Tag: KS1

Traditional country dancing is an exciting way to make PE lessons fun! It puts mathematical concepts such as shapes, patterns, sequences and numbers into practice. Linking movements together also helps with coordination, agility and memorisation. These dances are an excellent demonstration of British values and culture, and come from all over the British Isles.

Working in pairs or groups, the students dance in time to exciting traditional music (recorded, or live for an additional fee). Older students might also enjoy writing their own dances using traditional movements and structures.

Alison can also provide CPD sessions for teachers. In addition to teaching a range of dances, she can suggest suitable music, appropriate warmups, ways of linking country dance to the rest of the curriculum, catering to different abilities and achieving high standards.

Details

Age group: EYFS, KS1, KS2, KS3+, teacher training

Length: 30-60 minutes per class; one off days/half days, or a series of workshops

Skills and knowledge developed: creativity, teamwork, problem-solving, history, PE, musicality, maths and geometry

Event type: suitable for British Values workshops, PE lessons, after school clubs, and community events

Provided: instructor, music on CD, small PA system

Requirements: large hall (or a dry playground)

Book now!

In the Victorian period, Christmas celebrations and caroling experienced something of a revival. Their love of parlour songs led to many traditional medieval carols being collected and reworked with new lyrics, and to new songs being composed. Just as many of the other traditions the Victorians brought to Christmas survive to this day (greetings cards, crackers, etc) these carols now form an important part of modern Christmas celebrations.

Using traditional fiddle playing as an accompaniment, Alison will lead students in the singing of several traditional Christmas carols, whilst incorporating elements of social and musical history into the experience. Students might also enjoy dressing as Victorians for the day!

Alison can also provide CPD sessions for teachers. In addition to teaching songs and their history, she can suggest suitable warmups, links to the rest of the curriculum, confidence building for ‘non-singers’, ways of catering to different abilities and achieving high standards.

Details

Age group: foundation, KS1, KS2, KS3+, teacher training

Skills developed: music, rhythm, singing tone and intonation, harmonising ability, creativity, memorisation, teamwork, knowledge of traditional music, history, poetry, English language

Book now!

Boomwhackers are fun, tuned percussion instruments that force players to work together to create melodic and rhythmic patterns. They are a great tool for encouraging counting, teamwork and creativity. Workshops can focus on learning pre-existing repertoire (such as well-known songs or tunes adapted for boomwhacker ensembles) or composing new pieces.

Alison can also run teacher training sessions to provide knowledge, repertoire and confidence on these instruments.

Details

Age group: foundation, KS1, KS2, KS3+, teacher training

Skills developed: listening skills, teamwork, musical understanding, creativity, rhythm

Provided: boomwhackers for 15 students

Required: further boomwhackers if needed, large room (with tables cleared out of the way)

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Seafarers shaped the development of the modern world and their songs provide a snapshot of their lives, from romantic entanglements to captain brutality to a longing for home. They often rely strongly on call and response with a very strong rhythm, which makes sea shanties perfect for younger students.

Alison can also provide CPD sessions for teachers. In addition to teaching songs and their history, she can suggest suitable warmups, links to the rest of the curriculum, confidence building for ‘non-singers’, ways of catering to different abilities and achieving high standards.

“We’ll rant and we’ll roar like true British sailors,

We’ll rant and we’ll roar across the salt seas,

Until we strike soundings in the channel of old England,

From Ushant to Scilly is thirty-five leagues.”

– Spanish Ladies

Details

Age group: foundation, KS1, KS2, KS3+, teacher training

Skills developed: music, rhythm, singing tone and intonation, harmonising ability, creativity, memorisation, teamwork, knowledge of traditional music, history, poetry, English language

Book now!

At EYFS, KS1 and KS2 level, Maypole dance workshops are an excellent introduction to British values and dance history, combined with physical recreation, teamwork and a lot of fun creating patterns and shapes with brightly-coloured ribbons!

Maypole can be a fun style of dance for KS3+ too! We’ll go for high-speed, high energy versions of some easier dances, and see how complicated we can make things. There can be some crossover with other dance styles too.

Alison can also provide CPD sessions for teachers. In addition to teaching a range of dances, she can suggest suitable music, appropriate warmups and ways of linking maypole dance to the rest of the curriculum, catering to different abilities and achieving high standards.

“I wanted to thank you again for your maypole teaching last week. We had so much positive feedback from pupils and staff and I feel really hopeful that the children will now use the maypole quite regularly during PE, lunch time and school events. The kids all thoroughly enjoyed their lessons – many of them unexpectedly too!! It was lovely to watch a lesson and see how you bought in maths and English into the learning too.”

“Oh my goodness, the children AND the teachers absolutely loved it- they were amazed and chuffed to bits with it, thank you so much! Can we possibly try booking you in for next year as well?”

Details

Age group: EYFS, KS1, KS2, KS3+, teacher training

Length: 30-60 minutes per class; one-off days/half days, or a series of workshops

Skills and knowledge developed: creativity, teamwork, problem-solving, history, PE, musicality, maths and geometry

Event type: suitable for British Values workshops, PE lessons, after school clubs, and community events

Provided: maypole with 24 ribbons (unless the school has its own), instructor, music on CD, small PA system

Requirements: large hall with a high ceiling (or a dry playground)

Book now!