Music - MRS WALLS
This page will give you an insight into our musical journey, across 2026-27. You can explore last year, too!
Mrs Walls joins us in September 2026, as our music teacher. We'd like to thank Mrs Cronin for her contribution to music at GPS, and we wish her well for the future.
For more about Music at Grangetown, see the following links:
The Music Curriculum at GPS - long term and medium term planning.
Learning Music at GPS! (includes Choir, Instrumental tuition, and a month-by-month catch-up).
September 2025
Last Year - 2025-26
July 2026
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What an incredible afternoon we had for Grangetown’s Got Talent, 2026! We had over twenty-five acts showcasing dance, singing, football, guitar, and comedy. Having made it through the round of auditions, pupils demonstrated such resilience, confidence and skill in their domain and it was a joyful event. With songs ranging from Michael Jackson’s Beat It, to the serene, A Million Dreams, it was a wonderful, eclectic mix of talents and musical genre. Well done to all the pupils who took part, practised, and stood on the stage so proudly. The rest of the school showed great support and compassion for their friends on stage. A brilliant occasion, celebrating all the talent in our school!
June 2026
This week, the choir attended Sunderland Sings at the Empire, where they celebrated songs from cities around the world. The children performed brilliantly with other schools in the region and thoroughly enjoyed their trip. They have worked hard over the last month learning songs such as La Tarara from Valencia and Life is a Flower from Gothenburg. And not to forget, our favourite piece, Sunderland Sings Together, a song written just for the event. Earlier in the month, a specialist singer came to join the choir at school and guide them through each song. She was so impressed by their voices, enthusiasm, and love of singing! Well done everyone!
May 2026
Throughout May, each class worked hard developing their knowledge of pitch and melody. Y1 have been practising simple melodies on glockenspiels, following dot notation. Y2 have sung Do Re Mi so beautifully! Pupils in Y3 were introduced to the musical stave and how pitch is represented. In Y4 and Y5, using notation, pupils played simple melodies on glockenspiels with accompaniment. With pianos and glockenspiels, Y6 practised playing a range of notes to accompany pieces of music, as well as creating their own simple melodies. Super stuff!
April 2026
Over the last few weeks, we’ve explored the wonderful world of Musicals! Each class has listened carefully to, and sung songs from The Sound of Music, Wizard of Oz, Wonka, Matilda and The Greatest Showman. Y1 have started developing their knowledge of pitch, using their bodies and dot notation to demonstrate high and low sounds. Y2 have moved brilliantly to the pulse and have been using percussive instruments to tap basic rhythms. Y3 have been creating short rhythmical compositions. The music from Wonka and Matilda has helped children in Y4 and Y5 develop their appreciation for how elements in music can bring a song to life. In Y6, pupils have become experts in writing and performing more complex rhythmical compositions. Super work!
March 2026
What a brilliant month we have had in our music room! Y1 have been using percussive instruments to tap the pulse and have created short rhythmical compositions. In Y2, the children have listened carefully to pieces of Classical music and have been introduced to some musical vocabulary. It has been wonderful to see pupils in Y3 explore African music, playing Djembe drums, and learning songs such as A Keelie. Pupils in Y4 have focused on the Blues and have mastered playing a simple 12 Bar-Blues on the piano. In Y5, we have studied different pitches and played four notes on the piano, accompanying a simple jazz piece. We’ve had great fun in Y6, where pupils have been introduced to the origins of Rap, and have written their own rhyming couplets to perform to a background beat. So much talent here at GPS!
February 2026
What an amazing February it has been for music at GPS! It is clear the children love music and we have had some fantastic lessons! Y1 have been exploring various pieces of Classical music based on animals, working on moving to the pulse and practising basic rhythms. Y3 did a brilliant job analysing Saint Saens’ Aquarium, an atmospheric piece all about the ocean. In Y4, the children were inspired by the rhythms in Brahms’ Hungarian Dance and worked hard to create a fabulous rhythmical composition to perform on drums. The exciting music of Grieg’s In The Hall of the Mountain King helped the children in Yr 5 to recognise changes in tempo and dynamics, as well as develop an awareness of the instruments in an orchestra. In Y6, we explored the background of Swing music before working hard on recognising and performing syncopated rhythms. Thank you to the children for making me feel so welcome!
January 2026
Year 1 have enjoyed exploring rhythm and pulse through a variety of instruments. They loved having the opportunity to use the glockenspiels, applying their understanding of rhythm to play confidently across a range of instruments.
December 2025
The GPS Choir performed a selection of Christmas carols and songs, as part of a special Christmas Concerts for parents and carers.
November 2025
Ukulele sessions have quickly become a favourite part of the week in KS2. Each class gets stuck in together, learning new chords, revisiting familiar songs, and enjoying the chance to make music as a group. As pupils move through the year groups, their confidence really shows – from early experiments with strumming to playing simple patterns and melodies. It’s a lovely way for KS2 to share a sense of progress, teamwork, and fun through music.
October 2025
In Autumn term 1, Year 1 have been making music with a Crab Rave! Using rhythm sticks, they explored different rhythmic patterns, followed the beat, and enjoyed moving to the lively music. The children loved playing together, keeping in time, and expressing themselves through rhythm — a fantastic mix of fun and learning, The Crab Rave was a brilliant reminder that music can be joyful, expressive, and full of energy.
September 2025
This half term, Year 5 have been enjoying their music lessons by diving into the exciting world of rhythm! The class began by creating their own short but complex rhythmic patterns, carefully writing them out before transferring them onto a rhythm grid. Each student then had the chance to perform their creation for the class, showing off their sense of timing and creativity. The fun didn’t stop there…working in pairs, they combined their rhythms to create layered pieces, discovering how two different patterns could fit together to make something even more dynamic. The room was full of clapping, tapping, and smiles as everyone enjoyed making music together!
