Sing Up facts for kids
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| Formation | 2007 |
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| Purpose | Music education |
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Sing Up is an organization in England that helps schools and teachers learn about music. They offer online tools for singing and making music. Their main office is in Gateshead.
Contents
How Sing Up Started
In 2007, the UK government's education department decided to invest money in a national singing program. This was because experts suggested it in something called the Music Manifesto. By 2008, even more money was given to help the program grow.
From 2009 to 2011, Sing Up was run by a group of partners. These included Youth Music, Faber Music, and The Sage Gateshead. Youth Music led the group. Faber Music helped create the songs and resources. The Sage Gateshead worked on training teachers and musicians. Their goal was to help adults feel confident leading singing activities for kids.
During this time, a famous composer named Howard Goodall was a big supporter of Sing Up. He was their National Singing Ambassador. Sing Up also won an award in 2010 called the RPS Award. In 2013, a government plan for music education praised Sing Up's work.
Why Singing Matters
A study in 2013 by the Institute of Education found something cool. Kids who used Sing Up were much better at singing than those who didn't. They were about 18 months to 2 years ahead!
Research also shows that singing helps kids in many ways. It can improve how they learn languages and remember things. It also helps with their movement skills and overall music development.
Since 2009, Sing Up has worked with over 86,000 singers. They have helped almost all primary schools in England. They also work with special education schools and pupil referral units. Their website has more than 2,000 helpful resources. Many schools have even earned a Sing Up Award for their singing programs.
Sing Up Today
In 2012, Sing Up became a not-for-profit organization. This means they use any money they make to help their programs, not to make a profit for owners. They started offering memberships for schools and teachers. By 2016, people from all over the world could join.
Sing Up has also won more awards. In 2017, they were nominated for a "Best Digital Resource" award. In 2018, they won the "Music Teacher Editors Award."
In 2017, Sing Up also started the Sing Up Foundation. This is a charity that wants to show how singing can help people's health and happiness.
What Sing Up Offers
Sing Up's website and resources are made for teachers and music leaders. They help them find singing activities for lessons and other school events. Sing Up has different membership plans for schools, individuals, and other groups. Each plan includes songs, resources, training, and support. This helps create more singing chances for primary school children.
Sing Up used to be only for people in England. Now, it is available across the UK and even internationally. You can buy a membership or get a free "Friends' account."
The Song Bank
The Song Bank is an online collection of over 800 songs and warm-up exercises. The songs are specially arranged for children's voices. They include everything from classic choir songs to popular hits. Each song comes with helpful materials like sheet music, audio tracks, and teaching ideas. These ideas connect singing to other school subjects. There are also resources for children with special educational needs.
Teaching Tools and Advice
This section has over 2,000 resources for teachers and music leaders. It includes guides on how to do things, lesson plans, and topic plans. There are also monthly Assembly Plans and activity plans that link singing to different subjects. You can find a guide to keeping your voice healthy and special activity packs for different seasons.
Tutorial Videos
The Sing Up website and their YouTube channels have over 180 helpful videos. These videos show you how to earn a Sing Up Award. They also have lesson plans for teaching songs. Some videos even show you how to sign along using Makaton and BSL.
The Sing Up Magazine
This magazine is sent to member schools three times a year. It has ideas for lessons, teaching guides, advice, and support. Each issue also comes with a CD that has 10 songs.
Sing Up Awards
The Sing Up Awards recognize schools that make singing a big part of school life. There are three levels: Gold, Silver, and Platinum. These awards celebrate schools that encourage lots of singing.
Accessible Learning
This program helps children who are not in regular schools. This includes children in special education settings or pupil referral units. It also helps children in mainstream schools who might have trouble joining in. This could be children with special needs or refugee children. This part of Sing Up creates special resources and support. It helps children with Autism, challenging behavior, and those who are looked after. It also includes signed songs, assistive technologies, and Makaton.
Training and Learning
Sing Up offers online training sessions called Webinars. Users can log on and watch a live video stream. People watching live and online can talk to each other using instant messaging and social media. They can also chat with the singing leader after the session.
Sing Up has also created "Principles of Good Quality Vocal Leadership." These principles help improve singing and how it's taught in schools. They inspire leaders to think about their teaching and find ways to make it even better.
