Music

Vision

Music is a unique and powerful form of communication that can inspire and motivate pupils. It combines creativity with emotion, enabling personal expression, reflection and development. Our school aims to ensure that all children:
• perform, listen to, review and evaluate music
• are taught to sing, create and compose music
• understand and explore how music is created, produced, and communicated.

We aspire to provide our children with a rich and varied music curriculum, enabling them to gain a firm understanding of the subject. We provide the children with the skills and knowledge required of successful musicians. Children will leave our school with an appreciation for the joy of music, a love for singing and a range of musical experiences and skills.

How we teach music

1 music lesson per week for every class N to Y6.
Singing assembles every week for EYFS, KS1 and KS2.
Taught by music specialist in music room.
The curriculum is ambitious and is designed to cover all areas of the national curriculum and is built around the Jewish calendar of festivals.
Online resources such as BBC 10 Pieces, Kaboom, Ukulele Magic, Recorder magic, music with Mr Gray are used to enhance the curriculum.
The curriculum is designed to cover a wide range of musical styles and genre (Classical, world music, modern, jazz, reggae, male/female composers etc).
By the end of year 6, all children will have learnt how to play the recorder, ukulele and Djembe drums.
By the end of year 6, all children will have learnt how to read graphic notation, formal rhythm, notation in the treble clef and chords for the ukulele.
Each year, children study a different piece of music by one of the ‘Great Composers’.
Every year each year group gives at least 1 musical performance to a large audience.
Children get the chance to experience quality live music performances by attending concerts at the Barbican and from visiting musicians.
Enrichment opportunities: choir for years 4-6 and orchestra for years 3-6.
Children can pay for private instrumental lessons in school time – lessons are by peripatetic teachers.

How we ensure progress in music for all pupils

The music curriculum is designed to encourage progress for all pupils and is linked to other areas of learning where appropriate.
The key concepts of singing, playing instruments, music notation, composition and listening and appraising are repeated each year to create strong schemata upon which to build new learning.
Retrieval practice each lesson ensures key learning is remembered and practised.
We use a variety of teaching approaches and scaffolding to ensure all pupils are able to
participate and thrive.
Music techniques and skills are modelled explicitly by the teacher expert and pupils are given time to practise.
Children are assessed after each lesson to inform planning and identify areas for support.
Music lessons are relevant and engaging.