The benefits of specialist Music teaching

At St Faith’s, our children benefit from specialist teaching which means that we can teach subjects in greater depth and detail than at other schools. Music is no exception to this.

One of the many things I love about my job as a specialist Music teacher is that I can follow a child’s development all the way from Lower Nursery to Year 6. Seeing this progression from a 2-year-old, enjoying ‘Dingle, Dangle Scarecrow’ to an 11-year-old gaining a Year 7 music scholarship at a local independent school, is a real privilege. 

By the time they leave us at the end of Year 6, children will have been taught how to play recorder, violin and trumpet within the curriculum. There will also have been the opportunity to join Recorder Clubs, Choirs and one of our three Orchestras. We teach Music Theory through the children’s instrumental learning, with formal musical notation being introduced as early as Year 1. Even children in Early Years come across language such as ‘pitch’, ‘tempo’ and ‘dynamics’ and say this musical vocabulary like a tiger, a mouse or an elephant!

Over 200 peripatetic lessons take place each week with children either playing for fun, progressing through teaching methods (such as Suzuki on violin, or Dogs and Birds on piano) or being prepared for exams. We host ABRSM examinations at least once a term and often welcome children from other schools to take their exams at St Faith’s. 

At St Faith’s, Music really is a subject which gives opportunities to all children, regardless of their ability. Having a specialist Music teacher is just one more thing which makes this such a special school.