Curriculum
Each child from Foundation One through to Year Six experiences two sessions of music per week. The curriculum is wide and varied, teaching the children the key elements of music through performing, composing and listening activities and drawing on music from many different times and places.

Recent research in teaching and learning has lead us to incorporate Brain Gym activities into every lesson with great success.

Foundation Stage
Children in the Foundation Stage have lots of fun! They learn key musical skills such as listening, playing instruments with control and exploring sounds.  They are encouraged to respond creatively to a musical stimulus and thoroughly enjoy movement and singing.  Children enjoy making the most of opportunities of entertaining their parents through performances.

Key Stage One
During Key Stage One children build on the skills that were introduced in the Foundation Stage. Children follow a comprehensive programme to develop their ongoing skills in music which includes rhythm work, pitch training and listening. They have lots of opportunities to widen their experience of playing both pitched and unpitched percussion instruments. Their listening skills are extended and simple composition work is introduced.  In year two every child learns the basics of recorder playing which serves as a great foundation for later instrumental work.  Children enjoy taking part in a show every year.

Key Stage Two
Children in Key Stage Two follow an extremely varied curriculum developing their understanding of musical concepts through experiencing music from different times and cultures. They  perform on a wide range of instruments, from recorders to steel, developing their understanding of musical notation and to exploring their creative ideas.  Key Stage Two students develop their skills through recording and appraising their work using ICT. They also are introduced to music software and encouraged to experiment with composition using these tools.

ICT
Both music teaching rooms are equipped with interactive white boards and Apple Mac computers which function as our sound system and recording facility. Children are also able to use a variety of electric instruments including guitars and keyboards as well as singing regularly through the PA system.

Partnership with Centre for Musical Arts
In September 2007 the Music Department responded to a survey of JESS Jumeirah parents which clearly showed a huge demand for instrumental lessons. JESS Jumeirah was proud to be the first school in Dubai to enter into partnership with the Centre for Musical Arts. Ten instrumental teachers now are teaching guitar, brass, violin, cello and woodwind instruments to over 200 pupils during the school day. The Music Department has now been extended to feature a suite of three practice rooms.

Links with the community
At JESS Jumeirah we have offered drumming workshops for the children in our Summer camps both in June 2007 and 2008. A team of musicians from Dubai Drums worked rhythmically with children for 4 weeks introducing them to African drumming and dance.  Dubai Drums have also been involved this year in staff team building initiatives.

Meet the team

Miss Lisa Wilson, Miss Sarah O'Hare.