Music

The National Curriculum 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, 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.

Intent:

At St Mark’s C.E. Primary, we believe music is all-inclusive and allows any child a means of expressing thoughts and emotions. Music may lend a voice to moments where words would fail to fully express intent. Our intention is to offer all pupils opportunities for a high-quality musical education to help body, mind and soul to work cohesively in order to communicate ideas and emotions. We are able to give the children the opportunities to explore different musical skills, from composing and improvising with music, to performing and evaluating it, in order to reach their musical potential. They will be exposed to different styles of music in order to widen their experiences and understand different cultures and learn to appraise what they hear. Children will learn to use their voice as an instrument, exploring its range and potential through these different genres of music. Children will experience the seven inter-related dimensions of music and become proficient in their understanding and use of these different elements (rhythm, pitch, dynamics, tempo, timbre, structure and texture.) 

We are able to give the children the opportunities to explore different musical skills, from composing and improvising with music, to performing and evaluating it, in order to reach their musical potential. They will be exposed to different styles of music in order to widen their experiences and understand different cultures and learn to appraise what they hear. Children will learn to use their voice as an instrument, exploring its range and potential through these different genres of music. Children will experience the seven inter-related dimensions of music and become proficient in their understanding and use of these different elements (rhythm, pitch, dynamics, tempo, timbre, structure and texture.) Our expectation is that all our pupils can use our curriculum as a tool to ‘flourish together’ and have the confidence in their skills to ‘aspire’ in their educational journey in music.

Implementation:

Following the Primary Curriculum, we approach our Music lessons by planning a variety of stimuli, activities and experiences through which to engage and motivate children’s learning. In every year group, the children will develop their understanding, skills and techniques in all areas of music, primarily through our Charanga scheme. This provides  sequences of lessons that build on prior knowledge and experiences to maximise learning for all children and make progress in a clear and structured manner. Children will have opportunities to explore a variety of instruments, using tuned and untuned instruments, including percussion, vocals, recorders, glockenspiels, and a string or wind instrument.

Music is an integral part of school life. Children sing collectively throughout the school week, with a dedicated singing worship once a week, where children learn and rehearse both new and established hymns to promote the spirituality encompassed within our school. The children have opportunities to take part in multiple performances and shows throughout their primary career, both in school and in the local community.

We also offer a musical theatre club for KS2, and peripatetic instrumental lessons for those children who have particular aptitude and enthusiasm and wish to pursue a specific instrument. In addition to this, we also offer enrolment to Rock Steady. We utilise the support from the local community, with visits and demonstrations from musicians and, as a school, we perform in many community events, and to different audiences within the community.

Impact:

Through our carefully sequenced music curriculum, children will learn to communicate their enjoyment and growth through music. They will be able to discuss and demonstrate their knowledge of the interrelated dimensions of music and use this language to express their understanding of how these areas come together in a unit of learning. They will aspire to use their voices and instruments to explore, practise and perform with confidence, at their own level, and understand the contributions they can make when performing with others. They will see music as a way to express their thoughts, feelings and ideas and respect the value of communicating these in a different way. Outcomes are measured through recorded performances, teacher assessment, as well as learning walks and pupil voice. There is a whole school monitoring, evaluation and review cycle to ensure the music curriculum is being delivered effectively.