Music

Intent

Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. As pupils progress, they should develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon. (The National Curriculum) 

Music teaching at Charles Warren Academy aims to follow the specifications of the National Curriculum; providing a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum and ensuring the progressive development of musical concepts, knowledge and skills. At Charles Warren Academy we believe that music plays an integral role in helping children to feel part of a community, therefore we provide opportunities for all children to create, play, perform and enjoy music both in class and to an audience. Through assemblies and key stage performances, children showcase their talent and their understanding of performing with awareness of others. Lessons enable children to develop their skills, appreciate a wide variety of music and begin to appraise a range of musical genres.

The aims of our Music curriculum are to develop pupils who: ∙ Enjoy and have an appreciation for music. ∙ Listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, cultures, styles and traditions. ∙ Can sing and use their voices to create different effects. ∙ Create and compose music, both on their own and with others. ∙ Use a range of musical language. ∙ Make judgements and express personal preferences about the quality and style of music. ∙ Take part in performances with an awareness of audience.


Implementation 

Music teaching at Charles Warren Academy delivers the requirements of the National Curriculum through whole class specialist teaching delivered by a member of the MK Music Co-operative. These lessons allow children the opportunity to learn to play an instrument as part of an ensemble and to engender a love of music learning. Throughout the sessions the interrelated elements of music are developed. Music lessons are broken down into half-termly units and an emphasis is placed on musical vocabulary, allowing children to talk about pieces of music using the correct terminology. Each unit of work has an on-going musical learning focus, which include:

∙ Listen and Appraise 

∙ Musical Activities (including pulse and rhythm) 

∙ Singing and Voice 

∙ Playing instruments 

∙ Improvisation / Composition 

∙ Perform and Share

Performance is at the heart of musical teaching and learning at Charles Warren Academy and pupils participate in a range of performances during their school ‘career’. These include nativities (KS1), Carol concerts (KS2) and assemblies where children perform using the instrument that they have been learning during music lessons. Pupils also have the opportunity to participate in additional music teaching by being offered the opportunity to learn the violin with a peripatetic teacher.. As part of our offer, instrumental lessons are provided free of charge for the first twelve months. 


Impact

Our music Curriculum is planned to demonstrate progression and build on and embed current skills. We focus on progression of knowledge and skills in the different musical components and teaching of vocabulary also forms part of the units of work. If children are achieving the knowledge and skills in lessons, then they are deemed to be making good or better progress. 

We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods: 

∙ Pupil discussions and interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice). 

∙ Photo and video evidence of the pupils practical learning. 

The impact of our music curriculum is also measured in the uptake of our music after school clubs and uptake of additional music teaching.

Curriculum Map

Music Curriculum Map.docx

Musician of the month

Cycle A Timeline.pdf
Cycle A World Map.pdf

Rocksteady

Rocksteady is a company that provide rock and pop band lessons enabling groups of children to form their own band and learn how to play instruments such as drums, keyboard and bass guitar.  As a school we have committed to provide this for children at no cost to parents this year, enabling all of our children who have expressed an interest to be able to take part. 

Further resources to explore at home