Sing Up Update

Rt Hon Ed Balls MP
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families

As this issue of Sing Up magazine reaches you we will have just launched Tune In – Year of Music. Throughout the Year, we’ll be celebrating the wealth of music-related activities available to England’s children and young people. We’ll be highlighting the many superb opportunities to participate that schools and other organisations provide, and encouraging more children and young people to get involved. Just as importantly – or maybe more so if we are to secure quality music education for future generations – we’ll aim to change perceptions by proving that music is important for our children, that it should be central to every child’s education.

Since you are reading this magazine, I probably don’t need to convince you of the importance of music to a child’s development – in terms of social development, literacy, numeracy and Confidence-building, among many other factors.

However, there are still too many teachers, senior managers, governors, parents and carers who see music as a ‘nice-to- have’; a pleasant add-on if there is time – the Christmas concert and end-of-term celebration. Of course, showcase occasions are important. They can unite a school in a common endeavour and instil a sense of wonder and pride in parents and carers, as well as a sense of achievement and enjoyment for children. But one-off showcases are not enough.There are also those who believe that music is something only the talented few should have a chance to pursue, and to a high level. But enjoying and benefiting from music is something every child should experience. Singing, in particular, is open to all and can instil knowledge and ideas through lyrics and rhythms. Witness the reserved child who comes out of themselves when singing; the child who finds it hard to concentrate but whose attention is held while learning a song; and the teacher who finds a song that opens up a topic for the class to explore. That’s where you see the power of music.

Through Tune In – Year of Music, I hope we will be able to bring music to the heart of education for every child. I hope that you will find ways for your school to become involved in the Year – take your school through the Silver Sing Up Award. Move from Silver to Gold. Make sure that ‘Wider Opportunities’, the KS2 vocal and instrumental programme, is embedded so every child can learn an instrument free for at least a year and can afford to continue if they want to. Or go wider and work towards an Arts Award.

Add your school’s events to the national events calendar to benefit  from more attention from both public and media, and take part in one of the national events that will happen throughout the Year.

Above all, I ask you to shout from the rooftops about the power of music, and share examples of your school’s success through music with Sing Up, with Tune In – Year of Music via www.dcsf.gov.uk/tunein, or with the Music Manifesto at www.musicmanifesto.co.uk.

Get credit towards a Masters

The Government has recently announced that primary teaching is to become a master’s-level profession. Here’s a great chance to get ahead in professional development and keep singing in the mainstream of primary education.

Sing Up has signed an agreement with Edge Hill University, the UK’s largest provider of master’s-level professional development for teachers. Work you have done or are doing through your Area Leader may now be eligible for 20 master’s-level credits at no cost. These credits can count toward any post-qualification, university professional development award, such as a postgraduate diploma or MA.

Through this scheme you may also complete, free of charge, two further Edge Hill music modules to achieve the Postgraduate Certificate in Music Education, an ideal qualification for primary school music coordinators. Enrolment of a teacher can also be included in a school singing plan to count towards a Sing Up Award. For more information on the new scheme, log on to www.edgehill.ac.uk/soundingedge.

Words are ours

In this issue, we’re thrilled to present our latest special song project, Words Are Ours. As previously reported, it’s a setting of the poem Michael Rosen donated to the National Year of Reading, which composer Simon Rogers has turned into a fun and funky song that will have kids singing, chanting, rapping and beatboxing. Plus, visit the website where we’ve added special extended activities and workouts.

Record your own versions of our songs!

Coming soon you will be able to record your own version of Song Bank songs using PureSolo’s easy-to-use technology: all you’ll need is a computer and a microphone. The PureSolo Player allows you to record a song as often as you like, email your recording and burn it to a CD (ideal to give your pupils to take home at the end of term). Read our guide to recording/copyright on www.singup.org.

In celebration of this new addition to our site, we’ll be running a competition in the next magazine. To prepare, practise Brenda Rattray’s Reach for the positive (on the CD). When PureSolo becomes available, you’ll be able to record your own version to enter the competition. More details to come in the next issue, but the winner’s recording will go into the Song Bank, and they’ll win a workshop and video session with Brenda Rattray in 2010.

Beyond The Mainstream news

Last issue we launched a new programme called ‘Beyond the Mainstream’, focusing on work that supports children with additional needs.

Progress has already been made. Jessica Curry, an SEN specialist, is providing advisory support for the Sing Up Awards and negotiating provision for the Sing Up Training Programme; we are developing a Sing Up ContinYou Pyramid Pack to help very withdrawn children; and Sing Up and Drake Music are piloting workforce development projects in partnership with South West SEN schools.

Plus, soon you’ll be able to order Braille versions of Song Bank songs, courtesy of Prima Vista, and Clicker 5 accessible software for children who use Voice Output Communication Aids (VOCAs).

Inset success

Carol Green, Vocal Force Facilitator at Ledbury Primary School, reported that her final whole-school INSET was a great success. As well as all the staff, a group of children was asked to stay and demonstrate some of the games, and to learn alongside the teachers.

A lovely situation developed where the children picked up some of the games more quickly than the teachers – and then taught the teachers how the games worked!

Cumbria partnership

Around 100 students from the University of Cumbria’s education degree and PGCE courses received an Introduction to Sing Up, focusing on simple songs and games as classroom ice-breakers. The session was well received and it is anticipated that a partnership between the Sing Up Area Leader and University of Cumbria will continue and develop throughout 2009-2010.

Future singing leaders

Anna Jewitt, Area Leader for Greater Manchester, received some great feedback from a trainee Singing Leader who has been working with the Trafford Extended Schools Choir.

‘Sing Up, you’ve given me the confidence to believe that I may be OK at what I do, so thanks for your faith in me. The memories will stay with me forever. The children were all fab, and the support of the adults was second to none. I can’t quite believe that I’ve left.’

Anna uses a model which places a trainee Singing Leader with an existing tutor. In this instance, the trainee is starting a PGCE in London in September, but her placement with a tutor provided an opportunity for her to hone her skills and understand the context of work that is available.