Driving My Tractor  by Jan Dobbins - 3 to 7 yrs - Early Years, KS1  (2m 37s)
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Theme - Driving a tractor, farming, animals

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Content - A fun song about driving a tractor and picking up various farm animals along the way.  Children will love the tractor sounds!  Listen to the Barefoot Books animated version of this song on YouTube HERE

This song is featured in Early Years songbook 'Zippety Zappy Zee'

Every Step Counts by Ruth & John Kenward - 5 to 9 years old (KS1)
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Theme - perseverance, not giving up, counting

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Content - A simple song with rather a ‘toy soldier’ feel!  The words encourage children not to give up when things seem hard,  reinforcing that 'every step counts' and 'every step means you’re moving on.'  Very suitable for assembly and/or PSHE.  

This song has a partner story and complete assembly on the same theme.  You can find this in 'Assemblies Alive KS1', which also contains 14 other assemblies, songs and stories.

First Day  by Ruth Kenward - 5 to 11 yrs - KS1, KS2  (1m 52s)
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Theme - leavers' song, change, hope, new school, new class, moving house etc.

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Content - A new environment is a challenge, but this song encourages children: 'Everywhere you go take a smile with you!'  Having a friendly, smiling manner and positive approach encourages others to accept us, and it's the best way to ensure that we'll soon feel at home.  An excellent song with a warm, upbeat feel, 'First Day' is ideal for the end of the school year - especially as a leavers' song.

'First Day' has a partner story and complete assembly on the same theme.  You can find this in 'Assemblies Alive KS1', which also contains 14 other assemblies, songs and stories.

In The Race Of Life by Ruth Kenward & Mark Dickman - 7 to 13 - KS2, KS3  (3m 17s)
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Theme - Aiming high, taking part, team work, embracing challenges, leavers' song, Olympics, sport
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Content - This song is about a race in which we all take part: the day to day race of life.  An inspiring song about aiming high, seizing opportunities and finding the inner strength to cope with the race.  Whether we're first or last, at least we're taking part!  The song builds to a powerful finish, 'In The Race Of Life' has a positive and encouraging message, which makes it great for use as a school song, and for assemblies.  Very effective harmonies also make this a good set piece for young choirs.

Live Together  by Peter O'Hare - 7 to 12yrs - KS2  (3m 0s)
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Theme - co-operation, overcoming obstacles, teamwork, behaviour, citizenship

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Content - A simple, bright and breezy song with a lilt - about working as a team and getting along with others, even when perhaps we don’t want to!  Working together helps us to overcome life’s obstacles. 

This song has a partner story and complete assembly on the same theme.  You can find this in 'Assemblies Alive KS2', which also contains 14 other assemblies, songs and stories.

One Day At A Time by Ruth and John Kenward - 5 to 7 years (KS1)

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Theme - dealing with difficult problems, perseverance, patience

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Content - A gentle song to encourage young children that things get better - if you can be patient and take one day at a time.  Ideal for assembly and PSHE.

This song has a partner story and complete assembly on the same theme.  You can find this in 'Assemblies Alive KS1', which also contains 14 other assemblies, songs and stories.

Only One World by Nick Perrin - Age 7 to 11yrs - KS2  (2m 23s)
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Theme - Global unity, sharing, Harvest, citizenship, environment
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Content - An uplifting song on the theme of global citizenship, with an anthemic feel and inspiring message of unity.  It's also a song with a difference for Harvest time, as it talks about the harvest to be reaped after we've sowed "seeds of understanding".  An excellent choice for older juniors.

This song comes from the short musical 'Harvest Hope'

Someone Else's Eyes by Ruth Kenward - 7 to 11yrs - KS2  (3m 11s)

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Theme - imagination, wishful thinking, realism, fantasy

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Content - It's fun to pretend you are someone else - someone that's larger than life - a famous figure or even a superhero.  You can imagine seeing life through someone else's eyes, but 'all the same you're still just you - that's the way it goes!'  An unusual song with a great backing track that always goes down well with this age group.

This song features in the outstanding contemporary musical 'Bully!', which - despite it's seemingly dark theme - is full of fun and very appealing and relevant to children, who inevitably understand its content very well.  'Bully!' is an excellent learning experience from the PSHE point of view, being exceptionally well written in terms of both music and drama.  A 120-page children's companion novel is also available, which can be read aloud to the class as a great way to introduce the story of the show, and for further PSHE-related teaching.  (6-packs of the reading book are also available so that it can be used for group or class reading.)   www.starshine.co.uk/bully 

The Books Of Life by Pete O'Hare - 7 to 13 yrs - KS2, KS3  (2m 37s)

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Theme - life choices, love, hope, peace, trust, faith

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Content - In life’s journey, what ‘book’ do we follow and where will it lead? The books are metaphorical – books of love, hope, peace, and trust – and the lyrics explore the purpose of ‘reading’ those books.  And ‘will the story be retold, one day when we are growing old?’ A gentle, thoughtful song about choice of direction in life. Very suitable for assembly.

This song has a partner story and complete assembly on the same theme.  You can find this in 'Assemblies Alive KS2', which also contains 14 other assemblies, songs and stories.