“With music, one’s whole future life is brightened. This is such a treasure in life that it helps us over many troubles and difficulties. Music is nourishment, a comforting elixir. Music multiplies all that is beautiful and of value in life.”
– Zoltan Kodaly
Music subject lead: Mrs. L Cooper
Our music curriculum identifies the landmarks of musical understanding pupils are expected to achieve and the range of musical styles and traditions that children are to experience. We promote a love of music, singing and playing throughout the school community which results in the acquisition of knowledge and improved well-being.
We teach a clear and comprehensive scheme of work in line with the National Curriculum. We use The Charanga Musical School Scheme which provides teachers with lesson support for each year group in the school. It is intended for specialist and non-specialist teachers and provides lesson plans, assessment, clear progression, and engaging and exciting whiteboard resources to support every lesson. The interrelated dimensions of music weave through the musical topics to ensure the development of musical skills as the learning progresses through listening and appraising, differing musical activities (including creating and exploring) and performing.
We have high expectations of our pupils in music and faith in their individual abilities to perform and compose. We expect them to contribute with kindness and respect in lessons. We ensure that different initiatives, including whole-class instrumental and vocal performances are planned as part of an overall curriculum vision for music for the school.
The music curriculum ensures children sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate. This is embedded in the classroom activities as well as the weekly singing assemblies, various concerts and performances, the opportunity to learn an instrument, and the joining of the school choir. The elements of music are taught in the classroom lessons so that children are able to use some of the language of music to dissect it, and understand how it is made, played, appreciated and analysed. Our music scheme follows a steady progression plan, both within each year and from one year to the next, ensuring consistent musical development. The learning within this Scheme is based on: Listening and Appraising; Musical Activities — creating and exploring; and Singing and Performing.
EYFS – Singing, dancing rhythm and rhyme are integral to child development and is a specific area in the EYFS curriculum. Music in all forms enables children to develop and enjoy all forms of expression. It supports listening and observation skills and allows children to respond and express themselves in an individual and liberating form. Music supports positive attitudes to all forms of learning as it encourages curiosity, enjoyment, exploration and creativity. It provides opportunities to explore an Understanding of the World and different People and Communities. It provides a stimulus for imaginative composition by introducing atmosphere and emotions and also allows for an appreciation of the natural world with the sounds that are made in the everyday e.g. rain beating on the roof.
Music at Key Stage 1 and 2 is taught weekly. This is so the musical elements can be taught and embedded throughout the year. Teaching Music regularly in this way allows the curriculum to be studied in depth; pupils will have time to learn and compose and perform pieces of work developing over the weekly sessions. Pupils also all have access to Yumu which is a safe online space where students can learn, play and develop their musicianship. It’s an area of the Charanga platform dedicated to supporting students’ music-making between lessons.
As music is a practical subject, assessment may be done by focussing on a small group at a time on certain tasks or skills, observing the children, discussing their work or self/group/teacher evaluation against criteria from the National Curriculum programmes of study and end of year expectations. Charanga end of unit progression grids used by the class teacher ensure children are accessing work at age related expectations.
The desired impact of our Music curriculum is to teach the elements of music in a fun and engaging way. To encourage pupils to enjoy music in as many ways as they choose – either as listener, creator or performer. Children have the opportunity to discuss and share their own thoughts, opinions and ideas, acknowledging and respecting that these may vary and that this is positive. They can dissect music and comprehend its parts. They can sing and feel a pulse. Through Music children will develop an understanding of culture and history, both British and of ethnicities from across the world.
Children are provided with opportunities beyond the National Curriculum to further and support their understanding. These include having the opportunity to learn an instrument and by taking part in school productions. External interests and talents are also encouraged and showcased in class and assembly, ensuring that everyone is challenged regardless of previous musical experience. Children will gain an understanding of how to further develop skills less known to them, enriching their lives and giving them options for the future.
We will measure the impact of the Music curriculum through:
If you were to walk into music lessons at Saint Augustine Webster CVA you would see:
Y1 “I like that music makes me happy. We learn about pulse and we clap to the beat. I can play F,G and A on a glockenspiel.”
Y3 “I like finding out about different genres like jazz. We like having the glockenspiels, we get to learn the notes and it has a smooth sound.”
Y4 “We enjoy it when we play along with the songs and we change the notes around to make our own music.”
Y5 “We learn new songs and discover the themes of the music. It was fun to play the African drums to the rhythm of the words”
Y6 “We compose using the notes we have learnt using the music notepad app. I enjoy writing my own rhythms and melodies.”
