Music

Our music curriculum intends to inspire creativity, self-expression and encourages children on their musical journeys as well as giving them opportunities to connect with others.  We hope to foster a life long love of music by exposing them to diverse musical experiences and igniting a passion for music. By listening and responding to different musical styles, finding their voices as singers and performers and as composers, all will enable them to become confident, reflective musicians. 

‘Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity’

(The National Curriculum)

Intent

The aims of our Music curriculum are to develop children who:

• Can sing and use their voices individually and in a group
• Create and compose music on their own and with others
• Use technology appropriately when composing
• Have opportunities to learn a musical instrument
• Understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated
• Listen to, review and evaluate the work of great composers and musicians from a 

range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions

• Enjoy and have an appreciation of a range of different musical styles e.g. Classical, Jazz, Hip Hop, Pop, Rock etc.
• Use and understand musical language and include musical features in their own work
• Make judgements about the quality of music
• Have opportunities to play a wide variety of instruments
• Have different opportunities to take part in performances

Implementation

The music curriculum ensures children sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate. This is embedded in classroom activities as well as weekly singing assemblies, various concerts and performances, the learning of instruments and the joining of musical ensembles. The elements of music are taught in classroom lessons so that children are able to use the language of music to discuss it, and understand how it is made, played, appreciated and analysed. In school, children learn how to play various un-tuned and tuned percussion instruments as well as whole class instrumental lessons. In doing so they understand how to devise and read their own musical scores and basic music notation. They also learn how to compose, focusing on different dimensions of music, which in turn feeds their understanding when listening, playing, or analysing music. Composing or performing using body percussion, vocal sounds and technology is also part of the curriculum, which develops the understanding of musical elements without the added complexity of an instrument.

Impact

Whilst in school, children have opportunities to forge their own musical journey, which allows them to discover areas of strength, as well as areas they might like to improve upon. The integral nature of music and the learner creates an enormously rich palette from which a child may access fundamental abilities such as: achievement, self-confidence, interaction with and awareness of others, and self-reflection. Music will also develop an understanding of culture and history, both in relation to children’s individually, as well as ethnicities from across the world. Children are able to enjoy music, in as many ways as they choose - either as listener, creator or performer. They can discuss music and comprehend its parts. They can sing, feel a pulse, add rhythms and create melodies in a group and they can further develop these skills in the future and continue to enjoy and embrace music in their lives.

Peripatetic Music

All children have the opportunity to learn an instrument alongside those learned as part of music curriculum (recorder, ocarina, ukulele and glockenspiel). 

We currently offer lessons in:

- Flute, clarinet, trumpet and saxophone, piano/keyboard, guitar and drums.

As part of this, children regularly have the opportunity to perform in front of an audience. 

Music Assemblies

• Listen and appraise

Each week a new song is chosen and played at the start of our music assembly. 

This gives children the opportunity to hear music and instruments they wouldn’t normally listen to or see, exposing them to a variety of musical styles across time periods, countries, cultures and genres.

• Singing 

Singing in assemblies is a great way that we bring our school together - children and teachers alike - to promote and maintain a strong singing culture. Children then learn and work on new songs each week and practise different skills. They learn how to use expression and articulation when we sing and how to use dynamics.

Useful Websites (click on picture):