Music
Intent
In Music, the intent of our curriculum is first and foremost to help children feel that they are musical and to develop a life-long love of music. We focus on the skills, knowledge and understanding that our children need to become confident performers, composers and listeners. This is linked closely to our Christian values of creativity and perseverance and ‘letting our light shine’. We want our children to appreciate music from all around the world and across generations, teaching children to respect and appreciate the music of all traditions and communities.
The aims of our Music Curriculum follow that of the National Curriculum, ensuring all children have access to the musical skills of singing, playing tuned and non-tuned instruments, improvising and composing music and listening and responding to music. High expectations are set for all learners regardless of their background or skill level.
Implementation
The Music Curriculum is designed so that taught knowledge and skills are built upon each week, term and year, with strong links to history and cultural context such as ancient civilisations and geographical awareness, through the Kapow music scheme. This helps our children to develop transferable skills such as team-working, leadership, creative thinking, problem solving, decision making and presentation and performance skills. Our children are proactive in each music lesson, identifying how their previous learning can be used to build up a bank of skills. Concepts are further strengthened and developed through a holistic approach in which the individual strands of; performing, composing, listening, the history and the inter—related dimensions of music are woven together to create engaging and enriching learning experiences. We follow a spiral curriculum model where previous knowledge and skills are returned to and built upon, as well as developing the knowledge and understanding of the history of music, staff and other musical notations. Children progress in terms of tackling more complex tasks and doing more simple tasks better. Music is timetabled as an hourly weekly session to ensure consistency and progression and instrumental lessons are available for Key Stage Two pupils.
EYFS and Key Stage One children have access to specialist music and movement provision. Enrichment opportunities are provided, including workshops, World Music Day activities and on and off site performances. In addition to these activities, each class has their own composer, in which pupils can become immersed in the music of and learn how their work is integrated into the fabric of modern life.
Impact
Children are an active part of assessing their own learning, through regular feedback in lessons and through the self and peer assessing of performances. At the end of each unit, teachers assess children’s progress against the objectives of the National Curriculum through formative and summative assessment; a series of video evidence that shows progression, knowledge catchers and assessment quizzes that will be used at the beginning and end of the unit to measure pupil progress. These assessments build an ongoing picture of each child’s overall musical journey as they move from year group to year group, to ensure they are ready for the next stage of their learning. Pupils should leave our school equipped with a range of skills to enable them to succeed in their secondary education and to be able to appreciate and enjoy music throughout their lives.
If you would like any further information about our curriculum, please contact the school office.