Music Curriculum Statement
Intent
At Barleyhurst Park Primary School we believe that music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity, so we make music an enjoyable learning experience by encouraging pupils to participate in a variety of musical activities through which we aim to build up the confidence of all. We, also aim to help the children to gain a firm understanding of what music is through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing, and composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions, and musical genres. We are committed to developing a curiosity for the subject, as
well as an understanding and acceptance of the importance of all types of music and the way music is accepted and expressed by each individual.
In line with the National Curriculum for Music we aim to ensure that children:
- Sing and use their voices individually and in a group;
- Create and compose music on their own and with others;
- Use technology appropriately when composing;
- Have opportunities to learn a musical instrument;
- Understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated;
- Listen to, review and evaluate the work of great composers and musicians from a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions;
- Enjoy and have an appreciation of a range of different musical styles e.g. Classical, Jazz, Hip Hop, Pop, Rock etc.
- Use and understand musical language and include musical features in their own work;
- Make judgements about the quality of music;
- Have opportunities to play a wide variety of instruments;
- Have different opportunities to take part in performances.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) aims for all children in nursery to:
- Sing a large repertoire of songs.
- Listen with increased attention to sounds.
- Respond to what they have heard, expressing their thoughts and feelings.
- Remember and sing entire songs.
- Sing the pitch of a tone sung by another person (‘pitch match’).
- Sing the melodic shape (moving melody, such as up and down, down and up) of familiar songs.
- Create their own songs, or improvise a song around one they know.
- Play instruments with increasing control to express their feelings and ideas.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) aims for all children in reception to:
- Listen carefully to rhymes and songs, paying attention to how they sound.
- Learn rhymes, poems and songs.
- Combine different movements with ease and fluency.
- Explore, use and refine a variety of artistic effects to express their ideas and feelings.
- Return to and build on their previous learning, refining ideas and developing their ability to represent them.
- Create collaboratively, sharing ideas, resources and skills.
- Listen attentively, move to and talk about music, expressing their feelings and responses.
- Sing in a group or on their own, increasingly matching the pitch and following the melody.
- Explore and engage in music making and dance, performing solo or in groups.
- Sing a range of well-known nursery rhymes and songs.
- Perform songs, rhymes, poems and stories with others, and (when appropriate) try to move in time with music.
Implementation
Our school uses the national scheme of work for music supported by the Music Express Program as the basis for its curriculum planning. Additionally, we use Music Model Curriculum which aims to support curriculum music in schools during Key Stages.
We have also adapted the national scheme so that the topics that the pupils study in music build upon prior learning.
We provide opportunities for all pupils to compose perform and appraise music, to develop the skills, to appreciate a wide variety of musical forms, and to begin to make judgements about the quality of music.
This is embedded in classroom activities as well as weekly singing assemblies, performances and the learning of instruments.
The elements of music are taught in classroom lessons so that children are able to use the language of music to discuss it, and understand how it is made, played, appreciated and analysed. In the classroom pupils learn how to play various un-tuned and tuned percussion instruments and as a class in Year 4 they learn to play the guitar. In doing so they understand the different principles of creating notes, as well as how to devise and read their own musical scores and basic music notation.
The EYFS framework is structured very differently to the national curriculum as it is organised across seven areas of learning rather than subject areas. The most relevant statements for music are taken from the following areas of learning:
- Communication and Language
- Physical Development
- Expressive Arts and Design to match the program of study for music.
Impact
Pupil Voice will show:
- A developed understanding of the methods and skills of musicians at an age appropriate level.
- A secure understanding of the key techniques and methods for each key area of the curriculum.
- A progression of understanding, with appropriate vocabulary which supports and extends understanding.
- Confidence in discussing music, their own work and identifying their own strengths and areas for development.
Evidence will show:
- Pupils have had opportunities for practice and refinement of skills.
- A varied and engaging curriculum which develops a range of musical skills.
- Developed and final pieces of work which showcase the skills learned.
- Clear progression of skills in line with expectations set out in the progression grids.
- That pupils, over time, develop a range of skills and techniques across all of the areas of the music curriculum.
Monitoring
- Celebrate the successes of pupils through planned displays.
- Collate appropriate evidence over time which evidences that pupils know more and remember more.
- Monitor the standards in the subject to ensure the outcomes are at expected levels.
- Provide ongoing CPD support based on the outcomes of subject monitoring to ensure that the impact of the curriculum is wide reaching and positive.
Music
Music has a power of forming the character and should therefore be introduced into the education of the young. (Aristotle)
Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, and life to everything… Without music, life would be an error. (Plato)