Over 80 children have instrumental lessons every week!
At Rushmere Hall Primary we have peripatetic music teachers who teach - violin, drumkit, trumpet, clarinet, flute, saxophone, guitar
All year 4 classes have Whole Class Ensemble Teaching (WCETs) in either clarinet, trumpet or recorder for a whole year!
Message from the Head teacher
Why is music so important at Rushmere Hall?
The biggest reason is that along with P.E, Music for us, is one of those subjects that in some schools is never considered a priority. Schools that focus purely on literacy and maths are absolutely missing a trick. Music helps to create a balance within the curriculum but more importantly, the skills you gain from music are cross transferrable. There are very few subjects that offer that!
The quality of the music provision was one of the things that drew me to this school. When I started looking for new headship, I was looking for schools that had something special... something that the school did really well that set it apart from the other schools. I asked the cluster of head teachers that I was working with at the time and they all said that Rushmere was known for .... MUSIC!
It was important for me to find a school that had branches of excellence. Something that could eventually help us to become amazing across the board! Because if we can look at why Rushmere has been so successful with music then we can apply that to other parts of our curriculum.
Some of it is down to investment... by appointing Mrs Jones (our fantastic music teacher) we have made a commitment to music and in turn we have raised the importance of it. By being successful at something creates a positive momentum and gives us a chance to stand out. But… the biggest thing that the rest of the school can learn from music (and P.E) is its link with our new attitude to learning skills and growth mindset work.
I looked at the ten Attitude to learning words / skills that we focus on in school and Music is one of the subjects that actually allows children to develop virtually all of those skills every single day and that is not even mentioning the skills of performing, being brave and confident and being able to entertain and share what you do with others.
It is great to be academically able but as a school we think it is more important to be able to develop those skills mentioned above to be a truly rounded individual. If our children are able to constantly improve those skills they will be unstoppable! That is ultimately what we are here for! Those skills will apply to everything they do! If a child can be resilient with learning an instrument and learn that things don't always go to plan and that you have got to stick with something and not give up - then that can be applied to anything.
Having now seen the children perform in assembly and in concerts. We are so proud of our commitment to music and will continue to develop it further.
The biggest reason is that along with P.E, Music for us, is one of those subjects that in some schools is never considered a priority. Schools that focus purely on literacy and maths are absolutely missing a trick. Music helps to create a balance within the curriculum but more importantly, the skills you gain from music are cross transferrable. There are very few subjects that offer that!
The quality of the music provision was one of the things that drew me to this school. When I started looking for new headship, I was looking for schools that had something special... something that the school did really well that set it apart from the other schools. I asked the cluster of head teachers that I was working with at the time and they all said that Rushmere was known for .... MUSIC!
It was important for me to find a school that had branches of excellence. Something that could eventually help us to become amazing across the board! Because if we can look at why Rushmere has been so successful with music then we can apply that to other parts of our curriculum.
Some of it is down to investment... by appointing Mrs Jones (our fantastic music teacher) we have made a commitment to music and in turn we have raised the importance of it. By being successful at something creates a positive momentum and gives us a chance to stand out. But… the biggest thing that the rest of the school can learn from music (and P.E) is its link with our new attitude to learning skills and growth mindset work.
I looked at the ten Attitude to learning words / skills that we focus on in school and Music is one of the subjects that actually allows children to develop virtually all of those skills every single day and that is not even mentioning the skills of performing, being brave and confident and being able to entertain and share what you do with others.
It is great to be academically able but as a school we think it is more important to be able to develop those skills mentioned above to be a truly rounded individual. If our children are able to constantly improve those skills they will be unstoppable! That is ultimately what we are here for! Those skills will apply to everything they do! If a child can be resilient with learning an instrument and learn that things don't always go to plan and that you have got to stick with something and not give up - then that can be applied to anything.
Having now seen the children perform in assembly and in concerts. We are so proud of our commitment to music and will continue to develop it further.
INSTRUMENT LESSONS
Instrument lessons are available at Rushmere Hall for KS2 children, subject to availability of instruments and instrumental tutor time. Weekly group lessons are 20 minutes long. At the moment, lessons cost £55 per term, payable in advance. Parents are expected to commit to a year's tuition. In comparison, private lessons usually cost around £15 per half hour lesson.
Lessons starting in September are organised in the previous Summer term. Children who are already having lessons and wish to continue are given priority. Mrs Jones keeps a waiting list of those children whose parents have indicated that they would like their children to learn an instrument. Please leave a message at the office if you would like your child to go on the waiting list!
Please support and encourage your child to practise several times between lessons. Be patient - initial sounds may not be great! Remember - practise makes progress! We are proud of the incredible results Rushmere children achieve in music exams.
Our instrumental tutors are -
Mr Butcher teaches guitar on Tuesdays. He is a guitar tutor for Suffolk County Music Services (SCMS).
Mr Sewell, who is our drum kit tutor, teaches at our school on Monday afternoons. He is a percussion tutor for Suffolk County Music Services (SCMS).
Mrs Ingram is our violin teacher; she teaches violins on Friday mornings.
Mr Whiteman, teaches clarinet and flute on Thursdays. He works for Suffolk County Music Services (SCMS), and has been teaching year 4 classes at Rushmere Hall to play the clarinet for some years. He also teaches year 5 Play On clarinet lessons.
Mr McDowell (SCMS) teaches trumpet and other brass instruments. He takes year 5 Play On Brass lessons, as well as teaching a year 4 class to play the trumpet as part of the WCETs scheme (whole class ensemble teaching).
Your child's classroom teacher will have a copy of the timetable in their class. Children are responsible for getting to their lessons on time. They must remember to bring their instruments and music on lesson days. If they do forget, they should still go to lessons, as they can still learn something.
Instrument lessons are available at Rushmere Hall for KS2 children, subject to availability of instruments and instrumental tutor time. Weekly group lessons are 20 minutes long. At the moment, lessons cost £55 per term, payable in advance. Parents are expected to commit to a year's tuition. In comparison, private lessons usually cost around £15 per half hour lesson.
Lessons starting in September are organised in the previous Summer term. Children who are already having lessons and wish to continue are given priority. Mrs Jones keeps a waiting list of those children whose parents have indicated that they would like their children to learn an instrument. Please leave a message at the office if you would like your child to go on the waiting list!
Please support and encourage your child to practise several times between lessons. Be patient - initial sounds may not be great! Remember - practise makes progress! We are proud of the incredible results Rushmere children achieve in music exams.
Our instrumental tutors are -
Mr Butcher teaches guitar on Tuesdays. He is a guitar tutor for Suffolk County Music Services (SCMS).
Mr Sewell, who is our drum kit tutor, teaches at our school on Monday afternoons. He is a percussion tutor for Suffolk County Music Services (SCMS).
Mrs Ingram is our violin teacher; she teaches violins on Friday mornings.
Mr Whiteman, teaches clarinet and flute on Thursdays. He works for Suffolk County Music Services (SCMS), and has been teaching year 4 classes at Rushmere Hall to play the clarinet for some years. He also teaches year 5 Play On clarinet lessons.
Mr McDowell (SCMS) teaches trumpet and other brass instruments. He takes year 5 Play On Brass lessons, as well as teaching a year 4 class to play the trumpet as part of the WCETs scheme (whole class ensemble teaching).
Your child's classroom teacher will have a copy of the timetable in their class. Children are responsible for getting to their lessons on time. They must remember to bring their instruments and music on lesson days. If they do forget, they should still go to lessons, as they can still learn something.