Music Curriculum
Intent
At Fressingfield C of E Primary School, it is our intent that we make music an enjoyable learning experience. We encourage children to participate in a variety of musical experiences through which we aim to build up the confidence of all children. Our teaching focuses on developing the children’s ability to understand rhythm and follow a beat. Through singing songs, children learn about the structure and organisation of music. Learning comes first through playful singing activities and pleasurable experience, and later through conscious thought processes, as developed by Kodaly. We teach them to listen and to appreciate different forms of music. Children develop descriptive language skills in music lessons when learning about how music can represent different feelings, emotions and narratives. We also teach technical vocabulary such as volume, pitch, beat and rhythm and encourage children to discuss music using these terms.
Aims:
Our curriculum aim for music aims to ensure that all pupils:
- Perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians
- Learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument (KS2), use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence
- Understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations
- Can read musical annotation and where possible sight read music when performing
Implementation
Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2
Our pupils will learn that music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. They will be inspired and engaged by music education. Music lesson will engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and develop their talent as musicians, and in turn increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. As pupils progress, they should develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon.
Our music provision is delivered by specialist teachers, with lots of practical opportunities to explore and develop as musicians and singers. Children are taught to read music using the Stave House ( https://stavehouse.co.uk/ ) music scheme endorsed by the London College of Music.
The school also has whole class ensemble teaching in Years 3 and 4 where children are taught a specific musical instrument for a school year. In Year 3, and Year 4, children are taught the recorder. From Year 5 the children learn the flute. These lessons incorporate teaching musical notation, singing, as well as learning to play an instrument. Opportunities are taken to perform in class, in whole assemblies and also to parents and the wider community.
Additional opportunities are offered in music, such as the Sing Up Group/choir which performs regularly in school and at events in the local community. Peripatetic piano lessons are also delivered to those children wishing to broaden their musical experience.
Impact
Music assessment is ongoing to inform teachers with their planning, lesson activities and differentiation. Summative assessment is completed at the end of each unit to inform leaders of the improvements or skills that still need to be embedded. Music is monitored throughout all year groups using a variety of strategies such as lesson observations and pupil interviews.
