Special Songs to Celebrate Christmas at Osborne House

Southampton & Isle of Wight is delighted to present a mini KS1 Christmas songbook and story written for us by Island composer Pam Wedgwood about Christmas at Osborne in Victorian times! Pam has written may incredible musical resources for schools and we are so lucky to have her as an Island resident now and she may well make an appearance on the day to hear your wonderful performances if you are taking part in the event at Osborne this term.

Here you will find vocal track and backing track versions of both songs, The Christmas Star and A Right Royal Christmas Lunch. Alongside that you will also find a small script with the song lyrics and some suggestions for how to stage along with some additional handbell parts which could be played on any tuned percussion (glockenspiels, chime bars).

Feel free to use this in school but please credit Southampton & Isle of Wight Music and composer Pam Wedgwood and let us know about your performances so we can share them too!

Celebrate! Schools Concert at Southampton Guildhall

Here you will find all the resources for our latest songbook Celebrate! which brings together songs that celebrate different festivals, cultures and traditions from the UK and around the World. Please feel free to make use of these resources however you would like but please credit Southampton & Isle of Wight Music and the composers as necessary.

Schools who are taking part in the performance at Southampton Guildhall on Thursday 4th December you will see that the songs are labelled by Key Stage and you will find a lyrics document and powerpoint for rehearsal along with scores, vocal tracks and backing tracks. Signing videos will be added at a later date.

Key Stage 1

Singing in the City

Light the Diya

The Year of the Horse

Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2

Shine a Little Light

Key Stage 2

Gdy Się Chrystus Rodzi

Matunda ya Kwanzaa

The Longest Night

Key Stage 1

Singing in the City

Light The Diya

The Year of the Horse

Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2

Shine A Little Light

Key Stage 2

Gdy Się Chrystus Rodzi

Matunda ya Kwanzaa

The Longest Night

Key Stage 2

Learn Makaton signs, singing and body percussion for Anthem for a Better World by Jo Downs with Southampton and Isle of Wight Music, then try it out with the performance video.

LEARNING VIDEO — LEARN THE LYRICS, SINGING, BODY PERCUSSION AND THE SIGNS

PERFORM ALONG VIDEO — PLAY, SING AND SIGN ALONG THROUGH THE WHOLE SONG

Sing, learn the signs and do body percussion along to The Message by Jo Downs with Southampton & Isle of Wight Music.

Join in with our inclusive series of musical and sensory activities created for SEND pupils in Early Years and Key Stage 1. Featuring action songs, rhythms, rhymes and of course Makaton signs, join in with Vicky where you can!

Key Stage 2

Learn Makaton signs, singing and body percussion for Joy To The World by Tom Gregory with the Dust & Mischief Band with Southampton and Isle of Wight Music, then try it out with the performance video.

LEARNING VIDEO — LEARN THE LYRICS, SINGING, BODY PERCUSSION AND THE SIGNS

PERFORM ALONG VIDEO — PLAY, SING AND SIGN ALONG THROUGH THE WHOLE SONG

Sing, learn the signs and do body percussion along to Donkey, Don't Stop! by Jo Downs with Southampton & Isle of Wight Music.

Join in with our inclusive series of musical and sensory activities created for SEND pupils in Early Years and Key Stage 1. Featuring action songs, rhythms, rhymes and of course Makaton signs, join in with Vicky where you can!

Key Stage 2

Learn Makaton signs, singing and body percussion for Herod - A Puppet King by Jo Downs with Southampton and Isle of Wight Music, then try it out with the performance video.

LEARNING VIDEO — LEARN THE LYRICS, SINGING, BODY PERCUSSION AND THE SIGNS

PERFORM ALONG VIDEO — PLAY, SING AND SIGN ALONG THROUGH THE WHOLE SONG

Key Stage 2

Learn Makaton signs, singing and body percussion for Under The Moonlit Sky by Jo Downs with Southampton and Isle of Wight Music, then try it out with the performance video.

LEARNING VIDEO — LEARN THE LYRICS, SINGING, BODY PERCUSSION AND THE SIGNS

PERFORM ALONG VIDEO — PLAY, SING AND SIGN ALONG THROUGH THE WHOLE SONG

Below you find the songs and resources for our 2024 Christmas Songbook! This year after listening feedback from teachers we have focused our songs around the nativity story. Each song will tell the Christmas story sequentially and features varying styles and genres of music. Sign and sing video resources for each song will be added to our YouTube channel to support this and are embedded below.

Below you will find 6 songs - the first three have been written with Key Stage 1 pupils in mind and the last three are aimed at Key Stage 2 but any of them could be sung by either group if appropriate in your setting. For each song resource there is a guide track including vocals, a backing track and a pdf of the vocal score along with a lyrics document for printing and a powerpoint for easy display and learning along with the signing videos.

The tracks are as follows:

1. The Message (KS1)

2. Donkey, Don’t Stop! (KS1)

3. A Big Night in Bethlehem (KS1)

4. Under the Moonlit Sky (KS2)

5. Herod - A Puppet King (KS2)

6. Anthem for a Better World (KS2)

Thanks to:

Composer Jo Downs

PowerPoint resources Anna Thompsett

Illustrations Mabel Thompsett

Makaton content Vicky Trevithick

Recording & Editing Aidan Hampson

Sing, learn the signs and do body percussion along to The Christmas Box by Tee and Mo Songtime for Cbeebies with Southampton & Isle of Wight Music Hubs.

Join in with our inclusive series of musical and sensory activities created for SEND pupils in Early Years and Key Stage 1. Featuring action songs, rhythms, rhymes and of course Makaton signs, join in with Vicky where you can!

Sing, learn the signs and do body percussion along to Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town with Southampton & Isle of Wight Music Hubs.

Join in with our inclusive series of musical and sensory activities created for SEND pupils in Early Years and Key Stage 1. Featuring action songs, rhythms, rhymes and of course Makaton signs, join in with Vicky where you can!

Key Stage 2

Learn Makaton signs, singing and body percussion for Who’s That Pulling The Sleigh! from The Christmas Songbook by Jo Downs with Southampton and Isle of Wight Music Hubs, then try it out with the performance video.

LEARNING VIDEO — LEARN THE LYRICS, SINGING, BODY PERCUSSION AND THE SIGNS

PERFORM ALONG VIDEO — PLAY, SING AND SIGN ALONG THROUGH THE WHOLE SONG

Sing, learn the signs and do body percussion along to He’s The Grinch from The Christmas Songbook by Jo Downs with Southampton & Isle of Wight Music Hubs.

Join in with our inclusive series of musical and sensory activities created for SEND pupils in Early Years and Key Stage 1. Featuring action songs, rhythms, rhymes and of course Makaton signs, join in with Vicky where you can!

Sing, learn the signs and do body percussion along to There’s An Elf On My Shelf from The Christmas Songbook by Jo Downs with Southampton & Isle of Wight Music Hubs.

Join in with our inclusive series of musical and sensory activities created for SEND pupils in Early Years and Key Stage 1. Featuring action songs, rhythms, rhymes and of course Makaton signs, join in with Vicky where you can!

Key Stage 2

Learn Makaton signs, singing and body percussion for Merry Xmas Everybody by Slade with Southampton and Isle of Wight Music Hubs, then try it out with the performance video.

LEARNING VIDEO — LEARN THE LYRICS, SINGING, BODY PERCUSSION AND THE SIGNS

PERFORM ALONG VIDEO — PLAY, SING AND SIGN ALONG THROUGH THE WHOLE SONG

Sing, learn the signs and do body percussion to Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town by Mariah Carey.

Join in with our inclusive series of musical and sensory activities created for SEND pupils in Early Years and Key Stage 1. Featuring action songs, rhythms, rhymes and of course Makaton signs, join in with Vicky where you can!

Key Stage 2

Learn Makaton signs, singing and body percussion for Do They Know It’s Christmas? by Band Aid with Southampton and Isle of Wight Music Hubs, then try it out with the performance video.

LEARNING VIDEO — LEARN THE LYRICS, SINGING, BODY PERCUSSION AND THE SIGNS

PERFORM ALONG VIDEO — PLAY, SING AND SIGN ALONG THROUGH THE WHOLE SONG

Sing, learn the signs and do body percussion to Revvin’ Up The Reindeer by Brady Rymer and The Little Band That Could.

Join in with our inclusive series of musical and sensory activities created for SEND pupils in Early Years and Key Stage 1. Featuring action songs, rhythms, rhymes and of course Makaton signs, join in with Vicky where you can!

Key Stage 2

Learn Makaton signs, singing and body percussion for I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday by Wizzard with Southampton and Isle of Wight Music Hubs, then try it out with the performance video.

LEARNING VIDEO — LEARN THE LYRICS, SINGING, BODY PERCUSSION AND THE SIGNS

PERFORM ALONG VIDEO — PLAY, SING AND SIGN ALONG THROUGH THE WHOLE SONG

Sing, learn the signs and do body percussion to Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee.

Join in with our inclusive series of musical and sensory activities created for SEND pupils in Early Years and Key Stage 1. Featuring action songs, rhythms, rhymes and of course Makaton signs, join in with Vicky where you can!