Why do we teach music? 

At Little Ealing, we want to inspire children to love, appreciate and take part in music. We want to challenge them to develop their imagination and creativity, knowledge and skill - as they learn what it means to be a musician. At the same time, we strongly believe that music has a powerful role in fostering personal development and maturity, creating a sense of achievement and self-worth, and increasing pupils’ ability to work with others. To that end, we are committed to providing a rich and diverse musical experience to all pupils, both inside and outside the classroom.

What do we offer? 

From Reception to Year 6, all children have one specialist music lesson per week in the music room. In Year 3, children receive whole class instrumental teaching in the recorder, in Year 4, trumpet/trombone, Year 5 the djembe and ukulele and Year 6, Samba Batería. For full details, see Year groups above. 

From Year 3 onwards, we offer small group instrumental lessons in brass (trumpet, trombone, French horn), violin, guitar, mini-bassoon, cello and double-bass, woodwind (clarinet, sax, flute) and recorder. These lessons take place during school hours. Parents can sign up for lessons for the coming year in the middle of the summer term - click here for more details. Visiting Music Staff are provided by Ealing Music Service (EMS) with whom we have a close association. 

The Upper School Choir (Years 4-6), which meets every Monday and Thursday, is 100-strong. There is also a Year 3 Choir, which meets on a Friday. Choir members in Years 5 and 6 take part in the Young Voices concert at Wembley Arena every February. There are singing assemblies for Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 every Monday morning. 

The School Orchestra, led by Esther Sheridan, meets every Wednesday afternoon and the EMS Concert Band, led by Justyn Waterman, takes place every Tuesday. Recorder Club meets every Wednesday, before school. Djembe Club meets every Thursday lunchtime.  School concerts take place every term and both the choir and orchestra have the opportunity to perform outside school. 

To ensure that children are able to experience live music of the highest standard, we present a series of bi-termly concerts, Little Ealing LIVE!, where professional musicians (often parents) are invited to perform and talk about their musical life. Children have the chance to share their talents by submitting their own polished performances to Performance Corner - these are then shared with classroom teachers as part of Friday Collective Worship. 

We are very proud of our association with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, who every year present workshops and concerts for Reception and Year 2. In the Summer term, as part of the Ealing Youth Orchestra outreach programme, members of EYO visit the school to perform and introduce Year 3 children to orchestral instruments. 

At the end of the year, we also produce a LEPS Musical Advent Calendar which gives all the children in the school the chance to showcase their talents.  

Andrew Maud

Specialist Music Teacher

Music is a practical subject; it is academic, creative, technical, intellectual and challenging. Musical learning is about thinking and acting musically. This means that music lessons should be about learning in and through music, not solely about music. Music lessons in school should be focussed on developing children’s imagination and creativity, building up pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding. 

ISM Curriculum for Music

Film: the music classroom

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