Profile avatar
abetts.bsky.social
Primary Music Teacher. Passionate about developing creativity in young people. Former Faculty Lead for Creative Arts in Secondary Phase. Have taught Music, Drama, Maths, Arts, Photography, PSHEe & ICT. Am Dram performer, director, MD & audience member!
35 posts 138 followers 120 following
Regular Contributor
Active Commenter

Thanks Stuart! Really pleased to have been asked to do it. Check out @teachprimarymag.bsky.social to give it a read. Advice on teaching creatively in a knowledge -led curriculum.

Such a useful resource. Definitely worth reflecting on your assessment practice as so much time (for pupils, teachers and leaders) can be wasted doing assessment badly.

Every year, I'm asked to teach Christmas songs to our Nursery classes. The trouble is that so many of them are too tricky for 3 yr olds to sing well. This year, I wrote new lyrics to simple tunes. Feel free to use if useful to you (or just sing them yourself!) #eyfs #eyfsmusic #primary #primarymusic

In the midst of a difficult week, I just wanted to report that I just soothed my 3wk old baby to sleep by singing 'Humu Humu Nuku Nuku Apuwa'a' from High School Musical 2 ❤️

Our next set of ‘Ready to Teach’ books are underway, including our first for A Level! Released across 2025 and 2026 🤩 @teachals.bsky.social @hugheshaili.bsky.social @miriamhussain.bsky.social @xris32.bsky.social

It's my third year in post and I've been noticing the effectiveness of the curriculum I have built. I'm seeing learning being built upon, confidence developing and passion for my subject being fostered. There is more to improve, but the successes are motivating me to lead those improvements.

Was asked to do some "musical science" with Y1, so we opened up the piano, discussed how all sound is vibration, made the link between the words "big" and "low" (and "small" and "high") and confirmed this by comparing boomwhackers and testing them on my head #primary #music #crosscurricular #edusky

Love those lessons where you can see the progress and the fruits of the children's efforts. I introduced once per term whole-class drum kit lessons across KS2 just under two years ago and yesterday I watched my year 6s perform multiple rhythms with seamless switching. #EduSky #PrimaryMusic #KS2

Children are a joy. Our baby is due this term and I missed an assembly last week for a hospital appointment. Rumour immediately went round that we'd had the baby and it's a girl (we haven't revealed the gender). The rumour was so strong that I was emailed by a parent with congratulations!

Wonderful first week back. For a former secondary school teacher of 9 years, I think I did a pretty good job at calming the nerves of several 5 by year olds as they left their parents on the first day back. I found talking about dinosaurs did the trick for many of them!

@ofstednews.bsky.social has published their Big Listen response: www.gov.uk/government/c...

Thinking of any teachers with a sleepless night ahead of them. I haven't had one of those since starting my new job, but I anticipate one tonight. This term will see me become a Dad. By the end of this term my life will be forever changed! Goodnight all.

We always come to the sea front on the last day of the holidays. What are your end of holiday rituals?

What have I achieved over this summer break? Turned the inherited summerhouse into a bar, did a lot of gardening, made it to Turin and back, directed a show in a week, hosted both sides of the family, painted the nursery... and have fully caught up on the Off Menu podcast.

NEW POST: on English Curriculum and the Spherical Cow... funkypedagogy.com/english-curr...

Brilliant workaround for creating bookmarks on #BlueSky youtube.com/watch?v=cVJC...

Saving this as a #techtips bookmark.

If there's a real desire to address the workload of leaders then one area would be to put GCSE/ Post 16 results in the same week &/or into term time. Every summer they rip out 2 weeks of the break - perhaps not in school but in terms of headspace.

Had an absolute blast of a week directing Shrek Jr with this talented bunch! Let your freak flag fly! 💚👑🫏🤥🐲