Music contributes a sense of vitality and energy to St Ambrose Prep School and is very much part of our essence and character. It plays an important role in helping children to feel part of a community, and is an integral element of school worship.

All children experience playing an instrument from Year 1 and experience singing at the core of the curriculum.

Music is known to develop children’s all-round education, by encouraging listening and communication skills, as well as nurturing self-discipline and self-confidence. Our current focus is on practical involvement for all children whilst imparting the working knowledge of the elements of music – pitch, rhythm, dynamics, texture, timbre and, of course, silence which is necessary to frame music.

In Infant and Early Years classes, music lessons are taught based on the Kodály Concept. Zoltan Kodály was a musician and educator who was inspired to improve the quality of music education in his native country, Hungary, whilst working at the Liszt Academy of Music. He realised that although his students were technically proficient, they could not ‘hear’ the music in their heads. He therefore devised a set of principles to improve practice, as well as to enrich the lives and culture of the children.

Kodály identified three stages of learning: unconscious experience, making conscious and reinforcement. Singing games and rhymes are played extensively in this regard. The children are largely unaware of the concept behind a game and are keen to play it repeatedly for enjoyment, as well as in the hope of being ‘chosen’ or to have the ‘next turn’. This method allows for repetition of consolidating beat, rhythm and pitch as well as many other musical features, whilst holding the attention of the children.

The Kodaly Method is continued throughout school, but as the children move into the Junior School, the syllabus develops further to cover World Music, The Orchestra, Film Music and History of Music from the Medieval Period right up to present day.

When they leave St Ambrose, Prep School, children are able to read and write musical notation and rhythms, have a good basic theoretical knowledge, and sight sing songs of up to an octave, as well as having a broad knowledge of musical instruments and important composers throughout history.

Specialist instrumental teachers deliver over 70 lessons a week, inspiring pupils in a range of studies, including saxophone, clarinet, flute, traditional method violin, Suzuki method violin and cello, trumpet, percussion, piano and guitar.

Ensemble playing promotes respect and positive attitudes towards peers, and builds friendships across the year groups and deepening an awareness of sense of performance. Music being of a spiritual nature, has enormous power to change emotions, to unite people and to provide a medium for expressing one’s feelings, so we see it as a child’s right, in their developing path of holistic fulfilment. Students have many opportunities to perform publicly with our Choirs, Orchestra, Steel pan ensemble and Recorder ensemble, and soloists are provided with a platform, both publicly and at School, on which to shine – termly Soloist Evenings, Musical Soirées, Ensemble Concerts, Services and other special events provide meaningful performance goals for all our pupils. We are also proud of a strong record of music examination results, powered by our outstanding team of 7 Visiting Music Teachers.

2020 EYFS Nativity

Click here to enjoy the Early Years Wiggly Nativity!

Prep 4 Christmas Service

Click here to enjoy the Prep 4 Christmas Service at Holy Angels Church

Infants Nativity

Click here to enjoy the Infants nativity!