Music at St Andrew's
At St Andrew’s, we offer an exceptional music curriculum, nurturing a love of music and supporting children to achieve highly. Music is an integral part of school life, with weekly singing assemblies, and music performances throughout the year. We follow the Charanga scheme to ensure a broad and progressive curriculum. In addition, all children have the opportunity to learn an instrument through whole-class tuition, with violins in Year 3, gamelan in Year 4, and brass in Year 5. Our thriving school orchestra provides an enriching experience for young musicians, many of whom go on to play in orchestras at secondary school. Through performance opportunities, specialist teaching, and a strong emphasis on creativity, we inspire all children to develop their musical talents and appreciation. Our music programme is underpinned by our Christian values, encouraging creativity, collaboration, and self-expression. We aim to help pupils recognise their individual strengths and work together, celebrating their achievements both as individuals and as part of a wider community. Through this approach, we support children in reaching their full potential, both musically and personally.
We are proud to be a Music Mark school, a recognition of our commitment to providing a high-quality music education for all of our pupils. Music Mark is a national organisation that champions and supports music education in schools, and being a member means that we are part of a community dedicated to ensuring every child has access to exceptional music learning experiences. This prestigious recognition reflects the hard work and passion of our staff, the enthusiasm of our pupils, and our belief in the value of music as an essential part of a well-rounded education. We are excited to continue fostering a love of music and nurturing the musical talents of our students.
Our Music Development Plan outlines more about the music provision at St Andrew's: Music Development Plan
Our School Choir
The school choir, led by Louise Graham, is open to all pupils in Key Stage 2 (Years 3–6) who enjoy singing. Choir practice takes place every Wednesday at 3pm, and we perform at a variety of events throughout the year, including the Festival of Voices, the Big Christmas Sing, and our School Church Services. There is something truly joyous about hearing young voices come together, creating beautiful music and celebrating the spirit of community. Everyone is welcome to join and be part of our musical journey.
School Orchestra
Our school orchestra, led by Spike and Louise Graham, meets on Mondays after school. Children are invited to join based on their instrumental skills, with a focus on those who have reached a certain level of proficiency. The orchestra provides a fantastic opportunity for young musicians to come together, develop their skills, and perform as part of a supportive and creative group.
Individual/Small Group Music Lesson
Individual music lessons are available to book through Oxfordshire County Council.
Music teachers from the Oxford County Music Service (OCMS) visit our school during the school day to provide lessons in a range of instruments, including brass, woodwind, and guitar. This is a wonderful opportunity for all children to learn an instrument and develop their musical skills.
A letter from OCMS with further information about learning an instrument at St Andrew's is available for parents.
