Spotlight on Morningside Primary. Music lessons in an inclusive yet culturally and ethnically diverse setting. Learn how the headteacher and Sing Education collaborate on high-quality music education in Hackney.
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Serving more than 28,000 children each week, Sing Education is a first class provider of primary school music education.
We are committed to building on industry best practice, our decade of skills and experience in the classroom, as well as the direct input of schools, students, and parents themselves. This is the heart of our collaborative curriculum development process.
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Meet our outstanding music specialists. Hear from the headteachers who have invited us in to transform their music offering.
And most importantly, explore the remarkable educational achievements which our children attain and the positive impact that music has on their young lives.
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Each term across the school year, Sing Education will share a highlight from one of the more than 80 schools with which we partner. We’ll speak in-depth with the school’s headteacher and curricular music specialist, as well as the Sing Education leadership team to provide insights into how we work together to build a great school music programme.
Rural or urban. Independent or trust-based. Single form or Multi-form entry. Sing Education school partners share one clear, common bond…to inspire a lifelong love for music, fostering creativity and confidence in every child.
Let’s start our exploration this term with Morningside Primary School in East London.
We’ll hear first from Ms Jo Smith, Morningside’s headteacher, followed by Dominic Veall and Kim Ramshaw, their Sing Education music specialists. Lastly, we’ll hear from Bert Routledge, Sing Education’s Director of 1:1 and Small Group Provision.
Ms. Smith, tell us a little about Morningside.
Morningside Primary School is a 2-11 two-form entry primary school with a Children’s Centre in Hackney, East London. Our community is culturally and ethnically diverse and we pride ourselves on being an inclusive school.
All of our children are known, valued and respected as individuals who leave school ready for the next stage in their education, with life skills which prepare them for the challenges that the modern world presents. Children are encouraged to aim high and make the most of the diverse opportunities they are given to cultivate and contribute to our shared community.
The school has a dedicated team that works hard to reach high standards in everything we do and this is further embedded through our successful relationships with parents/carers and the local community.
How would you describe your mandate as an educator?
At Morningside we believe in ‘Teaching for All’. All children deserve excellent teaching no matter their starting points and should have the opportunity to thrive. Mental health and wellbeing is at the centre of everything we do.
What is your vision for music at Morningside?
Our vision for music in Morningside is to provide every child with a solid foundation in musical skills and that we seek to build every child’s love of music through high quality musical experiences, both within and outside of school. Learning music develops all aspects of a child’s learning from the physical action of using an instrument to the mathematical skills needed to keep a pulse. At Morningside, we provide every child with high quality music lessons, enrichment activities and opportunities outside school. We aim for every child to leave Morningside with an understanding and love of music which they can carry with them for the rest of their lives.
Why did you choose Sing Education as your partner for music?
We chose Sing Education because your values align so well with ours. We wanted our children to have access to the best music teachers and Sing Education has an amazing team of professional musicians who love to share their passion through teaching children. We were extremely impressed with the emphasis on ‘voice’ as a child’s primary instrument – the power of singing, both individually and in a group, is an amazing tool to explore music. Sing Education has a very strong curriculum with clear small steps of learning. It exposes children to a vast range of music from different periods of time, cultures and artistic styles. It supports the work we do across the school.
Mr. Veall, tell us about your placement relationship with your school and headteacher?
Morningside is a wonderful teaching environment. The headteachers and deputy head (my point of contact) are very invested in my work with the children. And the broader teaching staff have been a lovely community to join. The school’s ongoing commitment and support is very encouraging.
Having been for over 2 years has let me develop great friendships, and what’s more, it’s been great having such a good friend in my fellow Sing Education teacher, Kim, who also teaches at Morningside. It’s clear that the teachers value having a music specialist coming into school and there’s a sense of fun and joy when it comes to music.
Please describe a typical day at your school.
The day might start with a reception lesson in their classroom, followed by two Year 5 lessons (they’re currently making great progress on ukulele). Next up, lunch – which is always lively thanks to the vibrant staff team at Morningside and the wonderful chats we have.
After lunch I might have a further two lessons with Year 6 (who are also on ukulele), followed by a really fun after school club called Music and Games with 15 children from Years 1-4.
What’s the most rewarding element of your job?
The most rewarding thing is definitely seeing children across the years progress not only in their voices, musicality, and performance, but also their confidence and spiritual growth. Music lessons, assemblies, and choirs all really help develop a sense of confidence within themselves and also as part of a team.
Mr. Routledge, what is your vision for music at Morningside?
Music is fun. Music is exciting. Children deserve music education that engages and fascinates. Our vision for music at Morningside is that music should be fun and exciting, enabling children to engage with it.
At Morningside, we’re committed to nurturing the musical ambitions of every student – the high achievers, those with special educational needs, children with English as an additional language. We’re fortunate in that music, as an academic discipline, is universally accessible to all pupils. It provides a common, equitable framework for learning and self-expression.
Moreover, we know – through educational research, as well as Sing Education’s own pedagogy and classroom experience – that music is a catalyst for enhancing pupils’ overall well-being. It also serves as a constructive outlet for children’s emotions.
How do Sing Education’s curriculum, classroom lessons and co-curricular activities impact pupils at Morningside?
Music at Morningside positively transforms pupils, enhancing their cognitive skills, teamwork, and self-expression.
At Sing Education, we know how vital it is for kids to feel good in their hearts, bodies, and minds. That’s why we make sure that our music lessons are full of joy, fun, and happy expressive creativity.
In our classes, we do lots of fun things like singing games, using drums and other instruments, rhyming, and rhythm activities. It’s all about making music together and having a great time while we learn!
How do you build a bespoke music programme for a school like Morningside? And what does the future hold?
To build a bespoke music programme at Morningside, we started with the foundation of strong curricular lessons that fully achieve guidance from the Model Music Curriculum. To this we added dedicated music teachers that not only have an inspiring passion for music, but also a passion for the same vision and values that Morningside have. We provide singing assemblies, clubs and choirs and performances and it is all wrapped up with our Music Development Plans, Curriculum Pack and Ofsted support. Complementing our curricular program, small group and one to one plays a key role in this vision by offering children the unique opportunity to explore music, ensuring a well-rounded musical education that caters to individual learning styles and preferences.
We are really excited to continue our partnership at Morningside, exploring innovative teaching methods, leveraging emerging technologies, and fostering unity through music, aligning with Morningside’s commitment to diverse opportunities and community cultivation. This year Morningside will host one of our school cluster performances and I’m sure the future will hold many more exciting music opportunities for all students
Founded in 2014 and serving more than 28,000 children each week, Sing Education is a first class provider of primary school music education. Focusing on high-quality, singing-led tuition, we deliver a complete solution for schools which includes teacher recruitment, training and management, bespoke curricular resources and educational consultancy services.
Through music lessons, singing assemblies, choirs, after school clubs and instrumental tuition, Sing Education works with students from Nursery right through to Year 6. Our core philosophy is that “Every Child Has A Voice,” and, as educators active in the classroom, our directors and teachers know firsthand how much young learners benefit from exciting, rewarding music education.
Sing Education currently partners with schools throughout Greater London and Kent, as well as Yorkshire and the Humber.
Not yet on the list? Please enquire about our expansion plans for additional areas we will serve during the 2023-24 academic year.
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