Wherever possible, we will take part in events and opportunities within and beyond school to broaden children's experience and provide a real-life context to learning and performance.

An example of this is our School Band. Any children in Key Stage 2 who have an interest in music and wish to play in the Band are welcome - it does not matter if they play an instrument or not. Being in the Band widens the children's musical experience and enables them to work on new skills in their musical performance including the likes of listening, collaboration, timing and harmony. It has been wonderful to see children take part and flourish, from those tapping out a simple rhythm to those accomplished at a tuned instrument.  A short video of our School Band can be viewed here.

June 2021 gave the opportunity to take part again in the Sing Up digi choir. We sang outdoors in different year groups, taking turns to sing in the centre of the school quadrangle - this gave a real sense of occasion and unity as a school community as each class could hear the other year groups sing. 

Our singing features in several clips of the Digi choir recording - see if you can spot different year groups of Hillside Avenue children in the performance video of 'Unstoppable'!

In March 2020, we took part as a whole school in the international Sing Up Day event. We gathered together to sing 'There's a power in the music' and recorded this performance. We were delighted to be included in the world-wide Digi Choir video, alongside schools from China, Thailand, and other countries around the world. 

Here is the world-wide Digi-Choir performance, which are proud to be a part of! (look out for Hillside Avenue in the middle of the video at around 1:30!)

The experience of joining together with children from all around the world on that day to sing together was really exciting, and extra special as it was not long after this that schools had to close and events like this had to come to a temporary halt due to covid-19 restrictions.

In September 2020 we took part in an exciting webcast arranged through VNET (Viscount Nelson Education Network).

Our Year 5 and Year 6 children were inspired to hear Chris Lubbe talk about his experience of Aparthied and his work as Nelson Mandela's bodyguard. Chris's remarkable story resonated with many of our school aims and values, as he reminded us  that:

• Our words matter

• Forgiveness is the key to freedom

• Read...read...read. We need to appreciate what we have and the education that we have. It helps us to read and learn about other people.

• You can make a change. Nobody is too small.

• We need to reach out, be kind and connect with others.

• Important to show respect for all.

• We should all try to become the best that we can be.

• We need to learn to reach out to others and work together as human beings.

• We must never give up!