Music
“Music is the literature of the heart; it commences where speech ends.” Alphonse de Lamartine
Intent
Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. A high quality music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement.
Togetherness – Music can bring communities together through the shared endeavour of whole-school singing, ensemble playing, experimenting with the creative process and, through the love of listening to friends and fellow pupils, performing. The sheer joy of music making can feed the soul of a school community, enriching each student while strengthening the shared bonds of support and trust which make a great school. (Model Music Curriculum)
Happiness – Music is important because it can provide fulfilment throughout life. It is a powerful, unique form of communication that can change the way pupils feel, think and act. Playing and singing together collaboratively can bring happiness to all involved.
Respect – through music, pupils will develop a respect for other cultures and musicians. They will also foster mutual respect through collaboration in composition and performing. They will develop social skills through co-operation with others in the shared experience of music making. They will be encouraged to express ideas and opinions about music, respecting the performers and composers they refer to.
Independence – Pupils will confidently play untuned and tuned instruments with increasing independence. They will develop skills to make independent choices about composition and performance. They will review, reflect and express their own opinions about the music they listen to or compose or perform.
Variety – Pupils will experience and develop an understanding of musical traditions and enhance their performance skills by learning and performing music from a variety of cultures and time periods. Pupils will play a range of instruments, sing a variety of songs in different ways and perform in various contexts. They will listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians.
Excellence – Pupils will be provided with excellent teaching and opportunities within school and with external providers. As pupils build on their musical education throughout the school, they will develop an excellent musical understanding.
The following list of skills and attributes can be gained through participation in musical activities. These also contribute to the whole school curriculum.
- A sense of achievement – individual and collective
- Social skills such as co-operation, tolerance, self-confidence and perseverance
- Coordination of fingers, hands, arms, lips, cheek and facial muscles develops greatly
- Ability to use other languages to describe emotions (usually Italian words are used)
- Ability to read notation
- Ability to discriminate
- Listening skills
- Sensitivity to sounds
- Imagination and inventiveness
- Ability to analyse and solve problems
- Concern for accuracy
- Ability to memorise
- Develop attention to detail
- Communication skills, self-discipline and self-evaluation
- The illumination and extension of studies in other curriculum subjects
- Higher standards of application and concentration in all areas of work
IMPLEMENTATION
Subject Content
Music Curriculum Early Years Foundation Stage
The Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum is based on six areas of learning aiming to promote all aspects of a child’s development. Music comes under the ‘Expressive Arts and Design’ area of learning within ‘Exploring and Using Media and Materials’ and ‘Being Imaginative’. The EYFS curriculum starts from birth and children progress though each stage of development aiming to achieve the Early Learning Goals by the end of their Reception year. The assessment for the EYFS is formative.
The Early Learning Goals relating to music are:
Exploring and Using Media and Materials: Children sing songs, make music and dance, and experiment with ways of changing them. They safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function.
Being Imaginative: Children use what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about uses and purposes. They represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and technology, art, music, dance, role play and stories. During the Early Years Foundation Stage, children explore, experiment, practise, repeat and consolidate musical ideas and skills through singing, playing and movement; they have access to instruments appropriate to their age. Music by its very nature will develop skills and competencies in other areas of learning.
Key Stage One
Key stage 1 Pupils should be taught to:
- use their voices expressively and creatively by singing songs and speaking chants and rhymes
- play tuned and untuned instruments musically
- listen with concentration and understanding to a range of high-quality live and recorded music
- experiment with, create, select and combine sounds using the inter-related dimensions of music.
Key Stage Two
Pupils should be taught to sing and play musically with increasing confidence and control. They should develop an understanding of musical composition, organising and manipulating ideas within musical structures and reproducing sounds from aural memory.
Key Stage 2 Pupils should be taught to:
- play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression
- improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the inter-related dimensions of music
- listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory
- use and understand staff and other musical notations
- appreciate and understand a wide range of high-quality live and recorded music drawn from different traditions and from great composers and musicians
- develop an understanding of the history of music.
Method of delivery
- Units of work have been selected from the Charanga Music teaching platform. In KS1 & KS2 these are based on the Model Music Curriculum.
- Children will be taught in whole school sessions, whole class sessions, small groups and individually.
- Children have access to a range of untuned and tuned instruments to explore across the year.
- Teachers will use power points, videos, photographs, music apps and purple mash music software to enhance the learning
- Teachers also have access to resources such as the ‘Bristol plays music’ music curriculum and the BBC Music resources which make links with projects such as the Greeks or Vikings.
- Rhythm and songs will be taught using call and response, a wide variety of games and flash cards.
- External providers such as Jackdaws, the BBC concert orchestra or local musicians will be utilised to enrich the children’s musical experience.
- The children also have the opportunity each year to take part in a whole school Christmas production. This gives them the chance to perform for an audience and sing in different styles, even different languages!
- Children will also have the opportunity to practise and perform songs in special events such as Harvest festival or leaver’s assemblies.
- During assemblies, children will have the opportunity to listen to and appreciate a wide range of musical styles and eras.
The school uses the Charanga Schemes of learning. Below is out Long term plan for the year.
Below are the key documents for the music curriculum at Nunney First School.