Music
Music at Firthmoor Primary School
At Firthmoor Primary School, we use Music Express to help us to deliver and broad and balanced curriculum in Music across the school.
Strong musical foundations are laid in the Early Years where songs and music are shared on a daily basis. Year 1 children are participating in the First This Music Study to develop speaking and listening skills, concentration, rhythm beat and singing.
As they enter Key Stage 2, pupils access the Durham Music Service peripatetic teaching, where they learn to play the recorder and read basic notation. We also access the Durham Music Service for small group violin teaching with children from year 4, 5 and 6, who learn to play individually and as part of a group. Some children go on to join Darlington Youth Orchestra and take their graded examinations with the Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music.
Assemblies, class and whole-school productions provide children with the opportunity to perform to an invited audience, whilst the school choir regularly entertains the residents of a local care home, and has performed several times at the Darlington Primary School’s ‘Eurovision’ contest.
To view our School Music Development Plan 2024-25 click HERE
Back Chat Brass Band / In2 Project
Spring 2023
The Year 6 children have thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the In2 Project throughout the Spring Term. Each week they went to Darlington Hippodrome where they worked with Back Chat Brass Band to learn how to play either a P-trombone or a P-trumpet. As a result of the project, the children played in front of their parents alongside the band members to perform the songs they had learned.
Recorders
Spring 2023
The children in Y3SB/RH have enjoyed learning to play the recorder. Their sessions have included a wide variety of musical activities which have been put together to enhance the children’s musical understanding. The children have learned the correct fingering for some of the notes, and are able to read the musical notation to match these notes. The children have also developed their sense of beat and rhythm through body percussion. They have also used the recorders to accompany songs they have learned and added percussion to enhance their performance.
Little Fingers Programme
Spring 2023
YR and Y1/2WC have participated in the Little Fingers programme. During the sessions, the children have been taught musical skills through singing, games and rhymes. The children have also developed their confidence in using untuned percussion instruments. The children have learned to use body percussion in time to the beat and have developed their memories by remembering a wide variety of songs and rhymes.
Darlington Dance Competition
Spring 2023
Children thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the Darlington Dance Competition this year. They had been rehearsing to perfect their techniques for weeks beforehand, and they did themselves and the school proud at the event.
Tech in a Term
Spring 2023
Year 5 recently took part in ‘Tech in a Term’. The children thoroughly enjoyed learning more about music technology, production and beat sampling. They used ‘YuStudio’ software to produce dance, rock and pop beats by sequencing drum beats. They learnt about concepts such as ‘four-on-the-floor’ and they are now able to recognise crotchets and quavers. The children imported audio samples onto their track and tried to create a drum beat to match, before arranging audio samples to create a song.
Quotes from children:
“Music computing was so fun!” – Millie
“I loved making beats.” – Caleb
“I enjoyed making my own songs.” – Max
“I liked mixing different samples and beats together to create songs.” – Suzie
“I enjoyed using the software at home in between the sessions to continue sequencing beats.” – Steven-Eric
Mayor’s Eurovision Song Contest
Spring 2023
Thirteen children from Year 5 and 6 were recently chosen to enter the Darlington Mayor’s School Song Contest. After practising for many weeks, the children had a brilliant evening performing to parents, local mayors and other schools at the Dolphin Centre. The theme of the contest was ‘colours’ and the children performed ‘Yellow’ by Coldplay. The group sang beautifully and showed great confidence performing in front of a large audience. They truly deserved the huge round of applause they received!
Visit to St Aidan’s Academy – Music Taster
Spring 2023
Recently, children visited St Aidan’s Academy where they had a great time playing instruments and singing.
Y4/5MT spent the Autumn Term becoming a rock band. The children learnt to sing 3 different songs to a backing track. They then added ukuleles, electric guitar, bass guitar, a drum kit and other percussion instruments. The children remembered fingering for the ukulele and were brilliant when swapping between notes and songs. Some children were completely responsible for holding the songs together playing the drums and the bass guitar. Other children learned to play the electric guitar and played to the beat of the music. The children were brilliant!
