Intent- what we aim for children to achieve through our Music curriculum:
At Great Tew Primary School, we recognise that every child deserves the opportunity to engage with music from all styles and from all cultures, in order to develop their own musical journey. It is our aim that we make the subject of Music an enjoyable experience for all pupils. We encourage children to participate in a range of musical experiences to develop their self-esteem, confidence and musical appreciation. Musical skills are appreciated and acknowledged across all year groups, whether that be singing, composition or playing an instrument. Throughout lessons, children learn and enhance the skills of improvisation, composition, listening, appraisal and performing within the subject. Children are supported to explore and embed the interrelated dimensions of music. These skills allow children to gain a wide understanding of what the music curriculum entails whilst also developing an appreciation for various genres, composers and musical styles.
Implementation- how we achieve our aims:
Our music curriculum ensures children sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate. This is embedded in the classroom activities as well as during assemblies, performances and the learning of instruments.
In the Reception classroom the children are given a range of opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom to sing and perform songs and nursery rhymes. Through both their adult-led experiences and their self-guided play, they are encouraged to explore their voices, play with words and a variety of untuned instruments as well as listening to music whilst being encouraged to move in time to it. Children are encouraged to engage in regular Charanga music sessions where they learn to find and respond to the interrelated dimensions of music through a range of musical styles and familiar songs.
In KS1 and KS2 music is taught using the musical program Charanga whereby teachers are able to produce inclusive lessons for all children to access the music curriculum in a fun and engaging way. Charanga lessons are planned in line with the Model Music Curriculum. The spiral design of this scheme provides the opportunity for children to be immersed in music-making activities that deepen over the course of the six school years. Musical elements that are introduced to young children are continually revised in more complex and intricate ways as children progress through subsequent year groups. In this way, key learning is repeated, musical skills are reinforced and the learning deepens.
In the classroom, children learn how to a play, improvise and compose with a variety of percussion instruments including glockenspiels and as a new addition, ocarinas. Playing various instruments enables children to use a range of methods to create notes and they also learn how to how read basic music notation. Children listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions. In assemblies, children learn how to warm up their voices, adopt a good singing position and sing a variety of songs together, exploring seasonal songs along with songs that encourage personal development ideas.
Alongside Charanga, we provide the opportunity to sing as part of a school choir, planning and preparing for regular performances throughout the year where they can celebrate their hard work with the wider school community. Recorder club is offered to those children who wish to take up the opportunity of learning a musical instrument from Year 2 and they too regularly benefit from preparing for and performing to an audience. We truly value the opportunities that performing to others bring, across the school, all children are able to take part in a variety of activities, ranging from class performances to whole school assemblies, a nativity play, end of term church services and summer term large productions.
At Great Tew, children are also provided with opportunities beyond the National Curriculum to further and support their understanding. These include live performances and school productions, along with music and dance partnership opportunities. External interests and talents are also encouraged and showcased in class and assembly, ensuring that everyone is challenged regardless of previous musical experience.
We have recently completed an audit of our music provision and are currently working with the Music Hub to update our Music Development Plan.
Progression of Knowledge, Skills and Elements from Years 1 to 6