Celebrating excellence

Sing Up Awards celebrate those schools that value singing as a part of every day

When we sing, the golden notes entwine

to create a magical rainbow of sound.

Soaring like an eagle,

drifting like a puff of smoke,

dancing like leaves on the breeze.

Listen to the words and enter a whole new world,

Becoming a whole new person.

Singing isn’t a secret skill,

We can all join in,

Anywhere, anytime, anyone.

by Rebecca Griffiths, Year 6 Poet Laureate at Horfield Primary School, Sing Up Platinum School

TACKLING TRANSITION

Gold Award School Derby High Junior School is a singing school where pupils and staff sing on a daily basis, in song writing workshops during lunch breaks, playground singing led by older students, singing in curriculum lessons, regular whole-school singing assemblies and celebrations and competitions throughout the year. The school’s 50th anniversary coincided with The Beatles' 50th anniversary resulting in a full-day 60s extravaganza concert with 60s fashion.

Derby High Junior School is part of a larger school catering for 3-18-year-olds where singing is a vibrant part of school life for all ages. This provides an effective way to make links between the different class groups – for example, pupils from Year 6 and the senior school at Derby High lead singing in the infants’ playground.

This term, Derby High is trialling a ‘teacher swap’ in an effort to improve transition; the Year 7 music teacher will go to the Junior School and the Year 6 music teacher will take on Year 7 singing. In this way, younger children become familiar with the teacher and teaching styles in ‘big school’, and older children will have a familiar teacher, which will hopefully avoid the ‘drifting away’ that can happen when children move from primary to secondary.

The school has already been acting as an ambassador for Sing Up. On a recent visit to France, the children taught some French children a Song Bank song!

Newly awarded platinum

Congratulations to William Law CE Primary School in Peterborough which achieved the Sing Up Platinum Award in the summer term 2009.

William Law was nominated for the Award by its Area Leader, Mia Vigar, and it joins the community of 23 Platinum Schools across the country.

Most of this issue's photos were taken at William Law in the summer term, so we’d like to send out a special thanks to the whole school.

Awards news

In July 2009, Wheatfield Primary School became the 100th school in England to achieve a Silver or Gold Award. More schools are developing using the Sing Up Awards so keep up the good work!

Federation of Music Services (FMS) has endorsed the Sing Up Awards, and Music Services are working with schools and Sing Up to approve Silver, Gold and Platinum Awards.

More online

Pledge to put singing at the heart of your school 's life today by signing up to the Sing Up Awards.