The Hertfordshire Music Service has considerable experience of leading such projects and is happy to put its expertise at the service of individual secondary schools who wish to enhance their links with feeder primary schools through music.

How much? Who Pays?

The cost of such a project would depend upon the extent of the Music Service involvement.  This could be anything from an initial consultancy role, advising on musical content and strategies with proven success, to practical involvement at all stages, including visits to each participating school.   We can help and advise or we can lead the entire project, whatever schools prefer and can fund. The package will be tailer-made to your requirements - following your initial contact and discussion, you will be quoted the full cost BEFORE you commit.

How long does the project last?

The example project outline is for 11 weeks but it can be adapted to suit particular needs, strengths and wishes.

What do we sing?

Songs are carefully chosen to suit the ages of the performers  and with useful links to the curriculum. The project can be themed - transport, numbers, sport etc or incorporate appropriate related activities, such as Dance or Drama

 

 

Transition Sing : Sample Model

This model illustrates how it could be done with the support of a singing animateur project leader for one day per week. It could  extend over two terms with a break in the middle, avoiding the end of term congestion of activities. or the planning phase could be done at the end of a term and rehearsal started immediately at the beginning of the following term.  By doing the planning in the summer term, for example, the project could be started in September and completed before the big Christmas rush.

 

WEEK 1

 

• Planning meeting with secondary  music staff and liaison with primary heads.
• Identify target groups, typically year 6 in five or six local primary schools and all of year 7, plus ideally an 
• older secondary group to be singing leaders and/or instrumental backing group.
• Agree repertoire.
• Agree pattern of rehearsals.
• Agree roles and responsibilities.
• Fix date and venue for  final performance.    (The capacity of the venue will determine the number of participants, bearing in mind that an audience is an essential part of the performance.)
• Secondary school in partnership with animateur to produce and distribute
• resource pack  for participating schools.
• Individual schools invited to prepare their own performance item in addition to the combined items.

WEEKS 2-9

• Animateur visits each primary school on a fortnightly basis for one hour, together with a secondary teacher and senior pupils if possible.
• Class teachers continue to work on the songs between visits.
• Animateur visits  year 7 classes and the senior group as much as the timetable allows.
• Any secondary classes not seen by the animateur to be covered by music staff within the normal timetable.

WEEK 10

• Secondary staff meet all the primary children for a combined year 6 half day rehearsal.
• Year 7 have their own separate  half day rehearsal.

WEEK 11

• Morning: full rehearsal in the host school for all combined songs and individual school performances.
• Afternoon and evening: performance for parents.

This is a valuable PR opportunity for the host secondary school and should be treated as an important school event,  with obvious senior management presence.    Secondary school music staff and senior pupils to play a lead role in the performance, with the music service animateur supporting as required. 

 Who do I contact?

Neil Bell
neil.bell@hertsmusicservice.org.uk