Music
Music has a power of forming the character and should therefore be introduced into the education of the young. (Aristotle)
INTENT
At Gislingham, we believe the teaching of music is based upon the fact that it is a highly creative and social art to be enjoyed. Our intention is first and foremost to help children to feel that they are musical and to develop a life-long love of music and singing.
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 Gislingham, children 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 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 are committed to ensuring children understand the value and importance of music in the wider community and are able to use their musical skills, knowledge, and experiences to involve themselves in music, in a variety of different contexts.
Through music, our curriculum helps children develop transferable skills such as teamworking, creative thinking, problem solving and decision making as well as presentation and performance skills. These skills are vital to children's development as learners and have a wider application in their general lives outside and beyond school.
IMPLEMENTATION
We follow the Kapow Primary's scheme of work which enables pupils to meet the end of key stage attainment targets outlines in the National Curriculum and the aims of the scheme align with those in the National Curriculum. The scheme of work also covers all aspects of the Model Music Curriculum.
The scheme follows a spiral curriculum model where previous skills and knowledge are returned to and built upon. Children progress in terms of tackling more complex tasks and by doing more simple tasks better, as well as developing understanding and knowledge of the history of music, staff, and other musical notations, as well as the interrelated dimensions of music.
In lessons, pupils actively participate in musical activities drawn from a range of styles and traditions, developing their musical skills and their understanding of how music works. Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work as well as improvisation and teacher-led performances. Lessons are hands-on and incorporate movement and dance elements, as well as making cross curricular links with other areas of learning.
Differentiated guidance is available for every lesson to ensure that lessons can be accessed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils' learning when required. Strong subject knowledge is vital for staff to be able to deliver an effective music curriculum. Each unit includes multiple teacher videos to develop subject knowledge and support on-going CPD, aiding teachers in their own acquisition of musical skills and knowledge. Kapow webinars with music specialists provide additional opportunities for further CPD.
Following the Model Music Curriculum guidance (DfE 2021), whole class instrumental lessons using tuned percussion are taught in LKS2.
Opportunities for pupils to perform in class/family assemblies, to other year groups, and public performances such as Christmas and Easter services, school productions, music evenings, presentations to the elderly etc. are built in. Opportunities for pupils to work with other music specialists are offered, where possible; the most recent being a workshop with a vocal coach from the National Youth Choir of Great Britain (June 2019).
Early Years Foundation Stage
We teach music in our reception class as an integral part of the topic work covered during the year. Music contributes to a child’s personal and social development. Pupils enjoy singing and performing songs and nursery rhymes; counting songs foster a child’s mathematical ability and songs from different cultures increase a child’s knowledge and understanding of the world. Pupils are encouraged to add instrumental sound effects to a narrated story; they develop their listening skills and start to explore rhythm, tempo and dynamics.
IMPACT
Continuous assessment of pupils playing and singing via verbal feedback through comments, targets and advice as to how to extend learning and implement strategies for perfecting musical performance, leads to an enhanced musical response from pupils. Teachers listen and watch pupils' responses, showing them how to improve their work i.e. through better control or the creation of more complex musical ideas. This inspires pupils to achieve and ensures they make good progress in their music lesson.
The expected impact is that children will:
be confident performers, composers and listeners and will be able to express themselves at and beyond school
show an appreciation and respect for a wide range of musical styles from around the world and will understand how music is influenced by the wider cultural, social and historical contexts in which it is developed
understand the ways in which music can be written down to support performing and composing activities
demonstrate and articulate an enthuasiasm for music and be able to identify their own personal musical preferences
meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National Curriculum for Music
The integral nature of music and the learner creates an enormously rich palette from which pupils are able to access fundamental abilities such as: achievement, self-confidence, interaction with and awareness of others, and self-reflection. It provides pupils with the potential to continue and succeed with the subject at their next school.
To find out more about our Music Curriculum, please click on the links below: