enjoying a Bamboo Tamboo workshop
Ukulele Club
Singing Christmas Carols in Morrisons.
Instrumental performances of our favourite Christmas carols.
Well done to Poppy Metcalfe for her Merit Certificate for achieving the silver award in clarinet.
Mighty Zulu Nation Theatre Company
Audience participation!
Well done to Olivia Brear (Year 5) for passing her Grade 1 Clarinet exam with Merit!
Composing and performing in year 4
Year 4 pupils composed their own relaxation music using keyboards and percussion. They learnt how to play the c major scale and how to write it as music notation.
trim.09253B81-42D5-4739-9429-688A5C9028BD.MOV
Recorder club performing at Easter Church Service
Young Leaders of the Groove Music Project receive their well-earned certificates.
Recorder club - hot cross buns!
Alan Summers from Music for Schools Foundation
We enjoyed Alan's performance when he came in to teach us about the trumpet, cornet, clarinet, saxophone and flute. We enjoyed singing along to the pieces we recognised.
A number of pupils went to watch the Leeds Symphony Orchestra perform their Tom Oram Concert for Children.
Olivia said, "I liked it when they played Uptown Funk. My favourite instruments are in the string section, particularly the violins."
Evelyn said, "I liked it when the lady introduced us to the different sections in the orchestra. It has made me want to play the larger instruments, such as the cello and double bass."
Wind Trio Performance
Performing an Ostinato
Charlotte and Evelyn wrote and performed an Ostinato about 'shops.'
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