At Pender’s Grove Primary School, our vibrant music program is built around the internationally respected Orff approach to music education. This child-centred method treats music as a natural language, encouraging all students to learn and create music in a fun, friendly, and inclusive environment. Just as every child can learn to speak without formal instruction, the Orff approach believes every child can learn music through play, movement, and exploration.
Each class from Foundation to Year 6 enjoys a dedicated 50-minute music session every week with our specialist music teacher.
A Well-Resourced Music Room
Our school is proud to offer a fully equipped music room, stocked with a diverse range of instruments to support hands-on learning. Students have access to:
- A full set of xylophones, metallophones, and marimbas—including a striking contrabass marimba
- Class sets of colourful ukuleles, allowing every child to participate
- A wide variety of percussion instruments
- A full school band setup, featuring electric bass, guitar, drum kit, keyboard, and high-quality microphones
Music Learning from Foundation to Year 2
Students in Foundation to Year 2 explore the fundamentals of music through engaging and playful activities. The curriculum covers key musical elements such as:
- Tone colour
- Rhythm
- Melody and pitch
- Harmony and expression
- Musical form
Children learn through singing, body percussion, and playing instruments like marimbas, tambourines, triangles, and drums. They also gain an introduction to the science of sound, learning how music is made and how it affects us.
Music Education for Years 3–6
Students in Years 3 to 6 build on their early experiences by diving deeper into musical theory and performance. They:
- Read and write standard music notation (crotchets, quavers, triplets, etc.)
- Develop an understanding of time signatures, rests, bars, and phrasing
- Perform using ukuleles, marimbas, glockenspiels, hand percussion, and drum kits
- Participate in group singing, choreography, and digital music production
Our program is designed to be practical, engaging, and creative, giving students a well-rounded understanding of music as both an art and a science.
Extra-Curricular Music Opportunities
Pender’s Grove students also have the opportunity to expand their musical interests beyond the classroom. We offer:
- On-site private instrumental lessons
- Lunchtime percussion and choir groups
- Opportunities to perform and collaborate with peers
