MUSIC
Music is a large part of school life at West Hampstead Primary School and takes place throughout the school day. The music curriculum aims to equip all children with fundamental musical skills and a lifelong love for music. Each class has a music lesson each week.
This learning is supplemented by many opportunities to see music performed live in some of London's most prestigious concert venues and getting to meet professional musicians in our own classrooms.
Early Years - Nursery and Reception
Expressive art and design is one of the four specific areas of learning. Within this area music is taught as part of the continuous provision and includes learning songs and rhyme as well as beginning to work on rhythm and composition.
Years 1, 2 and 3
Lessons will be taught by the class teacher. The children experience music from a range of genres both composing and performing as part of lessons inspired by Charanga Music Resources.
EYFS, Years 1 and 2 will take part in a Music project with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
Every year, Years 1 and 2 stage a Nativity production in the winter term.
Year 3 have a music and dance focus across the year from The Place dance professionals, culminating with a performance in March each Year. https://www.theplace.org.uk/
Years 4, 5 and 6
In Year 4 and Year 6, children are taught by professional musicians through Camden Music Service's Wider Opportunities programme. In Y4, Clea Thomasset teaches recorder and in Y6 Bradley Jones and Peter Thornton teach trumpet and trombone.
In Year 5, the children are taught by their class teachers but take part in a large-scale project organised by the ENO called Finish This... where they collectively compose their own opera! This culminates with them performing their composition in a show in the final weeks of the spring term. Years 4 and 6 are not left out, with Y4 staging a pantomime in the winter term and Y6 putting on a spectacular end of year show.
YEAR 4 |
RECORDERThursday afternoons |
YEAR 6 |
BRASSWednesday afternoons |
At West Hampstead School we have a vibrant extra-curricular timetable which allows pupils to extend their musical skills and opportunities to take part in public and school community.
Individual instrumental and singing lessons
Many pupils have individual instrumental lessons with peripatetic teachers from Camden Music Services. Pupils are able to learn piano, violin, clarinet, flute, saxophone, ukulele, guitar, trumpet, trombone, voice and drum-kit with a range of Saturday morning extras from Camden Music Hub.
If you would like to sign your child up to lessons, please apply through the Camden Music Service website:
https://www.camden.gov.uk/camdens-music-service
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| Singing tuition | Piano |
Drums, piano and brass |
Recorder/Flute and ukulele/guitar | Singing and Piano |