Intent

At Castor C of E Primary School, 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, developing their own appreciation of music with the opportunities we provide as a school. Children are actively encouraged and given the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument, from standard classroom instruments to individual instrumental lessons with the visiting staff. Music is planned with cross-curricular links where possible with Charanga being used to supplement and provide extra support and resources to enhance music teaching. Charanga provides many examples of music styles and genres from different times and places. These are explored through the language of music via active listening, performing and composing activities, which enable understanding of the context and genre.

Our Music curriculum begins in the Early Years where the children’s artistic and cultural awareness is developed to support their imagination and creativity. Within the Expressive Arts and Design area of learning, children are able to sing and perform a range of well-known nursery rhymes and songs.

In Key Stage 1, we aim for our children 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.

In Key Stage 2, we aim for our children 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.

Implementation

The music curriculum ensures children sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate. This is embedded in the classroom activities and daily singing assemblies, performances and the learning of instruments. Through the musical programme Charanga, teachers are able to produce inclusive lessons for all children through topic based learning in a fun and engaging way. With a steady progression plan built into Charanga, both within each year and from one year to the next, consistent musical development provides children with the opportunities to review, remember, deepen and apply their understanding during music lessons. Children will be given opportunities to learn music specific vocabulary in a meaningful context.

Impact

Children are able to enjoy music in as many ways as they choose, as a listener, creator or performer. Children have the opportunity to discuss and share their own thoughts, opinions and ideas, acknowledging and respecting that these may vary and that this is positive. External interests and talents are also encouraged and showcased in class and assembly, ensuring that everyone is challenged regardless of previous musical experience.