New cultural education guides published

Arts Council England has published new cultural education guides for Governing Boards

The Music Guide can be read here

"Cultural education subjects encourage pupils to express themselves, to build confidence and to develop creative thinking skills, unlocking young people’s potential and preparing them to succeed in life. Schools remain the single most important place where children can access great cultural experiences… We hope these resources will inspire you to develop your understanding of how cultural education subjects can change the lives of children and young people and that they will support you in your role."

- Dr Darren Henley OBE Chief Executive, Arts Council England

LETTUCE SING!

May 24th sees the launch of Portsmouth Music Hub's Lettuce Sing! - a brand new collection of 10 songs, aimed at KS 1 and 2, to celebrate the United Nations International Year of the Fruit and Vegetables 2021.

Lettuce Sing! links in with a nationwide campaign from ITV and Veg Power to encourage children and young people to eat more vegetables: Veg Power - Eat Them To Defeat Them.

Lettuce Sing! celebrates fruit and vegetables and raises awareness of the importance of eating ‘Five A Day’. Songs include issues around food waste, fruit and vegetables from around the world and they encourage children and young people to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

Sue Beckett, Chief Executive of Portsmouth Music Hub said, "Using exciting music to educate children and young people about important issues is a great way to actively engage them and help them to learn and remember key facts. Songs like the 'Banana Boogie Woogie’ and 'Rock your Greens' are bound to become firm favourites!

 The songs and resources can be accessed freely at: https://www.portsmouthmusichub.org/songsource

Look out for eye-catching images of different fruit and vegetables “attacking” different Portsmouth landmarks each week linked to the 10 songs released over the next few weeks alongside Veg Power.

For more information about Lettuce Sing! Contact : sue.beckett@portmouthcc.gov.uk

Vacancy - Keyboard/Ukulele

Portsmouth

Casual, Part Time

Hourly paid, based on experience but capped at M1 (£26.37)

25/11/2020 12:00 pm

Keyboard/Piano Teacher

We are looking for a keyboard/piano teacher for the following hours:

6.00 hours per week at the following times:

15:30 – 18:00 on Tuesdays

15:45 – 17:45 on Wednesdays

15:30 – 17:00 on Fridays

This work is term-time only.

Lessons will be taught online using Zoom for the time being, after which, they will take place in a secondary school.

Ukulele Teacher

We are looking for a ukulele teacher for the following hours:

1.5 hours per week

This work is term-time only to cover a maternity post for the spring term.

Lessons will be taught in a primary school with KS2 students.

Salary is hourly paid, based on experience but capped at M1 (£26.37) though we welcome applications from all experience.

Your New Role

In this role you will be teaching keyboard and piano lessons to individuals and small groups online and/or face to face, including planning lively and engaging lessons. You will assess pupils learning and progress as well as record and report on progress as required. You will develop an effective relationship with the school and maintain good order among pupils with regard to their health and safety. You will participate in arrangements for training and professional development and keeping up to date with best practice in music education, including appraisal. You will follow the policies and protocols of the Music Service and Portsmouth City Council at all times.

What you’ll need to succeed

To be successful you will need to be an experience, committed and effective teacher and be able to engage and enthuse children (for keyboard at secondary age, for ukulele at primary age). You will be able to communicate effectively at all levels as well as know how to teach good technique. You will be able to plan and teach individuals and small groups. You will have an understanding of the National Curriculum and the assessment requirements for schools.

What you’ll get in return

As well as highly competitive pay you’ll receive all the benefits of working within a local authority organisation, which ranges from flexible working hours to a fantastic pension which allows you the opportunity to pay in more for that greater return. Annual leave starts at 26 days going up to 30 days and staff discounts for travel and local shops. We wish to support all our staffs development throughout, if that’s progression planning or involvement within the on the job apprenticeship scheme we will work together to drive your career.

MUSIC HUB WINS INTERNATIONAL AWARD

Portsmouth Music Hub has been awarded for its contribution to Corporate and Social Responsibility at a ceremony in London.

Portsmouth Music Hub, has won a CSR Excellence Award in the national campaign to find the best companies, councils and communities. They competed against more than 500 other nominations in the International CSR Excellence Awards for 2020.

The International CSR Excellence Awards took place on October 20th at the Waldorf Hotel, London and the Music Hub was there to be recognised for its One World environmental campaign, which since September 2018, has been harnessing the power of music and the arts to highlight local and global environmental problems and solutions.

The panel of independent judges commented: “The submission from Portsmouth Music Hub was for a most unusual and effective project - with the creation of many choirs; the writing of new songs carrying positive messages about the environment and other important issues; organising thousands of performances; and in this way raising environmental awareness among hundreds of thousands of people.  It is a truly inspirational and clever enterprise.”

The International CSR Awards recognise environmental best practices around the world. As part of the ceremony, international organisations were able to listen to the Hub's One World song on a video link and to hear about the Hub's award-winning work with children and young people.

Sue Beckett, CEO of Portsmouth Music Hub said: "It is a tremendous privilege to receive this award and we are honoured that the Music Hub's One World campaign has now received three International awards. We aim to transform lives through music and we are delighted to see that our music is raising awareness of environmental issues and helping children across the globe to make changes needed to protect our planet."

Suzy Horton, Cabinet Member for Education said: "I'm delighted by Portsmouth Music Hub's fantastic achievement at The International CSR Excellence Awards. The Music Hub's outstanding work has a significant impact on not only the lives of children and young people in Portsmouth, but also, children right across the world. This award shows that music and the arts really do make a difference in the lives of children, young people and the whole community."

To find out more about Portsmouth Music Hub and its One World Campaign visit www.portsmouthmusichub.org.uk.

Environmental musical for young children

Portsmouth Music Hub has created a short musical singalong film to raise environmental awareness for young children.

Great for class assemblies or to watch at home with parents, the film is all about Graham the Seagull and his realisation that he needs to change his ways to protect his environment.

Daisy, aged 5 said "Graham is a very bad seagull and I don't want to be like him. I like the fun songs that make me want to dance and sing."

Kindness is the Key

NOW, MORE THAN EVER, OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING IS KEY TO NAVIGATING THE UNCERTAIN TIMES THAT WE ARE LIVING IN.  

Hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from 18 - 24 May 2020 and this year the theme is kindness.  

KINDNESS IS THE KEY

We are proud to announce our brand new mental health initiative Sound Minds.

Sound Minds brings together musicians, composers, performers, teachers, community groups and thousands of children in a new campaign focussing on how music and the arts can help support the exploration, education and discussion around our mental health. express our emotions, support our well-being and most importantly continue conversations about mental health.

Sound Minds aims to use music and the arts to:

• PROMOTE the expression of our emotions

• SUPPORT our well-being

• PROVIDE a platform for children across the city to continue conversations about mental health

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS…

As part of the launch we are releasing a series of brand new songs starting with, When Life Gives you Lemons. Later in the week, another song will be released about taking time to be kind to one another, called A Minute Can Last a Lifetime.  

During the year Portsmouth Music Hub will be providing opportunities for schools and students across the city to explore mental health issues through music and the arts.  

As people are turning towards creativity in these challenging times, the 'Sound Minds' campaign provides a focus for children and young people to explore issues that are affecting them, using music and the arts. We welcome suggestions about how you would like the campaign to develop on-line as we explore a range of ways using the arts to reach out, support mental health and enhance our well-being.

Sue Beckett, Chief Executive of Portsmouth Music Hub

Portsmouth Music Hub has already received enthusiastic support for the Sound Minds campaign from the teaching community, Portsmouth City Council and student groups across the city, but we still need you. We welcome suggestions regarding the opportunities that we can offer during campaign or how you would like to see the campaign develop.

Song Source – keeping children singing wherever they are!

Launching today, Song Source features over 200 engaging songs for primary-aged children about life, the world and the universe, all at your fingertips.

Songs composed by Portsmouth Music Hub’s award-winning team are now available FREE for everyone with the launch of Song Source.  

Here’s a taster: https://youtu.be/LaAn6bWypQY

With songs about keeping fit, the environment, all sorts of topics and themes, there’s a song for everyone to sing!

Vicky Head, St Paul’s Primary School said, “Song Source has transformed the way I teach singing – it’s simply brilliant and anyone can use it!”

The Song Source website has great karaoke tracks so children can learn songs easily and sing along with the words on screen. There are lyric sheets to help learn words, backing tracks so children can perform once they are confident and scores so children who can play instruments can join in. 

Check out the site: https://www.portsmouthmusichub.org/songsource

Choose a song and get singing!

Sue Beckett, CEO of Portsmouth Music Hub said, “Our aim is to keep children singing where ever they are and Song Source does just that!” 

Recycling Heroes to the Rescue

Portsmouth Music Hub has launched a brand new song to celebrate Global Recycling day.

The song has been specially commissioned to mark Global Recycling Day, which this year is 18 March 2020. Since launching in 2018, Global Recycling Day celebrates the importance of recycling in order to preserve and secure the future of our planet.

The theme for 2020 is Recycling Hereos. The Global Recycling Foundation, who launched this important awareness day, hope to 'recognise the people, pleases and activities that showcase what an important role recycling playing in contributing to an environmentally stable planet and a greener future which will benefit all'.  

The song has been made available to all schools across the city for pupils to sing, with a creative and engaging video created to reinforce the message.