Welcome to Addington Music
Addington has a thriving music community offering many opportunities for all students.
Music lessons
All students in the school have a weekly music lesson taught by a specialist music teacher. The curriculum is carefully tailored to meet the varying needs of our students. In the music room students have access to a wide range of tuned and untuned percussion instruments, keyboards, guitars and computers to explore performance and composition skills. Some students have lessons in the sensory theatre, where they experience a multi-sensory musical journey. Our younger students use rhymes and games to develop basic musical skills in their music sessions which links to the EYFS framework. All music is taught through a thematic approach, including themes such as ‘Fast Fashion’, ‘Moon Zoom’ and ‘African Safari’. All classes perform at the end of the year in our annual Proms Week.
Beyond the classroom
At Addington we give as much opportunity for students to reach their full musical potential as possible and run a variety of extra sessions.
These include:
- Instrumental lessons - Addington works closely with a team of peripatetic teachers from Berkshire Maestros. Lessons are available on a range of including brass, woodwind, violin, cello, guitar and drums. Students often have the opportunity to try new instruments and those that show an interest and skill are put forward for lessons. There are regular instrumental concerts, giving students many opportunities to perform throughout the academic year. Our visiting instrumental teachers also visit class groups regularly in order to ensure that all Addington students have the chance to experience orchestral instruments.
- Music Therapy - Addington has a music therapist who works with students across the school. Students are selected to receive music therapy on an individual basis.
- Bronze and Silver Arts Award - Students who have a strong interest and high skill level in any aspect of music can be put forward to complete their Arts Award, a nationally recognised qualification. For more information please visit artsaward.org.uk
- 1:1 Music Production sessions - These are for students who have an aptitude for songwriting, and enable students to express themselves through the writing and recording of their own music, learning to use music technology to support this.
- Sound Beam sessions - The sound beam is a musical instrument that is ideal for students who may have difficulty playing traditional musical instruments. It places an invisible keyboard in space and when students move through the beam it creates a sound. Playing the sound beam can help them to interact, be expressive and communicative through music. For more information please visit soundbeam.co.uk
- Team Tempo and Samba Squad – These are rhythm groups set up for students who have shown a high level of musicianship in lessons. They work as a samba band every week to further develop their skills and perform regularly.
- Lunchtime/Afterschool Clubs - Clubs are an important part of Addington as we aim to give a broad musical experience that reflects student’s interests and talents. Lunchtime clubs include school choir, music production, xylophone club and DJ club. We also run after school clubs. The Addington Band is run in partnership with Berkshire Maestros and students who are able to play their instrument with growing independence are invited to come along. They perform regularly throughout the year. Our theatre club is led by a visiting tutor and gives students the opportunity to learn songs and routines from the musicals.
- Concerts and Events - Addington often takes part in or hosts music events. We have taken many groups to perform at many different venues. We try to ensure that students of all ages and abilities have the opportunity to experience music in different settings, either as a participant or as an audience member. These events have included:
- Special Superstar – a singing concert involving SEN schools in the local area
- SingIN! – an integration project involving buddying with local primary and secondary schools and working towards a concert
- Key stage 1 singing morning – hosting around 350 KS1 children to come together and enjoy singing
- WASMA - The junior choir taking part in the annual Wokingham Junior Schools Concert at the Reading Hexagon
- Festive carol singing - In Woodley Precinct and at Wokingham Borough Council
- Community music series – regular workshops in school to explore music from around the world
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Proms - Addington Proms is an annual event. Taking place at the end of each academic year, it is a week-long celebration and showcase of the musical talents of young people across the borough. Every student at Addington takes part in a performance with their class, students having instrumental lessons perform with their teacher and many of our clubs are also featured. Local schools join us throughout the week to perform. The week finishes with a highlight of the musical year; ‘Addington’s Got Talent.’
The Addington Show
The Addington Show is our monthly vidcast which shares what students have been learning at school and at home. There are regular features which include 'Song of the Month', 'Art Attack' and our show article which changes topic each show. Click on The Addington Show link to keep up to date with the latest show and information about future shows.
