Beginners’ guides
If you are new to the world of folk, the quicklinks below will help you find out more about English folk music, dance, song, custom, costume and traditions.
See also: Learning Resources | Resource Search | Glossary | A–Z
Learning Resources
Resource Search
- A Song and a Dance: using folk arts in inclusive settings
- The Young Folk Club: Traditional Tunebook
- The Wind and the Waves: using folk arts in inclusive settings
- Our Song
- Exploring English Folk Music
- Clog Workshop for Beginners
- An Introduction to Maypole Dances
- Black Singers and Folk Ballads
- Beyond the St Marylebone Workhouse: songs of London life gone by
- Folk Songs in the Model Music Curriculum
- Herrings and Hops: a video resource for SEND settings
- Folk Music Starting Points
- Songs of London Life: Using folk arts in inclusive settings
- Make a Morris Dancer's Hat
- Solo Ceilidh Cardio – folk dance meets hip hop
- Folk in the Key Stage 3 National Curriculum for Music
- Folk in the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum for Music
- Folk in the Key Stage 1 National Curriculum for Music
- A Selection of Hand Holds for Social Folk Dancing
- Santiana
- Songs of May: using folk arts in inclusive settings
- Folk and Traditional Music to accompany a performance by National Youth Folk Ensemble and Leveret
- Songs from the James Madison Carpenter Folk Collection
- Essex Folk Song Discovery: Coastal Songs
- Essex Folk Song Discovery
- Ceilidh Band Project
- Sea Songs and Shanties for Tall Ships
- An Introduction to English Sea Songs and Shanties
- Twas in the Good Ship Rover
- Donkey Riding
- A Set of Rapper Dancing Tunes for Brass Band - Tekely
- Songs of Rural Life: accessibility and adaptability in SEN settings
- A Set of Rapper Dancing Tunes for Brass Band - Oatlands House
- A Set of Rapper Dancing Tunes for Key Stage 2 Instruments - A Dance for 1811
- A Set of Rapper Dancing Tunes for Key Stage 2 Instruments - Yorkshire Tune
- Tools of the Trade
- Shots Fired
- Blue Scars
- The Miner's Dream
- Collier Lads - choral arrangement
- Pony Driver
- A Collier Lad
- In Our Own Words: exploring coal mining through folk song
- Swords and Stars: Rapper Sword Dance for Primary Schools
- Threshing Machine: a musical interpretation of a heritage resource
- Introduction to playing folk music: working with intermediate and advanced players new to folk music
- A Sailor's Life Key Stage 1
- Black Sailors and Sea Shanties
- Six Folk Arrangements for Youth Ensembles
- Resource Bank A – Z
- A Sailor's Life Key Stage 2
- Vocal Warm Ups
- Buttered Peas/Butter’d Pease
- Storytelling using folk ballads in Secondary Schools
- Three Ravens - A commissioned piece for choir (SATB)
- Here We Come A-Wassailing
- Warm Up: My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
- Bury Singing Day Pack
- Awake! Awake!
- As I Lay On A Sunny Bank
- Two Christmas Carols
- Seeds of Love
- Laudnum Bunches
- Country Gardens
- Bean Setting
- Barbara Ellen
- Banks of Claudy
- BBC Radio 2 Cecil Sharp Project
- Using Folk Arts in Key Stage 1
- I Love English Folk Dance
- Aboot the bush, Willy - Carolyn Robson
- The Mony Faads - Carolyn Robson
- Lavender's Blue - Carolyn Robson
- Trio of North East Songs
- Two Folk Tunes for Secondary Schools
- Working By Ear
- Creating a New Song Cycle from Traditional Songs
- Using Folk Song and Dance in Primary Schools
- Using Folk Music to Enhance Inclusive Learning
- Contemporary Folk Dance Fusion
- Creative Folk Dance for Primary Schools
- Coal Mining with Folk Arts and Poetry
- Wild and Wicked Youth
- What Will We Do if We Have Got No Money
- Up To the Rigs
- Stanley and Dora
- Press Gang
- Maybe It's Because I'm A Londoner
- London Wherryman
- London Steamer
- London Lights
- London Bridge is Broken Down
- Lavender
- How Many Miles to London Town?
- Hopping Down In Kent
- Basket and Chairs
- Singing Histories
- Shepherd's Hey
- Speed the Plough
- Curly Headed Ploughboy
- Three Folk Tunes for Secondary Schools
- Abroad for Pleasure
- The Farmer's Boy / To Be A Farmer's Boy
- Pleasant and Delightful
- Young Banker
- Fathom The Bowl / Punch Ladle
- Sweet Nightingale
- Barley Mow
- Folk Chorus Songs Selection
- False Lamkin: teaching notes for Key Stages 2 and 3
- The Wensley Jig
- The Galloping Dash
- An Acre of Land: Key Stages 1 and 2
- The Evercreech Hornpipe
- Jim The Carter Lad
- The Hundred Haymakers
- John Barleycorn
- The Green Grass
- Oats And Beans And Barley
- There’s A Nice Field Of Turnips Over There
- Seven Songs of Harvest
- Two Folk Dance Tune Sets
- Using Folk Song in Secondary Schools
- Folk Music: A resource for creative music-making (Key Stage 3 and 4)
- Sally Walker
- Lubin
- Two Folk Song Warm Ups
- The Trees They're So High
- The Factory Operatives Call On Humanity
- Brother Tradesmen
- Jolly Waggoner
- Time May Steal The Roses
- Three Ravens
- My Own Sweet Native Vale
- Mariners of England
- Lovely Nancy
- Down The Wagon Way
- Winlaton Calling On Song
- The Summer's Morning
- Sea Songs and Shanties Pack
- Cheerful Arn
- A Roving
- Tis Of A Gallant Southerner
- A Long Time Ago Pulling Chanty
- Times Are Hard
- Bold Pirate
- Yeave Ho
- Bristol Folk Songs Pack
- Cambridgeshire Children's Games
- Beginners’ guides
- Learning Resources
- Folk music in schools
