Specialisms
Music Specialist
The scientific proof of the cognitive and broad educational benefits to learning a language and in learning to play a musical instrument is well established. Participation in music making also enhances children’s feelings of self-esteem and confidence and promotes emotional well-being, further contributing to academic success.
Music is a specialist subject at Hatcham Primary and we encourage pupils to learn a musical instrument. Our aim is by the end of Year 6 every pupil leaves our school having learnt a musical instrument that they can continue to learn in secondary school.
We encourage listening to a wide range of music with concentration and understanding. We use music in a variety of lessons and activities to create, mood, atmosphere and to help thinking. In Year 3 all children learn how to play the recorder. They are introduced to reading musical notes and learning to play together. These skills are then built upon in Year 4 where we introduced whole class strings lessons. Children have the option to learn the violin or cello. Pupils also have the option to learn the clarinet. We teach pupils how to play a variety of instruments musically and are encouraged to play together in ensemble groups. We have an orchestra, which allows pupils to participate in concerts throughout the academic year. We have a music specialist teacher and other peripatetic music professionals who deliver music lessons to our pupils either in small groups or to a 1:1 basis.
Music plays a central role in nearly all aspects of life at school, enriching the many events which take place throughout the year. As a specialist music primary school, we provide a varied and exceptionally high-quality, subsidised music programme. All children have weekly music lessons taught by a specialist music teacher and in key stage two, all children learn to play a musical instrument. Our visiting instrumental specialists ensure that each child is able to progress at their optimum level and all children are expected to show commitment to regular home practice.
We offer a wide range of lunchtime and after school music activities including a large string orchestra, steel pans, clarinet ensemble, two keyboard clubs, guitar club, choir and smaller instrumental ensembles. There are many opportunities for children to perform at school and in the wider community - through our weekly assemblies, evening concerts and musical productions, as well as other occasions in the school calendar.
The success of our instrumental programme is reflected in the clear enjoyment our children demonstrate when sharing their skills with others, outstanding external examination results in Trinity and ABRSM and in the number of children who go on to be outstanding musicians in the secondary school.
Help us raise money for our music department at Hatcham Primary
We are raising money to fund our excellent instrumental programme at Hatcham Primary so that all of our children can participate in our high quality programme and fulfil their potential regardless of their financial circumstances.
Target £12,000 per annum.
The money will be used to fund the instrumental programme at Hatcham Primary - namely paying the visiting instrumental teachers for their hours and also for maintaining and repairing our large stock of instruments . All children learn on school instruments.
We currently have approximately 80 plus children in year 4-6 benefitting from our high quality, subsidised instrumental programme. We would like to extend this to as many more children as possible.
If you would like to donate, please click here. This will take you to PayPal where an account has been set up so that donations will go directly the Instrumental Programme at Hatcham Primary. Every little helps us achieve the target of £12,000.
German
From Year 1, we expose our children to the German language. Our approach is to make learning a new language fun!
Young pupils are very receptive to learning a new language; they like to mimic pronunciation and they can easily pick up and duplicate new sounds. They feel a real sense of accomplishment when they learn to say something new. Repetition and practice are essential in learning a new language; we use songs and games regularly. We have discreet lessons on the timetable but we also integrate the foreign language into the everyday routine. All of our pupils perform German at different events throughout the year e.g. Harvest Festival, Christmas Concerts, German Karnival etc.
German Karneval
