Music

We are committed to developing a curiosity for Music, as well as an understanding and acceptance of the validity and importance of all types of music, and an unbiased respect for the role that music may wish to be expressed in any person’s life. We aim to provide children with the opportunity to progress to the next level of their creative excellence.

The school’s policy for Music is based on the 2014 National Curriculum for Key Stages 1 and 2. The National Curriculum for music aims to ensure that all children:

•    perform, listen to, review and evaluate music
•    be taught to sing, create and compose music
•    understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated

At St. Mary’s Priory Schools, we want to create a passion for music in our children that will stay with them in their future lives. We want to ensure that music is an inspiring and engaging experience that enables every child to develop their musical potential and develops an appreciation of the value of music that is deeply personal to them. We want children to have a curiosity for the subject and a respect for the role that music may play in any person’s life.

We endeavour to provide a variety of musical experiences through a curriculum which develops learning, improves knowledge and promotes pupil well-being through building up the confidence of all children.  Music can impact the way that children feel, think and act; we want music to encourage the body and mind to work together, develop motor skills and allow self-expression.

Our values are at the heart of everything we do. We want our children to show their understanding of those values through music and to use music as a tool to become courageous advocates, highlighting issues that are important to them. Music plays an important part in helping children feel part of a community. We want to ensure children understand the value and importance of music in the wider community and encourage them to use their musical skills, knowledge and experience to involve themselves and others in music.

The implementation of our intent is planned using the Charanga Music Scheme. Charanga is designed to ensure full coverage of the National Curriculum. It provides wide exposure to musical styles and genres from different times and places and promotes the exploration of the language of music through active listening, performing and composing activities.

Each unit follows a sequence of learning: listen and appraise, interrelated dimensions of music, singing, playing Instruments, improvisation, composition, perform and share. This approach ensures the children get a rich learning experience covering all aspects of music.

There is a clear progression of skills and knowledge to accompany each unit that sets out exactly how the children progress throughout the year and year on year.

Knowledge organisers provide a foundation for the learning for each topic and include - vocabulary, genre, style, instrumental parts for improvisation and composition, listening and appraising, musical dimensions.

In addition to the scheme, children are given the opportunity to learn to play musical instruments including Glockenspiels, African Drums and Ukuleles.

Our Music curriculum reflects the intent of our whole school curriculum.

As a result of our Music Curriculum we want our children to:

•    Develop a love and appreciation of music.
•    Make judgements and express personal preferences about the quality and style of music.
•    Listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of genres, styles and historical periods.
•    Create and compose music both individually and collaboratively.
•    Develop an ability to understand rhythm, structure and organisation.
•    Be given opportunities to play a wide variety of instruments, both tuned and un-tuned.
•    Read and write musical notation.
•    Have knowledge of and use a range of musical vocabulary to discuss music and develop descriptive language skills.
•    Sing in tune using voices to create different effects.
•    Take part in performances with an awareness of audience.
•    Display a deep understanding of our school values by listening to, interpreting and expressing themselves through music.
 

Whilst in school, children have access to a varied programme, which allows them to discover areas of strength, as well as areas they might like to improve upon. The integral nature of music and the learner creates an enormously rich palette from which a child may access fundamental abilities. Children are able to enjoy music in as many ways as they choose – either as listener, creator or performer. They can dissect music and comprehend its parts. They can sing and feel a pulse. They have an understanding of how to further develop skills less known to them, should they ever develop an interest in their lives.

As a result of the music curriculum, children at St. Mary Priory schools develop a love of music and increased understanding of the impact that music can have on their own and others’ lives.

Children demonstrate progression of knowledge and skills which they continuously build on and embed.

Through music, children develop the fundamental competencies of confidence, curiosity, collaboration, communication, creativity, commitment and craftsmanship.

Children develop an understanding of culture and history in relation to themselves individually, their local music heritage and music from ethnicities from around the world.