Singing Hubs

Kids are singing it for themselves at Kirklees!

Kirklees has been very busy this year - from 'Wake Up, Sing Up' morning warm-ups to singing lunchtime supervisors and a Kirklees Anthem, everyone has been involved as part of Vocal Force.

It all began with the lead partners (Kirklees Music School and School Improvement Officer Barbara Lawson) consulting with schools, organisations and individuals in the area. They came up with the idea to build four singing hubs across Kirklees made up of school clusters, each coordinated by a member of school staff. The training was led by four vocal leaders: Sue Nicholls, Tyndale Thomas, Vidula Shukla and Sharon Durant.

The Mirfield hub had three training days over three months led by Sharon Durant. The focus was on playground songs and games, and the training started with a short session for lunchtime supervisors. As you might've expected they were terrified, but through some fun warm-ups and lots of laughing they found their voices and learned some games to take out on to the playground - they even shared some from their own childhoods! One participant, Julie Hemingway, said, "At first there were a lot of nervous giggles but Sharon soon got us singing. I had been reluctant to attend that first session, but then I was really looking forward to our next meeting."

BUILDING CONFIDENCE

The next session was attended by AST and support staff from various schools in the hub. As well as playground songs, we cover a range of repertoire and ideas for singing in the classroom including 'Singing a book' (adding a tune to an existing rhyming book eg. Brown Bear, Brown Bear) and daily routine songs or 'songs for transition times', including songs for getting into a circle, lining up for lunch, tidying up and checking the register.

During one wet playtime, a group of Y6 boys independently organised themselves with a game of Eh memarie. Linda Goodall, Deputy at Battyeford Primary School, observed, "Our Year 4 Play pals (children who support active playtimes in KS1) have embraced the idea of using singing games and action songs as part of their repertoire of healthly and fun playtime activities. Having the lunchtime supervisors trained as well enables everyone to feel confident and join in."

OUR SONG!

The final session was attended by teaching staff and governors. As well as the songs and ideas already covered, we also explored making up our own repertoire using the army chant and 12-bar blues. This idea was brilliantly put into practice by Y6 teacher, Jenny Roebuck. She taught her class the army chant during their history lesson and then set them the task of writing their own lyrics to fit with the chant.

The boys really loved this work and were keen to sing their songs in assembly. One Y6 pupil, Daniel Furgness, said, "Doing the army chant was great fun because it was creative and we could work in groups. It changed a normal history lesson into something really fun and we looked forward to the next one. I was the Roman army leader so I was in charge of the chant, which was quite a responsibility."

Here is what they came up with:

Boudicca Chant:

I don't care what they all think,

We're so good and they all stink!

Those Romans should feel so scared,

I can't believe they even dared!

Come on! Bring it on!

Those Romans will be all gone!

Go on Queen Boudicca!

Argument chant:

Boudicca: We're gonna send you across the sea,

Suetonious: I'd rather you would bury me!

B's guard: Boudicca is gonna win.

S'guard: Feel the strength of my javelin!

All: Let's start!

All: This fight!

All: We're gonna win this war outright!

All: Let's go everyone! Attack!

Suetonious Chant:

Throw your javelins in the air,

Knock 'em down without a care.

Every battle we shall win,

Boudicca's going in the bin!

Ready?

Steady?

We're gonna squish that Boudicca!

SINGING ACROSS THE GENERATIONS

In the final stage of the project we held a Singing Celebation Week with various singing activities happening in every school. The activities included 'Wake Up, Sing Up' morning sessions, peer sharing between schools, parent and child singing sessions for Foundation Stage and intergenerational singing at the Salvation Army. The whole community benefited from the project, from parents to the children and even senior citizens at the Salvation Army.

ACTIONS

Battyeford Primary School enjoyed a week full of Wake Up and Sing Up mornings. Deputy Head, Linda Goodall throught "it was a great success. The whole of KS2 singing Joe Katanga tanga (Kirklees' version of John Kanaka) and clapping with a partner looked great. Children and adults having fun together first thing in the morning is a great way to start the day."

At Y3 class at Battyeford Primary also hosted a Y4&5 class from Old Bank Primary School during the Singing Celebration Week. Their hard work and enthusiasm really showed, with some of the Old Bank children confidently leading songs by themselves.

Many Y6 children volunteered to sing with the senior citizens at the Salvation Army in Mirfield. They sang playground games and action songs and enjoyed it when the senior people joined in and danced with them.

Mrs. Hemingway, an ETA and Lunchtime Supervisor, attended the performance at the Salvation Army and reflected, "It was really good to see the children interacting with senior members of the Salvation Army and for them to learn that many of the old singing games are still in our playground today. It was just a really happy event and I felt proud of the children."

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Overall, the Kirklees Singing Hubs were a great success. Battyeford Primary School are now starting the new term with plans for a Big Sing and continued commitment to the aims of Sing Up. Linda Goodall summed it  up by saying, "I thought the whole experience added a new dimension to school. We now have a shared repertoire that we can draw upon to sing at anytime and anywhere".

Words: Sharon Durant, Sing Up!